ENTERTAINMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, 13 February 1933, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. McLAGLEN IN NEW TYPE OF ROLE. “See Paris and die” might well have been, written “See Paris and live—excitingly,” if the stirring events pictured in “While Paris Sleeps,” Fox melodrama which opened on Saturday at the Regent Theatre, New Plymouth, are true. Victor McLaglen, in the featured role, deserts for the first time his usual uniformed or heavy-lover characterisations, to depict the devoted father of an innocent young girl thrown alone on the streets of Paris. Helen Mack, red-head-ed debutante star of the current season, who enacts the daughter, gives an outstanding performance as her first featured contribution under the Fox banner. Thrills of both a visual and physical nature abound in the swift-moving drama which is told' with the utmost realism. McLaglen is seen three different times surrounded by apaches whom he battles desperately in the most thrilling kind of action entertainment. Another of his daring exploits is to drive a speeding automobile filled with French gendarmes crashing into a store front for an unforgettable moment of sheer suspense. William Bakewell, prominent young juvenile, is seen as the heroic young lover of Miss Mack in the tender romance that motivates the story. Others of the supporting cast are Jack Laßue, Rita Laßoy, Maurice Black, Dot Farley, Lucille LaVeme and Paul Porcasi. “While Paris Sleeps” was preceded by Fox News, “Detective Lloyd” (episode 11) and “A Safe Proposition,” an amusing British comedy drama starring A. W. Bascomb. Screenings will be repeated tonight .and to-morrow night. EVERYBODY’S THEATRE. “DOWN TO EARTH.” Very different in theme and treatment from its star’s previous screen offerings, but £ll the more interesting and entertaining for that, “Down to Earth” scored a decided hit with local Will Rogers fans at its opening at Everybody’s Theatre, New 'Plymouth, on Saturday, Realising the tiineliness of turning his witty spotlight on present conditions, the noted humorist has unobtrusively woven the very human story of a business man’s domestic and financial worries into the background of a riotously funny picture. His solution, for his problems is as significant as it is hilarious. “Down to Earth” brings back the lovable Pike Peters and the socially ambitious Idy Peters of Rogers’ previous talkie, “They Had to See Paris.” Their European jaunt over, : they are again in Claremore, Oklahoma, : where Idy is now the town’s social lead- 1 er. Pike is worried over the financial outlook, but Idy and their son, Ross, are too busy spending the family income to pay any attention to his warnings. A bank failure sends Pike hurrying to Chicago for a big loan, the only thing that will save his business from a crash. In this he is unsuccessful, but he meets the Grand Duke Michael, an old friend . of Paris days, and brings him bach to Okla- J.

homa. On arrival matters come swiftly to a head; Ross has gambled away the family fortune; Idy is giving an extravagant costume ball to aimounce Ross’ engagement to a girl he dislikes but whose money he feels the family needs; Pike himself is about to be thrown into bankruptcy. The unconventional methods Pike uses to bring his headstrong family “down to earth” again makes a whirlwind climax to the film, which in many respects is the best effort of the star’s career. Irene Rich again plays the part of his irresponsible wife and Theodore Lodi once more becomes the Russian duke. Dorothy Jordan, Matty Kemp, Mary Carlisle, Brandon Hurst and bthej notables head the supporting cast witlf: uniformly. excellent work. The supporting programme is above the usual standard and includes an excellent cartoon, travelogue of Havana; “The Circus Comes to Town,” Australian Cinesound Review and Fox News reels. The programme screens again to-night and to-morrow night, with matinees each afternoon. THRILLS IN “OLD DARK HOUSE.” FINE NIGHTS ENTERTAINMENT. If you want a picture full of explosive action, breath-taking suspense and “spookiness,” with humour now and then, you will get it at the New Plymouth Opera House in “The Old Dark House,”, which is based on the story by ] J. B. Priestley, the well-read British author. It is a talkie which opens with the ejaculation “Hell!” and' some of the people in the old house get to know all about it. Universal, under