ENTERTAINMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, 21 December 1933, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

THE REGENT THEATRE.

“20,000 YEARS IN SING SING.”

■ “20,000 Years in. Sing Sing,” Warner Bros.’ gripping drama of prison life, will be finally screened at The Regent, New Plymouth, to-night. Spencer. Tracy and Bette Davis are the featured players. The supports are of i high standard and include New Zealand sound scenes. “The High School Hoofer” (dancing novelty), “A Whale of a Yam” (travelogue extraordinary) and “Tie P'.or Little R.ch j&oy” (musical revue) A stirring tale of adventure. , and romance in disturbed China is . told in “Shanghai Madness,” which will open at The Regent Theatre to-morrow, night. The film, with its glimpses of a life far removed from humdrum every-day existence,' provides splendid entertainment, and forms an ideal vehicle for the virile characterisations always associated with the name of Spencer Tracy, the principal. Acting honours, however, are equally shared by Fay Wray, who makes a charming heroine, Eugene Pallette in a typically bluff role, Herbert Mundin, whose part is full of dry "humour, and Ralph' Morgan, who makes a suave mandarin. “Shanghai Madness” will be preceded by “Great Stuff,” a rollicking comedy drama starring Henry Kendall and Betty Astell.

EVERYBODY’S TO-DAY.

“LORD OF THE MANOR.”

“Lord of the Manor,” a Paramount British Productions’ release, which is now showing twice daily at Everybody’s Theatre, New Plymouth, is a wholly delightful comedy of English life. It contains some sparkling repartee, and the English background, the love interest, and the bits of comedy go to make the picture first-class entertainment. Frederick Kerr presents a wonderful impersonation of Sir Henry Bovey, the "peppery” and fidgety type of English gentleman, while Betty Stockfeld plays the part of Barbara Fleeter in a compelling and delightful manner. Frank Bertram is exceedingly well cast as Jim Bridge, the bronzed colonial, and Kate Cutler makes an excellent Lady Bovey. The programme also includes Paramount British news, . “Down by the Old Mil! Stream” (screen song), “Sweet Cookie” (comedy) and English Pathe gazette.

NEW PLYMOUTH OPERA HOUSE.

“A BED-TIME STORY.”

Maurice Chevalier’s latest, and, incidentally his best starring picture. “A Bedtime Story,” will commence at the Opera House to-night. In “A Bed-time Story” the famed French star’s pouting lower lip and straw hat are set off against a background which includes Helen Twelvetrees, Edward Everett Horton, Adrienne Ames - and Baby Leroy, the year-old youngster who won himself the role in the picture in competition with a thousand other babies his own age. Maurice is the same Paris playboy, carefree and irresponsible, but the “baby” he pursues is a genuine one-year-old, and not the 20-year-old blonde, feminine type of the past. Baby Leroy, through his excellent work in this film, has won for himself a long-term contract. The story opens with Maurice’s return to his Paris apartment after a voyage to Africa, and his discovery that someone has abandoned a baby in his car. He calls the police to take it away, but by the time the gendarmes have arrived he has become so amused and delighted by the youngster that he won’t hear of getting rid- of it. Instead, he telephones an agency and, while awaiting the iiurse’s arrival, he and Horton, his valet, get into one amusing difficulty after another attempting to attend to the baby’s needs. ’ The nurse finally arrives in the person of Helen Twelvetrees, an American girl. She is soon in love with the baby, and also with the baby’s benefactor. Among the songs the star sings are “In the Park in Paree,” “Look- What I’ve Got,” “Homemade Heaven” and -“M’Sieu Bab-ee.” All who have seen this film say that it is easily the best yet made by Chevalier.