CINEMA PROGRAMMES

Taranaki Daily News, 24 June 1935, Page 3

CINEMA PROGRAMMES

REMARKABLE “SEQUOIA.” ' . FINE FILM AT OPERA HOUSE. . “Sequoia,” now showing at the New Plymouth Opera House, is a remarkable picture. It Is remarkable not so much for its remarkable theme, the extraordinary friendship of a deer and a puma, but for the way the story is conveyed. This friendship really lives on the screen and the strange companions are seen in many astounding situations. There is a charming human story running through the picture but it is always subservient to the main theme, which works to a terrific climax when a hunter is stalking the sagacious deer. The puma comes to the rescue and is vanquished but in a powerful scene the deer catches the triumphant man on the edge of a cliff. Though that is a superb finale, there is one greater scene—a gem of acting. A little Chinese child strays into the woods and encounters a rattlesnake with which he plays. The changing expressions of amusement, delight, uneasiness, fright and curiosity flit unmistakably across the child's face as he flirts with death in one of the most convincing sequences ever filmed. Staged in some magnificent scenery and enhanced by splendid photography, “Sequoia” is a film that should appeal to all. The highlight of a good supporting programme is one of the best short comedies that Laurel and Hardy have ever made, “Oliver the Eighth.”

REGENT THEATRE.

TWO-STAR PROGRAMME.

Gem-like in its smoothness and clarity, scintillating with humour and thrills, “Secret of the Chateau,” a mystery play produced by Universal, which opened at the Regent Theatre on Saturday, is one continual round of entertainment. The story has to do with a Gutenberg Bible, worth many thousands of francs, concealed in a chest in an old chateau. Among those who seriously or laughingly go after the book are Claire Dodd, cool, blonde and radiant; a handsome and talented newcomer to the screen, Clark Williams; the vivacious and wise-crack-ing Alice White; the sinister Osgood Perkins; the suave and polished Jack Laßue, and’the ever alert little detective, Ferdinand Gottschalk. In the course of the scramble for the book a bell tolls ominously and Helen Ware, portraying a sourfaced old harridan, and DeWitt Jennings, serio-comic executor of the estate,- are killed, ✓ The final denouement—the discovery of who killed and who stole the book—is unexpected and startling. The Western Code, a thrilling and entertaining drama of Western justice, is the associate feature. Tim McCoy and Nora Lane give pleasing characterisations.

1 EDDIE CANTOR; WALT DISNEY.

EVERYBODY’S FINE PROGRAMME. All-round excellence is the keynote of the programme which opened at Everybody’s Theatre on Saturday night to a full house. Headed by the latest comedy musicale of that bright comedian Eddie Cantor, “Kid Millions,” the bill also includes a Walt Disney coloured symphony, itself an evening’s entertainment, an extremely interesting, bridge exposition by Ely Culbertson, the world master, and organlogue and a short comedy. Cantor comedies have always been known for three things—Eddie Cantor’s humour, many spectacular ballets and excellent stage settings. In this the ballets are without exception wonderfully staged and arranged and altogether pleasing in effect. Novelty in a ballet is not easy to achieve these days, but there are still a few ideas left in the world, and Cantor has had them. For the final ensemble, when Eddie’s youthful dreams of wealth have come true after amazing adventures in Egypt seeking buried treasure, the technicolour process is used with remarkably satisfying results as the comedian fulfils a boyhood promise of an ice cream factory for all his small friends. Cantor’s songs, in which he is supported by Ann Sothem, are catching, and backed as they are by the beautiful Goldwyn girls, make a distinct hit. Though much is successfully made of stagecraft and spectacle, there is .no meagre plot, and the comedian finds himself in a number of embarrassing situations —hung by the feet, all peppered and salted, over a cauldron of boiling oil to make a meal for a cruel sheik, for instance. But he wins through to the gorgeously coloured finale.

“ONE MORE SPRING.” PLEASING FILM AT STATE. A story combining romance, excitement and comedy,, interpreted by Janet GaynSr and Warner Baxter, is “One More Spring,” which delighted a big audience at the. State Theatre, New Plymouth, on Saturday night It is assured of liberal patronage for'the remainder of the season. The two stars, who made such a screen furore of “Paddy” and “Daddy Long Legs,” appear in a poignant and tender romance of to-day, adapted from the acclaimed best-sejler from the pen of Robert Nathan. Janet Gaynor has a deeply emotional role as a courageous girl alone in the world, and Warner Baxter is the romantic adventurer who clings to the right to dream. This vibrant romance set in a snowcoated park is packed with excitement. It is different from any. role either star has yet had, and affords each a rare opportunity to reach new . emotional heights. Stepin Fetchit brings his peculiar and original comedy to relieve the tenseness of the picture. The talented supporting cast is composed of Walter King, Jane Darwell, Roger Imhof, Grant Mitchell, Rosemary Ames, John Qualen, Nick Foran and Astrid Allwyn.

KING’S THEATRE.

THE MAJESTY THAT IS LONDON.

London—the greatest metropolis in the world—and what, outside 'of ijs effects and impressions on the commercial world, has made it so? Tradition and only that has been responsible for making it the greatest city on the globe. Enclosed in the boundaries of London proper is to be found more real romance, history and adventure than in all of the other cities of the world put together, and all this and more has been captured by the first feature length film ever produced in London by Australian enterprise and capital. We visit the Olde Cheshire Cheese in Fleet Street,- the famous old inn which was the rendezvous of so many of England’s famous literary men. In comparison with this relic of other days are the mighty modern newspaper offices with which Fleet Street abounds. Everything of interest to persons visiting London is contained in. probably the most intensely interesting film of. the. year, which is to be specially presented at the. King’s Theatre to-morrow and Wednesday with a special after school, matinee on Wednesday at 3.15 p.m. >

i PLAZA THEATRE.

“WE’RE NOT DRESSING.”

Gracie Fields' in “This Week of Grace,” a delightful musical comedy romance .which was screened to a large audience at the Plaza Theatre on Saturday, will be finally screened to-night. “This Week of Grace” is undoubtedly Gracie’s most, popular production. Bing Crosby, undoubtedly one of the screen’s foremost entertainers, sings five song hits in his latest Paramount picture, “We’re Not Dressing,” which will show at the Plaza Theatre to-morrow. Crosby started out to follow a legal career, but became imbued with a desire to entertain, and left Bonzaga College, Washington, U.S.A., to go into vaudeville with a seven piece band. Whilst performing at Los Angeles, he crossed trailswith Paul Whiteman, who immediately picked him to form the „ nucleus of his famous “Rhythm Boys.” Radio offers fol- f lowed and soon Crosby was dividing his time between broadcasting and performing on the Paramount stage in New York. Later Crosby was signed to a motion picture contract, and has since become very popular with picture-lovers throughout the world for his singing performances in such pictures as “The Big Broadcast,” “College Humour” and “Too Much Harmony.”