CINEMA PROGRAMMES

Taranaki Daily News, 7 March 1935, Page 2

CINEMA PROGRAMMES

EVERYBODY’S THEATRE. “BLOSSOM TIME” SHOWING.

“Blossom Time,” the romantic musical play of the life of Franz Schubert, starring Richard Tauber, is still attracting huge audiences to Everybody’s Theatre. Screenings will be repeated to-day at 2 and 8 p.m. and finally to-morrow at 2 and 8 p.m. It is still necessary to reserve. “THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO.” Setting a standard that will be hard to eclipse, the film story of “The Count of Monte Cristo” will commence its New Plymouth season at Everybody's on Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. All who see it will agree that the picture is so satisfying in plot and so perfectly produced that it will take its place as a classic of the screen. The thousands who have enjoyed the famous story by Alexandre Dumas will be gladdened by its sympathetic treatment in the talkie version, which may be described as an improvement on the book —a thing that cannot be said of every picture. With a v/ealth of careful detail “The Count of Monte Cristo” shows the deliberate “frame-up” of Edmund Dantes almost on the eve of his wedding, his incarceration in the terrible Chateau d’lf, his meeting there with the old Abbe, and his incredibly exciting escape, his finding of the Spada treasure and his subsequent inquiries into the lives of the three men who conspired to send him to the oblivion of prison. How Edmond Dantes, no longer a poor and friendless sailor, but the all-powerful Count of Monte Cristo, deals with his enemies is graphically related, and after- many minor climaxes the picture ends with Edmond once again happy with his beft)ved Mercedes. Robert Donat plays the title role to perfection, identifying himself ’ completely with the circumstances that change him from a carefree youth to a man with a passion for justice. Opposite him dainty Elissa Landi has the part of Mercedes, his sweetheart. She and all the members of the large cast give a performance that holds the attention of the audience for every inch of the 10.000 feet in the film. The box plans open at Collier’s to-day at 9 a.m.

THE REGENT THEATRE. “THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY.” • W. C. Fields, the prince of American I eccentric comedians, has the film part of his career in ‘The Old-Fashioned Way,” ; which commenced at The Regent Theatre,. New Flymouth, last night Laughter spices this film through .its entire length, . and when Fields is not in action his place is being taken by Baby Leßoy, the foremost child star of recent years, . who makes the big comedian his butt The story revolves around the adventures of an unsuccessful troupe of actors led by The Great McGonigle, who leave each town only a moment ahead of their • creditors. How they manage to put on their great drama, “The . Drunkard.” which is a gem of old-fashioned acting, and how the love affairs of McGonigle’s daughter, to say nothing of the financial affairs of the Great McGonigle himself, progress in a small western town is revealed in the film. There is a very good array of supporting features. NEW PLYMOUTH OPERA HOUSE. • “20 MILLION SWEETHEARTS.” In “20 Million Sweethearts,” now showing at the Opera House, New Plymouth, patrons are treated to a feast of modern music as broadcast from America s biggest radio stations. Pat O’Brien, an employee of a recognised broadcasting company, is sent out to sign on suitable artists, but finds his chief no longer has faith in him. With talk that would be a credit to any salesman he eventually arranges for a trial performance of Dick Powell, who he is sure will be a sensation—the chief is horrified at Pat’s selection and dismisses both. During a mood of despondency at the turn things had taken, Dick casually sings “I’ll String Along With You.” This is overheard by Pat, who is now sure of future success, but of course finds the task of letting the “hit” be broadcast more difficult than ever. Ginger Rogers saves the situation by staging a “fainting” scene. The trials and tribulations which face, this trio before ultimate success- is reached provide incidents and humour that make the picture one which is never dull. A splen- | did supporting programme is offered in “King For a Day” (musical revue), “East Indies” (travel talk) and Fox Australian News. KING’S THEATRE, STRATFORD. , “FREEDOM OF THE SEAS.” ' “Freedom of the Seas,” which comes 1 to the King's Theatre, Stratford, to-night, is a comedy melodrama of. romance and adventure on the hijSi seas, and is concerned with the triumph of one particu- ! lar man—George Smith, who, at the • opening of the story is seen as a poor, 1 despised law clerk, a nonentity with a violent inferiority complex, a craze for acrostics, and a devoted, hopeless love i for his employer’s daughter. But fate . decreed that the “worm” should turn, and after his dismissal from the clerk's ’ post for “daring” to tell his employer ’ Harcour that he loved his daughter, he was taken into the navy and actually ’ given a commission. Fate further de- ' cided that he should shortly afterwards a be given his big opportunity in command of a tramp steamer, which he learned ’ the Germans were plaiming to torpedo. Passengers on the tramp, rescued from a big liner that had previously been [ sent to a watery grave by a “U” boat, I were none other than Smith's former 1 employer, his lovely daughter, and a ” cheery chorus girl. The tide had now

turned with a vengeance, and Smith, once the object of their ridicule was now in supreme command and his scoffers must implicitly obey his orders. How the young naval lieutenant succeeds in ramming the German submarine and saving the steamer, makes the grand and thrill-packed climax to this highly entertaining comedy romance. PLAZA THEATRE, STRATFORD. “BABES IN TOYLAND.” The ever popular Lauml and Hardy will be seen at the Plaza Theatre, Stratford, to-day in an entirely novel type of show entitled “Babes in Toyland, which is really a pantomime In this M.G.M. release Laurel and Hardy, as apprentice toymakers, involve themselves in a series of hilarious events that are side-splitting, to say the least. They set out to pay off Widow Peeps mortgage, held by Toyland’s only Villain, aged Barnaby, who is an ardent but unwelcome suitor for the hand of 80-peep, the Widow Peep’s youthful daughter. Stan Laurel’s dumbness upsets this plan, and When he and his partner, Oliver Hardy, attempt to rectify the error, then manoeuvres get them into a flock of difficulties One of the finest supporting piogrammes ever to accompany a feature precedes this attraction and includes “Switzerland, the Beautiful,” the first of the Fitzpatrick travelogues to be produced entirely in colour, “Strikles and Spares,” “Speaking of Operation (comedy), Cinesound news reel and a Metrotone news reel.