CINEMA PROGRAMMES

Taranaki Daily News, 30 October 1935, Page 3

CINEMA PROGRAMMES

“YES, MR. BROWN” TO CONCLUDE.

“DRAKE OF ENGLAND” AT PLAZA. The popular British actor Jack Buchanan has probably his best role to date in “Yes, Mr. Brown,” a bright musical romance that will be screened at the Plaza, Stratford, finally to-night. The long-looked-for drama of Elizabethan days, “Drake of England,” is to commence a two-day season at the Plaza to-morrow with a matinee at 1.30 p.m. Matheson Lang, who is cast in the title role, plays his part with g. 1 distinction. The picture is rather a spectacular piece of drama than a screen biography, and is very well made. Political intrigue and a love interest supply subsidiary plots. The exciting and highly dramatic climax. is formed from the tremendous battle with the Armada. As a study of Elizabethan England the picture is unusually convincing. An important stage-effect, the musical scores ’arranged by G. H. Clutsam, is a feature of the production and is particularly praiseworthy. There is a distinguished cast. STATE THEATRE, NEW PLYMOUTH. DOUBLE PROGRAMME TO-DAY. “Silk Hat Kid” and “Champagne for Breakfast”, constitute an outstanding double programme that is to have its initial screening at the State Theatre today. “Silk Hat Kid,” the first attraction, is a fast-moving romance packed with thrills. Lew Ayres, Mae Clarke and Paul Kelly have the leading roles. Ayres’ role suits him perfectly and he brings to it a certain quality that was so evident in his past successes. His romance with Mae Clarke is so refreshing and invigorating that it is bound to meet with the approval of theatre-goers everywhere. Paul Kelly again gives another of his fine performances in the role of the cafe owner. In “Silk Hat Kid,” Miss Clarke plays a straight sympathetic role, and enjoys portraying just “a regular girl.” Her “Myra” in “Waterloo Bridge” and “Satin” in “Nana” were unforgettable performances more recently followed by the lead in “The Daring Young Man” opposite James Dunn. Other favourites who do exceptionally well in their allotted roles are William Harrigan, Ralf' Harolde, Billy Lee, John Qualen, Warren Hymer, Vince Barnett and William Benedict. “Silk Hat Kid” was produced by Joseph Engel for Fox Film, while the direction was in the hands of H. Bruce Humberstone.

REGENT THEATRE.

DOUBLE BILL TO-NIGHT.

Charlie Chan, portrayed by Warner Oland, solves another blood-chilling mystery in the Fox picture, “Charlie Chan’s Courage,” which commences screening at the Regent Theatre to-night. Based on Earl Derr Bigger’s popular novel, “The Chinese Parrot,” the film is so baffling that it is impossible to expound all of its thrilling details in so limited a space. Drue Layton and Donald Woods head the supporting players. The associate feature, “Elinor Norton,” is a smashing dramatic story which brings to the screen all the suspense and swift-moving romance of the Mary Roberts Rinehart novel on which it is based. Through the pages of the novel, whose full title is “The State Versus Elinor Norton,” thousands of readers have come to know the trials and terrors of the girl who is transplanted from a wealthy eastern home to a bleak Montana farmhouse. Now those same thousands, and more, will follow her adventures as Fox presents them in a colourful and punchpacked picture. Claire Trevor, Hugh Williams and Norman Foster head the all-star cast. EVERYBODY’S THEATRE. “CALL OF THE WILD” FINALLY.

“Call of the Wild,” the film version of Jack London’s famous story of the outdoors, will conclude a highly successful season at Everybody’s Theatre today at 2 and 7.45 p.m. Clark Gable, Loretta Young and Jack Oakie have the principal roles, and the cast also includes the wonder dog “Buck.” A very fine supporting programme .includes “Mickey’s

Kangaroo,” a particularly good Walt. Disney Mickey Mouse cartoon. Diana Wynyard and Clive Brook again appear together in “Let’s Try Again,” the film version of Vincent Lawrence’s play, “Sour Grapes,” which will' be screened at Everybody’s Theatre tomorrow and Friday only at 2 and 7.45 p.m. The title sums up the story, which deals with a couple who have been married for 10 years and have drifted into not caring 4 for each other. But although beaten in their struggle to continue in the happy way of their early years, they decide to find if .marriage still has something to give them. Romance and drama are combined with a sprinkling of light comedy in “Let’s Try Again,” which is a thoughtful and sen-sitively-written play dealing with problems faced by many men and women to-day. The smooth and polished acting of the whole cast never allows the picture to become. dull or didactic. The brilliant characterisations of Brook and Miss Wynyard are a feature of the production. The material with which they have to deal is very different from the gay and witty dialogue of “The Dover Road,” their last success, but they prove conclusively that they are equally at home in dramatic roles. The associate feature, “Krakatoa,” is an authentic record of the eruption of the mighty undersea volcano “Krakatoa,” located in the Indian Ocean between Sumatra and Java. The accompanying commentary is by Graham McNamee.

OPERA HOUSE TO-MORROW.

“DEATH AT BROADCASTING HOUSE.’?

An unusual and entertaining murder mystery story is provided in “Death at Broadcasting House,” which will be screened at the New Plymouth, Opera House to-morrow (Thursday) and Friday nights and at a matinee on Friday at 2 p.m. Many intimate glimpses are gained of the workings of the great English broadcasting institution. A play written by Rodney Fleming is being broadcast, in which one of the characters is to be strangled. At the rehearsals Julian Caird, the producer/ has the .greatest difficulty with this character, played by a man named Sydney Parsons, whose representation of being strangled is a very weak one. However, on the night of the actuaj performance of the play Parsons, who does his bit in a separate room from the others, does the strangling part magnificently. Caird is delighted, as are the other actors, prominent among whom are the Drydens, Leopold and Joan. They rush into the studio where Parsons was stationed to congratulate him, but their admiration turns to horror when they find Parsons lying on the floor, dead. He had actually been strangled when they imagined he had merely been) playing his part. Half a dozen persons within the great 8.8. C. headquarters are suspected but Inspector Gregory in the end fixes the guilt on the right person in a sensational climax. The leading parts are played by lan Hunter, Henry Kendall, Austin Trevor, Mary Newland and Vai Gielgud.