AMUSEMENTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18821, 9 March 1931, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS.

“PARAMOUNT ON PARADE.” BRILLIANT REVUE AT ROYAL. “Paramount on Parade” had an auspicious opening at the Royal on Saturday. Little has been seen on the screen to surpass in simple elegance and beauty the hunting scene, in which a quintet of picturesquely-clad riders to hounds sings the melodious fragment “A Toast to the Girl of My Dreams.” The singers include Gary Cooper, Richard Arlen, and Tom Moore, and the charming and personable girls who figure in the scene, beautifully gowned, include Mary Brian, Jean Arthur, and Joan Crawford. Another interlude of special merit is that in which Ruth Chatterton assumes the role of a Montmartre girl singing of her lover. Clara Bow does some characteristic roistering with a lot of sailors, and charms everyone with her dazzling smile. Little Mitzi Green, a seven-year-old mimic of surprising sagacity, is very amusing, and Harry Green, singing “Toreador” to Kay Farncis’s “Carmen,” provokes the most hearty mirth. Youthful Charles Rogers makes a good impression with Lilian Roth in “Now’s the Time to Fall in Love,” and Nancy Carroll dances and sings in most delightful negligee to the music of Abe Lyman’s Band. Helen Kane provides one of the most popular turns in her capacity as a school teacher, and Zelma O’Neal frolics and fools with Jack* Oakie to excellent effect. Dennis King’s fine voice makes the most of a stirring Russian love song, and Maurice Chevalier fills a variety of roles with a distinction peculiar to his own rare talents. He does nothing, better, however, than “Sweeping the Clouds Away,” in which he and an enormous chorus are seen in one of the most amazing kaleidoscopes of colour the screen has ever witnessed. The Bouncing Ball Cartoon and Mickey McGuire comedy are supports of a standard similar to that set by the main attraction.

“THE LADY OF SCANDAL.” RUTH CHATTERTON’S LATEST. Sparkling witticisms in ultra-smart dialogue woven into a vivid glimpse of modern society, a side-trip into the show-world, and through it a tense dramatic situation of a woman who sacrifices her lover to the woman who needs him more than she does—these are the elements of “The Lady of Scandal,” Frederick Lonsdale’s famous story, which opened at the Majestic on Saturday. The picture stars Ruth Chatterton, and is built around an entirely different idea, but is marked by the same polished artistry of “The Last of Mrs Cheney,” by the same author. “The Lady of Scandal” is the story of a London actress who becomes engaged to the son of a peer, and is taken into high society to be “educated.” Instead she “educates” high society, in a series of hilarious comedy Incidents, and then suddenly faces an intensely dramatic problem, when torn between love and duty. Light comedy and tremendous drama are woven together skilfully, and Ruth Chatterton gives a remarkable rendition. The excellent performance of Miss Chatterton calls for a rather large order from the supporting players, but, headed by Basil Rathbone, they acquit themselves meritoriously. Others in the c cast are Ralph Forbes, Nance O’Neil, and many players from “The Last of Mrs Cheney,” including Herbert Brunston, Moon Carroll and Cyril Chadwick. A lengthy supporting programme is a pleasing appertif to the piece de resistance.

“PERSONALITY” AND “SPURS.” DOUBLE PROGRAMME AT ROYAL. “Personality,” which heads the double programme at the Grand Theatre abounds in humorous situations of everyday life. The plot centres about Sandy and Lil, two young people who determine to try matrimony despite the pessimistic predictions of Lil’s mother, Mrs Morse, who does not consider her future son-in-law’s salary sufficient to establish a home on. She raises strenuous objections and fights against it even on the night before the wedding—but to no avail. Sandy and Lil get married and go to Niagara Falls for their honeymoon. How Sandy’s wife leaves him and he is driven to the humiliation of selling vacuum cleaners for a living—only to be rescued and eventually taken home by Lil. who still loves him—supply the rest of the action of this fresh and timely comedy. Lil and Sandy are impersonated by Sally Starr and Johnny Arthur. Arthur proves himself a thoroughly experienced comedian. Miss Starr managed to get her quota of laughs too. Everybody who is married or expects to get married ought to see i this irresistibly funny dramatic offering.

The second offering is “Spurs,” a stirring Western with popular Hoot Gibson in the featured role.