ENTERTAINMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, 20 December 1933, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

NEW PLYMOUTH OPERA HOUSE. “A BEDTIME STORY.” Maurice Chevalier’s latest Paramount picture, “A Bedtime Story,” commences at the New Plymouth Opera House tomorrow night. Helen Twelvetrees, Edward Everett Horton, Adrienne Ames and Baby Leroy, the year-old youngster chosen from among thousands of other babies his own age for this honour, head the cast which supports the French star in a new type of characterisation. Chevalier is cast as a man-about-town who suddenly discovers that home and fireside have their charms. This awakening comes to him on his return from a voyage, when he finds a baby abandoned in his car. He calls police to take it away, but by the time they arrive he has become so fond of it that he has decided to keep it and raise it himself. Helen Twelvetrees, beautiful actress stranded in Paris, becomes the baby’s nurse. When Chevalier takes baby, nurse and the rest of his menage to the fiancee’s home for a week-end, developments are fast, furious and funny. He emerges from the situation sans fiancee, but still with baby and nurse. And the nurse is something more than a nurse by that time. Chevalier sings four song numbers written especially for him. Special supporting subjects, which will be screened with this attraction, include a British sound news, comedy and a cartoon.

REGENT TO-NIGHT.

NEW PROGRAMME.

/ “20,000 Years in Sing Sing,” which heads an outstanding change of programme at The Regent, New Plymouth, to-night, is a realistic depiction of the human side of prison life, with its humour, its pathos, its romance and its thrills, as well as its tragedies. No such authentic document could have been written by other than the famous authority on prison systems, Lewis E. Lawes, of Sing Sing, warden of the noted penitentiary at Ossining, New York, who has lived on the lid of a volcano of human passions for many years. The book was dramatised by Wilson Mizner and Brown Holmes and adapted by Courtenay Terrett and Robert Lord. The picture nas a strong cast which includes Spencer Tracy, Bette Davis, Arthur Byron, Lyle Talbot, Grant Mitchell, Warren Hymer, Louis Calhern and Sheila Terry. The associate programme includes New Zealand Sound Scenes, “The High School Hoofer” (dancing novelty), “A Whale of a Yarn” (travelogue) and “The Poor Little Rich Boy” , (musical revue). EVERYBODY’S THEATRE. MATINEE 2 P.M. TO-DAY. “Lord of the Manor,” the Paramount British picture which commences at' Everybody’s Theatre, New Plymouth, to•day at 2 and 8 p.m., will delight all who demand wholesome, rollicking humour in their screen entertainment. That British producers invariably reach heights of brilliancy in the realm of comedy has become almost. axiomatic. In “Lord of the Manor,” the combination of witticism in dialogue and cleverness in situation, which has marked most English productions of this class, has been duplicated with full effect. There is the additional charm of a typical English setting, with its captivating glimpses of rustic beauty _and manorial magnificence. One can applaud the deft touches brought to bear by Henry Edwards in his direction of the piece. Principally, however, one feels a complete satisfaction with the splendid character acting of the late Frederick Kerr. This is the high-light of the picture. Always at his best when playing the typical role of the “peppery,” impetuous aristocrat, he excels himself al the hot-headed, but large-hearted, landowner who is called upon to offer the hospitality of the manor to some of the unemployed-in the district. Betty Stockfeld and Kate Cutler also fill prominent roles. A varied array of featurettes include British'’Sound News, “Down by the Old Mill Stream” (screen song), “Hollywood on Parade” (revue), “Sweet Cookie (comedy) and English Pathe Gazette.

new theatre, opunake.

“TRICK FOR TRICK.”

“Trick for Trick," the new Fox mystery melodrama, screening at Opunake to-night and to-morrow, must go down as one of the most diverting films seen in many months. With its two rival magicians trying to expose each others art and matching trick for trick, the audience is treated to an inside look at the black craft. To the amusement of seeing elaborate tricks simply explained is added the strange mystery of a murdered girl and the death of a man who attempts to take part in its solution. The film introduces elements of mystery, far removed from those usually portrayed, but that find themselves close to the hearts of the spectators. As the rival magicians, Ralph Morgan and Victor Jory are the perfect foils for each other.. In humour as well as in the more sinister character of their art, they are superb. Snlly Blane gives a winning performance in the leading feminine role, and the supporting cast represents a fine example of careful casting. Among the latter special mention must be made of Tom Dugan, Luis Albemi, Ed Van Sloan, Willard Robertson, Dorothy Appleby, Boothe Howard and Clifford Jones, the last of whom makes his screen debut.