ENTERTAINMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, 10 February 1934, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS

NEW PLYMOUTH OPERA HOUSE. “ONLY YESTERDAY.” The story of a woman’s great love for a man transcending the hardships and struggles of life is given a splendid interpretation by a well-balanced cast in “Only Yesterday,” which commences a season at the New Plymouth Opera House to-day. Margaret Sullavan is an actress new to Hew Plymouth picturegoers, but such an introduction as she achieves in “Only Yesterday” should rank her as a firm favourite. Playing opposite John Holes, Margaret Sullavan demonstrates the distinction of her actting, which is of quite an unusual type. Others in the- cast include Billie Burke, Benita Hume and Reginald Denny. The play is expressive of the unwavering love of a woman who has put all her faith and trust in a man, and the manner in which she keeps true to the ideal of her youth is pathetic but inspiring. John Boles is in the role of a successful New York stockbroker, who learns of the loss of all his wealth in a Wall Street crash at a time when suicides are of common occurrence and panic is widespread. He returns to his home where a cocktail party is in full progress, and there contemplates following the action of those who decided to end it all suddenly. But a letter waiting on his desk arrests his attention, and he reads back into the past. The supporting programme includes a Zodiac (“What the Stars Foretell”) covering the days between January 21 and February 19.

EVERYBODY’S THEATRE TO-DAY. "LUCKY WISH” MATINEE. The management of Everybody’s are running a special lucky wish boomerang matinee to-day commencing at 2 p.m. Every child attending this matinee will be presented with a Dad Hayseed boomerang stick pin. Each recipient may then make a wish, and after wearing the pin for ten days can then look forward to some lucky happening. Every kiddie will also be given a chance to win a free seat for the first Hayseed matinee. The special programme arranged for this matinee will be headed by Ronald Colman in “Bulldog Drummond,” and the shorts will include “Midnight in a Toyshop” (Sily Symphony cartoon) and “Music Box,” the latest riot of fun starring Laurel and Hardy, the screen’s comic champions.

A surprisingly strong cast was assembled for “Rome Express,” the super British film which commences at Everybody’s to-night at 8 p.m. Esther Ralston, America’s beautiful blonde, is the feminine lead, and supporting her are Conrad Veidt, Cedric Hardwicke, Joan Barry, Gordon Harker, Donald Calthrop, Elliot Makeham, Muriel Aked. and Harold Huth. Walter Forde directed “The Rome Express,” which is a drama set in a Continental train de luxe,, crowded with human ■ types of all nationalities. A crook story, a romance, and an escapade are three principal counterplots. Characterisation, surprise and comedy have been praised as being extraordinarily entertaining in the presentation of the film. “The Rome Express” was received with rapture by the critic of the New York Herald Tribune. After seeing the production, he wrote: “The English can make good pictures after all. Most of the time it seems that the British films are shown here for the express purpose of demonstrating by contrast that the American product is not so bad. Yet now “The Rome Express” comes along, and it is such an excellent melodrama, so shrewdly and heartily managed, and so filled with the proper vigour and imagination, that it suddenly strikes one that there is nothing essentially hostile to film making in the English temperament or the English climate.”

THE REGENT THEATRE. •‘STAGE MOTHER” MATINEE TO-DAY Alice Brady plays the leading role in “Stage Mother,” Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s theatrical drama which commences at The Regent, New Plymouth, to-day at 2 and 8 pan. She will be remembered for her sensational personal hit ih “When Ladies Meet,” and it is said that she outdoes all of her previous portrayals in the new picture. An exceptionally strong cast has been assembled to appear with Miss Brady. Maureen O’Sullivan plays the young daughter struggling for theatrical fame under her mother’s guidance. Franchot Tone is seen as her young lover and is said to give another brilliant performance as ir “To-day We Live” and'“The Stranger’s Return.” Ted Healy, madcap master of “stooge” comedy, attempts his first dramatic role and is said to carry the part with as much success as any of his famous stage antics. Dance - numbers that serve as a background for the vivid story were created and staged by Albertina Rasch, who has staged dances in many New York shows, including the Ziegfeld Follies and others. More than 30 girls in gorgeous costumes take nart in the revue numbers which include “Dancing on a Rainbow” and “Beautiful Girl.” Settings and photography are lavish in the most ultra of effects in fighting and unusual scenic backgrounds. The supports include Metrotone news and “Music Box, Laurel and Hardy’s latest comedy scream.