CINEMA PROGRAMMES

Taranaki Daily News, 24 December 1935, Page 3

CINEMA PROGRAMMES

OPERA HOUSE CHRISTMAS TREAT. FAIRYLAND MATINEE TO-DAY. To ensure that the children of New Plymouth are given a real Christmas treat, the management of the Opera House has arranged to present a “Fairyland Matinee” to-day, commencing at 2 o’clock. During the performance hundreds of vari-coloured balloons will be released from the ceiling of the auditorium in a scene that will bring fairyland realistically to life. Thirty of the balloons will have tickets attached entitling the lucky holders to special Christmas prizes. In addition every child attending will, receive a bag containing three (just think of it, not one, but three) bars of chocolate, and a free copy of the Taranaki Screen Pictorial, which tells in an interesting manner all about the many screen treats to be presented in Taranaki’s foremost theatres. The screen’s most popular comedian, Joe E. Brown, is in charge of the picture part of the programme, and in his offering of “Bright Lights” he provides the type of entertainment dear to the hearts of the youngsters. The supports include “Buddy’s Pony Express” (cartoon), and “Get Rich Quick,” a screamingly funny two-reel comedy starring Allen Jenkins, who recently appeared as the prizefighter in “The Irish In Us.” Admission, children 6d. EVERYBODY’S THEATRE. ' / SPECIAL CHILDREN’S MATINEE. There will be a special matinee for children at Everybody’s Theatre to-day commencing at 2 p.m. Every child attending this matinee will receive a free bar of Nestle’s milk, chocolate containing a wonders of the world picture stamp. The picture programme is headed by “The Student’s Romance,” a delightful musical comedy featuring Grete Natzler and Jimmy Godden, which will also be screened finally at 8 to-night. The supporting programme includes a new exclusive feature entitled “The Dionne Quintuplets—Going On For Two.” Francis Lederer and Elissa Landi are co-starred in “Man of Two Worlds,” a powerful drama which will be screened to-morrow (Christmas Night) commencing at 8.15 p.m. The supporting programme is varied and entertaining. “Good, honest fun,” is how the critic of the British Film Weekly described the Gainsborough production, “Boys Will Be Boys,” starring Will Hay, which commences a two-day season at Everybody’s Theatre on Thursday at 2 and 8 p.m. That is true, but- putting it very mildly; for this is without doubt one of the most hilarious films ever made in England. Taken from the famous Narkover stories by “Beachcomber,” the plot deals with the misadventures which befall Dr. Alec Smart (Will Hay) as the bewildered headmaster of a public school where all the pupils are potential criminals. It is all to the advantage of the entertainment that the star is on the screen almost the whole time, working off his gags in a way that cannot fail to provoke roars of merriment. Gordon Harker, Claude Dampier, Davy Burnaby and Jimmy Hanley are the other principal artists. The box plan will be at Collier’s until 9 p.m. to-night, then at Lester’s during the holidays, or patrons may telephone the theatre in the evenings, ’phone 365.

