AMUSEMENTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18817, 4 March 1931, Page 10

AMUSEMENTS.

THEATRE ROYAL PRESENTS NEW ATTRACTIONS. Mae Murray makes her talking and singing screen debut at the Theatre Royal this evening with the presentation for the first time here of the new Tiffany production of “Peacock Alley” recorded by R.C.A. photophone and directed by Marcol de Sano. The title is all that remains to remind one that Miss Murray starred once before in "Peacock Alley,” for an entirely new story has been written by another author—Carey Wilson this time, instead of Edmund Goulding. The entire action takes place within twenty-four hours in New York, and a detective set to guard the peacock alley of a famous hotel starts the plot boiling when he sees Claire Tree pick up a man who is a guest of the house, go to supper with him, and then accompany the man to his suite. She is at once spotted as an undesirable, and this denouement comes just after another man has promised to love and honour her. As Claire Tree, an actress. Mae Murray has a chance to sing and dance for “Peacock Alley.” and to wear some stunning gowns and dance costumes. The supporting cast includes George Barraud. Jason Robards, Richard Tucker, Billy Bevan, W. L. Thorne, Phillips Smallboy, E. H. Calvert and Arthur Hoyt—an imposing array of male talent. The Xavier Cugat orchestra plays Miss Murray’s dance music, and Joaquin Elizondo is her partner in a tango.

A real all-youth cast is seen in “The Forward Pass,” the First National and Vitaphone all-dialogue picture of college life. Loretta Young, who plays the feminine lead, is only 17, and Douglas Fairbanks, jnr., who plays opposite her, is just 21. Other youngsters who are in the cast are “Peanuts” Byron, Phyllis Crane, Dorothy Gulliver, and a host of college boys, including the entire football team of the University of Southern California. The more mature players, who are past 21, are “Big Boy” Williams, Bert Rome, and Lane Chandler, all young men. “The Forward Pass” is a story of campus love and football rivalry, and the football thrills are varied by plenty of comedy and a number of very snappy new songs. One of these. “Up and At ’Em,” is a real hit of the season, and will soon be sung and played everywhere. Eddie Cline directed this lively story, and has produced one of the first and best alltalking, all-sound football pictures. The cheering of the crowds and the thud of tackled players as they fall to the turf are thrilling, and add to the interest in the games that are played during the progress of the picture. BRITISH AND AMERICAN FEATURES. AT THE MAJESTIC TO-NIGHT. Radio pictures has given Richard Dix one of his most thoroughly amusing and characteristic screen roles in months in “Lovin’ the Ladies,” alltalking comedy romance which forms one of the features on this evening’s double bill at the Majestic. Produced with smartness and played with deftness, “Lovin’ the Ladies” is ideal motion picture entertainment. The film moves rapidly, is rich with genuine comedy, and contains a number of unusually shrewd characterisations. The success of the film is due to a number of reasons. First of all, Richard Dix, shows he is a master at light comedy—- | particularly now that the microphone can pick up his well-trained voice and round out his amusing pantomime with dialogue. Dix is cast as an electrician who attempts to break into the smart set. Developments prove to be unusually amusing, giving Dix great opportunity to demonstrate his ability at handling light comedy. Dix receives capable support from a supporting cast of able players. Lois Wilson is at her best in the talkies, and proves a most appealing heroine. Allen Kearns is a most amusing foil for Dix, while Rita Roy, Renee Macready, Selmer Jackson and Anthony Bushell all play brilliantly. After a long run of American revues, Great Britain steps in and delivers a knock-out blow with “Elstree Calling.” It is the first cine-radio-vaudeville allmusical production, and in every way a credit to British production. Not only does it bring all the glamour and enchantment of a big stage revue to the kinema, but by keeping film values to the forefront takes the film revue a definite step forward. It should be pointed out that Elstree is Great Britain’s Hollywood. Each item is presented by some star of the British musichalls, whose name is a household word in England to-day, but the production has not that patchiness and jerkiness that usually accompanies the presentation of a series of variety turns. Wellbalanced comedy, burlesque, dancing, singing, and patter interludes follow one another in quick succession, and ! the comdy is of the richest kind and of the British savour that is so much appreciated in New Zealand, most British of the Dominions. The stars appearing include Will Fyffe, famous Scotch comedian; Teddy Brown and his famous band; the Balalaika Choral Singers in Russian songs and ballads; Jack Hulbert in excerpts from the great vaudeville success “The House that Jack Built”; Cecily Courtneidge, Donald Calthrop, Anna May Wong, and many others too numerous to mention. Some people will have seen these figures actually on the stage at Home and will welcome the opportunity of renewing acquaintance with them, and those who have not should rejoice that they have the opportunity of meeting them through the medium of “Elstree Calling.” Seats may be reserved through ’phone 651.

“SWEETHEARTS ON PARADE.” ALICE WHITE AT GRAND. Alice; White, Marie Prevost, Lloyd Hughes, Ray Cooke and Kenneth Thomson are all cast in prominent roles in “Sweethearts on Parade,” the hilarious comedy which appears at the Grand Theatre to-night. Here is a fast action film aided by a sufficient quantity of bright dialogue and hilarious situations. The locale of the story is laid for the major part in an amusement park of a large city. Other scenes are unfolded in a department store, aboard a United States cruiser, a millionaire’s yacht and a working girl’s apartment. Alice White, popular star, plays the role of a little country girl who comes to the big city to marry a millionaire. Marie Prevost, ace comedienne, as sophisticated product of the big city, makes an excellent foil. Lloyd Hughes and Ray Cooke portray a marine and a “gob” respectively, and their several combative moments furnisn many hilarious highlights. Kenneth Thomson, as the millionaire who does not measure up to the country girl’s ideals; Wilbur Mack in a characteristic comedy role, and Max Asher, ail render excellent support. “Sweethearts on Parade” contains many typical Marshall Neilan touches of direction. The story sets a fast pace from the opening scenes until it culminates in a whirlwind finish with a race against time that is replete with thrills. Altogether, this is a most satisfying screen production which provides entertainment that is sure to please the majority. Alice White does excellent work in a characterisation that is ideally suited to her youthful beauty and vivacity. Marie Prevost, delightful comedienne, is a close second for feminine honours. Lloyd Hughes and Ray Cooke make another contribution to the shining roster of screen teams.