Carl Laenunle, has gathered a fine cast for this unusual type of thriller, including Boris Karloff, Charles Laughton, Melvyn Douglas, Lillian Bond, Ernest Thesiger, Eva Moore, Raymond Massey and Gloria Stuart. Two women and three men, in two parties, lose their way in a terrific storm in the Welsh mountains. There are flooded rivers, landslides and other features of a really dirty night. The five hapless humans seek shelter in the big stone mansion where the only comforting thing is the big fire. They soon discover' that the family living in the house are subjects for the alienist. There is the old 1 gentleman aged 102 dying on the top floor, ; but alive enough to say that the rest of 1 the family is “well touched.” The daugh- 1 ter, up in years, is a cynical person full of condemnation of the world and its 1 fripperies, and stirred to a pretty outburst when one of the unwelcome guests ' exposes the piquancy of the underwear j of modem woman. There is the son, full of apprehension, afraid of his deaf sis- 1 ter and everyone else, particularly the J someone locked behind a heavy door up- j stairs. Morgan, the butler, is a dumb J savage who now and then goes on a . drinking bout and becomes a dangerous fiend. He looks after Saul, the mad son who is locked away. Saul wishes to make a burnt offering of the old house and likes killing people. Morgan’s greatest strength is his threat every now and j then to let Saul loose. Morgan breaks « out into a drunken spell and releases, j Saul, who . makes weird yet workman- t like play with a carving knife, seizes a blazing brand from the fire and starts ] the fun in earnest. In the meantime £ the countryside is swept by rain, and £ the occupants of the old dark house have their- terrors increased by the noise ,of e the wind and thunder. The sequence of

r strange happenings fetters the attention s right through. ■ The characters are very • finely drawn, and the producer has • achieved some excellent storm effects, i Interesting and amusing shorts of the s highest quality make the complete pro- . gramme a thoroughly good entertaini ment. YOUNG AUSTRALIANS’ BAND. RETURN VISIT TO TARANAKI. ; Although the former visit of the boys !« of the Young Australia League to Hawera and New Plymouth was, perhaps, overshadowed by the arrival of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith on the same day, there is no questioning the fact that they made hosts of friends both on and off the stage, and a return visit from them will be much appreciated. After the previous visit the party went to Wellington, where they had a wonderful season of two short days, going to Nelson to commence the.tour of the South Island. From the first to last the tour has been a series of triumphs, as the Press in each town visited. can testify. In Blenheim the theatre would not hold the crowd which wanted to see and hear these boys. In Christchurch the Theatre Royal was packed to the doors, hundreds being turned away. When the boys ) assisted the Woolston and > Christchurch Municipal Bands in their efforts to raise funds to enable them to attend the Dunedin contest more than 10,000 people crowded every vantage point in the gardens. According to the Christchurch Press, it was the largest crowd ever seen in Christchurch Gardens. At Timaru, Oamaru and Dunedin the same thing happened. At Oamaru the Opera House was not nearly large enough, and although it was a wet night hundreds were unable to gain admission. Their Excellencies Lord and Lady Bledisloe. and party from Government House will attend the return season in the town hall, Wellington. From that city the party go to Masterton, Palmerston, Wanganui, Hawera and New Plymouth. It is the unanimous opinion of the Press of the Dominion that , the work of the band is nothing short of amazing. That adjective has been used so many times that it has almost lost its meaning. But it refers hot only to the band, for the vocal, violin and comedy items are equal to the excellent standard set and maintained by the band. Although the tour has been strenuous, not a case of sickness or absence from any performance has been registered during the whole tour. The party return to Sydney from Auckland on Friday, February 17. Box plans for the Taranaki concerts are at Miss Blake’s, Hawera, and Collier’s Music Store, New Plymouth. Prices for the return season have been reduced to 2s. and Is.