ENTERTAINMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, 14 December 1932, Page 11

ENTERTAINMENTS

EVERYBODY’S.

“EMMA” AGAIN TO-DAY.

That great actress Marie Dressier, the grand old lady of the screen, has won a place in the hearts of thousands of picturegoers in New Plymouth through her remarkable portrayal in . ‘Emma. Those who have not seen this exceptional picture are reminded that the season ends to-day—“ Emma” will screen at Everybody’s Theatre this afternoon at 2 o’clock and finally to-night at 8.

“THE GUARDSMAN” TO-MORROW.

Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, reputed the foremost living stars of the American stage, and stars of many Theatre Guild productions of recent years, will make their initial appearance from the speaking screen to-morrow and Friday only at Everybody’s Theatre _in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s “The Guardsman.” Ferenc Molnar’s Viennese comedy has proved one of the most popular costarring vehicles for Lunt and Miss Fontanne, and this story property was selected for the first screen effort of the couple after consideration of dozens or scripts. Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, who until last spring had refused all offers to appear together on the screen, are perhaps the best-known stage couple in the world. They were married shortly after their first meeting, eight years ago, in Washington, and during their career with the New York Theatre Guild have been co-starred in ten productions. These comprise The Guardsman,” “Goat Song,” “The, Brothers Karamazov,” “At Mrs. Bea m s, Arms and the Man,” “The priors Dflemma, “Caprice,” “The Second Man, Meteor and “Elizabeth the Queen.” The story of “The Guardsman,” which many critics believe to be Molnar’s wittiest and most sophisticated play, concerns an Austrian actor who devises an unusual experiment, to find out whether his wife would be unfaithful to him if given the opportunity; There are only six people in the cast, which besides Lunt and Fontanne, include Roland Young, that splendid English actor, and Zasu Pitts.

REGENT TO-NIGHT.

BRIGHT COMEDY.

“Bachelor’s Affairs,” the new Fox comedy with Adolphe Menjou in the stellar role, opens a three-night season at The Regent to-night. In the role, specially selected by the distinguished Menjou, he enacts the character of a wealthy mid-dle-aged man who marries a beautiful blonde so dumb that it requires all the canny plotting of an older sister to keep her at her vocation. The rheumatic and cynical bridegroom, quick to realise his mistake in forming the alliance, resorts to far-fetched expedients to extricate himself from the web. One hilarious complication follows another in fastmoving scenes. The action is said to go along with exceptional deftness in tne hands of a company of expert corned!-., ennes and comedians playing the various roles. Minna Gombell, remembered for her hard-boiled roles in Bad Girl,„ “Stepping Sisters,” “Dance Team, and “Careless Lady,” appears as the gold-digging sister. Joan Marsh, vivacious platinum blonde, enacts the role of the youthful wife who sets her aged husband such a sizzling pace that he is finally compelled to take a rest cure. Allan Dinehart, -who played the egotistical author in “The Brat,” and who .was widely acclaimed for his performance as the district attorney in “The Trial of Vivienne Ware,” plays an important role. Others in the cast include Herbert Mundin the English comedian who appeared in “The Silent Witness” and “The Trial of Vivienne Ware”; Arthur Pierson, Irene Purcell and Don Alvarado. Miss Gombell and Miss Marsh wear an array of more than thirty beautiful gowns in the picture and the settings are reported as unusually lavish. The associate programme will include Fox Movietone News, “Billy Blue Gum” (cartoon). Universal. News and “Venetian Holiday (travelogue).

NEW PLYMOUTH OPERA HOUSE. MARILYN MILLER, “HER MAJESTY LOVE.” In “Her Majesty Love,” which opens at the New Plymouth Opera House today; love laughs,, not at locksmiths, but at ball-bearings, the hero being bound at the. tail of a vast commercial enterprise which has a monopoly of them. The Von Wellingen Ball-bearing Corpox-

ation, of Berlin, has so thriven in three generations that the social rank of all shareholders is at the zenith. Then the only active, youthful brain amongst the figureheads and dowagers who form the directorate falls in love with the barmaid at a fashionable cabaret, and seriously intends to marry her. It is shocking, and the comedy which revolves round the genuflections to the marks enshrined in ball-bearings ‘is delightful. Marilyn Miller, as Lia, the queenly creature who mixes cocktails for the ball- - barons and their satellites, proves very human at close range. Ben Lyon, as Fred Von Wellingen,- the hero, is faced with a salary of 10,000 marks and a chief directorship in the corporation as the price of relinquishing Lia, whose father (W. C. Fields) has achieved mild success as a barber, after a chequered career in vaudeville. Fred yields to the marks, but cannot keep it up, and a brilliant, richly-staged banqueting and night-life satire on Berlin high life ends in the lovers being re-united. Chester Conklin and Fields supply the humour, while bright dialogue is bandied between the rest of the cast.

INGLEWOOD TALKIES.

“HIGH STAKES” TO-NIGHT.

Racketeering women and lonely mil-, lionaires. She is young; he is thirty years her senior. And they marry • Such a situation is presented in RKORadio Pictures’ new sophisticated.drama, “High Stakes,” which will be presented at the Inglewood talkies to-night, with LoweU Sherman, Mac Murray, Karen Morley and Edward Martindel heading a distinguished cast of players. What happens when middle-age reaches out to youth for a final fling? Should the babyfaced, worldly-wise girl be honest about her background and throw down the opportunity of luxury, leisure, wealth and travel? Should she come to her longly old man with truth, sincerity and honesty? Should the successful busmess man forsake the advice of his closest friends and strive to recapture the gaiety of forgotten youth. Moving, dynamic and penetrating is this RKO-Radio picture, taken from Willard Macks. Broadway success which presents a mad whirl of New York society, “speakeasy” life and the “inside rtory” of a pair of imposters who are before the “haul” can be made. Lowell Sherman directed as well as played the leading role.