NEW PLYMOUTH OPERA HOUSE. THREE SESSIONS TO-DAY. j “Bright Lights,” the Joe E. Brown comedy which has been delighting large audiences at the New Plymouth Opera House, will conclude its season to-day at three sessions commencing at 2, 5.15 and 8.30 p.m. There is an attractive array . of sports films. Patrons are requested -to note that there will be no pictures at the Opera House to-morrow (Christmas) Night. “LIVES OF A BENGAL LANCER.” In response to. the insistent demands from theatregoers all over the province the management of the Opera House is -, pleased to announce that the recordbreaking attraction “The Lives of a Bengal Lancer,” will play a return season on Thursday (Boxing Day) and Friday at daily sessions commencing at 2 and 8 p.m. There have been any number of screen spectacles based on the lives and adventure of fighting men, but never one of the calibre of “The Lives of a Bengal Lancer.” Over four years in the making, it employed more than four s thousand actors in scenes shot in the mountain fastnesses of India and in five separate locations in California» Gary Cooper, Franchot Tone, Richard Cromwell and Sir Guy Standing head the cast of the picture as officers of this colourful regiment. Box plan arrangements for the holidays are advertised on page three. ■ . REGENT THEATRE. THREE SESSIONS TO-DAY. “Baby Take a Bow,” the captivating Shirley Temple picture, will be finallyscreened at The Regent to-day at sessions commencing at 2 p.m., 7.45 p.m. and 10.15 p.m. A further supply of Shirley Temple novelties will also be distributed at the 2 o’clock session. “A Successful Calamity;” the popular modern comedy starring George Arliss, will be screened for one night only at The Regent to-morrow (Christmas) night, commencing at 8.15 p.m. The story revolves around a millionaire (Arliss), who gets the idea of pretending to his family that he has failed in business and lost practically all his money. His family’s' reaction to this statement provides the subject for this intensely interesting story. Mary Astor and Evalyn Knapp head the supporting cast. < “Jealousy” and “Hat, Coat and Glove, ’ two pictures that are guaranteed to provide exciting entertainment, will be screened at The Regent on Thursday, , (Boxing Day) and Friday. “Jealousy” co-stars Nancy Carroll and Donald Cook and depicts what happens when a prize-' • fighter kills a man in a jealous rage because of his suspicions that he was more than an employer to his wife. The surprise climax provides gripping entertainment. Ricardo Cortez, who can always be relied upon for a grand portrayal, is the star of “Hat, Coat and Glove,” the story of a man bn trial for murder whose lips were sealed in honptfr against his own defence. The box plan arrangements are advertised elsewhere in. this issue. STATE THEATRE. CONRAD VEIDT, CHRISTMAS DAY. “Stormy Weather,” the sparkling Walls-Lynn film, w’ill be screened finally at the State Theatre, New Plymouth, to-day at 2 and 8 p.m. On Christmas Day “The Passing of the Third Floor Back,” with Conrad Veidt in the leading role, will be the main attraction. For more than a generation thousands of people have seen the play—it has been revived on several occasions—and it is certain that these, and many more, will want to see the film, particularly when they hear that it has clung so faithfully to the author’s intentions. Two principles or powers are- concerned in the story,' an emotional and tragic battle developing between the two. The conflict, rapidly growing more severe, is fought out in an ordinary Bloomsbury boarding-house, inhabited by an average company of residents. Apart from the quiet acting of Mr. -Veidt. as the Stranger, Mary Clare (Mrs. Sharpe), Frank Cellier (Wright), Anna Lee (Vivian), John Turnbull and Cathleen Nesbitt (Mr. and Mrs. Tompkin) and Sara Allgood (Mrs. de Hooley) are outstanding. In addition Rene Ray as the browbeaten ’Stasia, the only person to perceive the true goodness of the Stran- . ger, reflects great genius in her delicate handling of a difficult character role.

“THE KEEPER OF THE BEES.” ( FILM AT PLAZA THEATRE. .' .The film adaptation of the last and most popular novel of the late Gene Stratton-Porter, “The Keeper of the Bees,” which faithfully preserves the spirit of the original, will be screened at the Plaza Theatre, Stratford, at 1,30 and 8 p.m. to-day and at 8 p.m. .tomorrow. In the words of an English critic, “the picture has gentle poignancy, simple charm and refreshing atmosphere, and the character-drawing is accurate and sensitive.” In her own unpretentious way Gene Stratton-Porter gave? to the world several charming romances which, while perhaps not classics in the literary sense, will certainly not be forgotten now that she is dead. Her simple genius for pleasing the average reader possibly reached its height in “The Keeper of the Bees.” And there is no doubt that the film retains to the full the human interest of the original. “The Keeper of the Bees” is the' story of a gassed ex-serviceman who thinks has only six months to live, and 1 who finds romance and hope in a strange fashion. The film appeals fearlessly to all the emotions, mixing pathos with humour and drama. Neil Hamilton acts naturally and sincerely as Jamie, the returned soldier who finds the will to go on living in the peaceful domain of the bee-master, played by Hobart Bosworth. Er”ih Fellowes is an engaging character as the tomboy, Emma Dunn lightly strikes the tragic note as Margaret, and Betty Furness is most attractive as Molly. ZASU PITTS COMEDY AT “SHE GETS HER MAN” SHOWING. . When a shy, flustering girl from a small town gets mixed up with all of Chicago’s most ferocious gangsters anything is liable to happen. Anything and everything, in fact, does happen in “She Gets Her Man,” the hilarious Universal comedy which will be screened at the King’s Theatre, Stratford, to-day, with Zasu Pitts and Hugh O’Connell in the starring roles. In the story Miss Pitts and her small town sweetheart, Lucien Littlefield, conduct the Bon Ton lunch room in Plainville, Illinois, and one day the girl is making a two dollar deposit at the local bank when the institution is held up by . gangsters. Miss Pitts promptly faints, and in so doing falls on a concealed button which releases jets of tear gas. The bandits are forced to flee and the startled Zasu finds her-?: self hailed as a heroine. The climax of the picture brings the most ludicrous situations ever shown on the screen, and definitely establishes the dumb- ! founded Miss Pitts as America’s est force for law and order. But even then she doesn’t know what it is all about. William Nigh directed “She Gets Her Man,” and the cast supporting Miss S Pitts and O’Connell includes, in addition. to Miss Twelvetrees and Littlefield, Warren Hymer, Gertrude Astor, Eddie Brophy, Bert Gordon and Ward Bond, i The original story was written.by Abeh s Kandel and David Diamond. Sitf