ENTERTAINMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, 13 March 1933, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE TO-NIGHT. ■' “THE NIGHT CLUB LADY;” ! “The Night Club Lady,” a screen adaptation of the Anthony Abbot, is now being shown nightly at The Regent, New Plymouth. The role of the suave Thatcher Colt was made to order for the talent of Adolphe Menjou. Thatcher Colt is a unique character among all the Sherlock Holmes, Philo Vances, Arsene Lupins, Craig Kennedys and all the rest of the master minds of crime who have become literary landmarks in the fields of detective fiction. Where most of these brilliant figures have ridiculed the efforts of the stupid police detectives, Thatcher Colt is himself not only a policeman, but the police commissioner of New York City, a man of splendid social background, a gentleman, wealthy, polished, handsome and shrewd. He solves the most baffling crimes by the exercise .of what he calls “common sense” but which is really the height of ingenuity, bolstered by application of the latest developments of modem science. How Menjou, playing the role of Thatcher Colt in “The Night Club Lady,” solves a chain of murders, makes one of the most absorbing pictures of the kind ever to reach the screen. Lola Carewe, the night club lady, is played by Mayo Methot, a glamorous blonde newcomer from the Broadway stage. Skeets Gallagher, Ruthehna Stevens and Albert Conti play supporting roles. The shorts include gazette, nature study and the third episode of “The Air Mail Mystery.”

’ EVERYBODY’S THEATRE. “ONCE IN A LIFETIME.” The screen version of the Broadway stage play “Once in a Lifetime” was shown to a large audience at Everybody’s Theatre, New Plymouth, on Saturday night The stage play “Once in a Lifetime” was enjoyed by moving picture people as well as by the general public during its two-year run on Broadway. None of the latter ever dreamed that such unprecedented things as occur in “Once in a Lifetime” can ever happen. None of the former ever thought a picture would be made from this excruciatingly funny and satirical play, or that any moving picture producer would have the nerve to make such fun of the industry in which he was a prominent figure. Throughout “Once in a Lifetime” there is just enough basis of truth in its incidents to make them doubly funny. The making of the picture was a daring exploit, since it holds up to biting ridicule the very industry of which it forms a part. The cast of “Once in a Lifetime” is of well-nigh all-star proportions, including as it does such popular screen players as Jack Oakie, Sidney Fox, Aline MacMahon, Russell Hopton, ZaSu Pitts, Louise Fazenda, Onslow Stevens and many others. Supporting films include a “Strange as it Seems” novelty, a clever cartoon “The Underdog,” Charlie Lawrence’s latest Cinesound review and two Graham McNamee talking news reels. The programme screens again tonight and to-morrow night with matinees each afternoon. “TESS OF THE STORM COUNTRY.” OPERA HOUSE ATTRACTION. With those two outstanding favourites, | Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell, in I the leading roles, “Tess of the Storm Country,” a delightful romance which commenced a season at the New Plymouth Opera House on Saturday, needs no further recommendation to the theatre-going public. Perhaps it is the colourful sea setting or perhaps the sup-

erb acting, with all its varying phases of innocent joy, love, humour, pathos and bravery in the face of tragedy, which seems to place this production on an even higher footing than the ten preceding talkies in which Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell have starred together. As Tess, the motherless daughter of a New England sea captain, Janet Gaynor fills the role chosen for her to perfection and achieves one of the best performances of her career. Farrell, as a millionaire’s son who is disowned by his irascible parent because, of his interest in the heroine, also comes through with a flawless portrayal. The story opens on a large sailing ship, commanded by Captain Howland (Dudley Digges), whose daughter Tess has sailed with him and learnt the ropes during a long apprenticeship,' lasting from babyhood to charming young womanhood. Unwelcome attentions from a member of the crew decides Captain Howland that it is time his daughter lived ashore. Consequently they erect a little cottage on a rocky cliff on the New England coast between the summer home of a boorish millionaire and a homely fishing village. The millionaire, Frederick Garfield (Claude Gillingwater) objects to the cottage on the grounds of spoiling the view and causes the owners to be ejected as trespassers, setting fire to the place even before the Howlands can remove their belongings. Ben Letts, a domineering leader of the fishermen, finds new quarters for them and initiates the captain into the illegal but profitable business of net-fishing for mackerel. Against her father’s wishes Tess becomes a stowaway and accompanies the fishermen on one of these ex-, peditions. During, netting operations a speeding outboard motor-boat fouls the net, throwing both occupants into the water. One, entangled under water in the meshes of the net, is pluckily rescued by Tess. Learning that the man she had rescued was Frederick Garfield, junr. (Charles Farrell), Tess refuses his thanks and drives him from the house. Meanwhile the captain and Ben Letts are again caught net-fishing by the game warden, who is accompanied by Dan Taylor (George Meeker), the fiance of

Frederick juruv’s sister, Teola. In the darkness Ben shoots Taylor with the captain’s gun, fatally wounding him. The captain is arrested and found .guilty of murder,’ notwithstanding the pleadings of Tess and the efforts of Garfield’s son. These two discover mutual love, which completely overshadows earlier misunderstandings. But further obstacles arise while Frederick is away endeavouring to secure the re-trial of Captain Howland. Tess rescues Frederick’s sister Teola from attempted suicide by drowning and learns of the latter’s trouble. In sharing this, Tess becomes bound to secrecy, which seems likely to prove an impassable barrier to marriage between" her and the man she loves. Events then commence to come into order, and with the final sheeting home of the shotting affray to Ben Letts, the captain is cleared of all blame and set free 'to: join a small but very happy circle. -