AMUSEMENTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18844, 6 April 1931, Page 7

AMUSEMENTS.

' MAJESTIC THEATRE “OUR BLUSHING BRIDES.” ; A girl of charm, character, and rea- [ son, whom the advances and attractions of the moneyed male set leave [ unmoved, Joan Crawford, in “Our Blushing Brides” which commenced at ’ the Majestic Theatre on Saturday, plays a difficult part to perfection. She j is ably assisted by Anita Page and [ Dorothy Sebastian, the other two “girls,” and Robert Montgomery, | Haymond Hackett and John Miljan, , the three “boys.” Outstanding in this J picture is the excellence of the repro- [ duction; the tone is natural and free L from distortion. Miss Crawford is the pivot about which the whole plot re- ! volves. A model in the women’s tailor - > ing department of a large American ; city store, she is by her beauty and > personality, attractive to women and [ men alike. Yet she remains cold to all male attention, which others would have willingly received. In her flat, . which she shares with two friends, she is left alone every night, her thoughts her sole company. To display the designs of a famous Parisian tailor, Miss Crawford is among several models chosen to retire to her employer’s magnificent summer home, to which the wealthy clientele of the store have been invited. A disagreement follows, and she returns to the city. Meanwhile the courtships of her two companions develop into engagements, and one into marriage. Whereupon she moves to poorer quarters to economise. Events follow in quick succession, and the arrest of one and the suicide, through disappointment, of the other ! of her less wise companions, bring about an ultimate reconciliation between the heroine and her persistent, but attractive admirer. This afternoon a special matinee will be screened for the children. The programme will consist of short subjects. THEATRE ROYAL. DOUBLE PROGRAMME. “Nothing But The Truth,” which is now at the Theatre Royal, is that favourite of farce successes revamped for the screen, and refurnished with newer and better comedy situations, and an adequate trimming of music, singing and dancing. Richard Dix plays the part of a young man who makes a wager that he can tell nothing but the truth for 24 consecutive hours. He wins the bet after going through a veritable circus of bizarre and uproariously amusing situations. The play is chockful of rich humour, and does not lag for an instant. Helen Kane’s singing in her famous “baby talk” manner is an agreeable feature of the production. She turns in a fine comedy characterisation, as do Louis John Bartels, Ned Sparks, Berton Churchill and Wynne Gibson. The old medicine show in all its glory is a hilarious and reminiscent feature in Tiffany’s all-talking comedy drama, "The Carnival Man,” now showing at the Theatre Royal. “The Carnival Man” was a stage play originally written by Elliott Lester, and adapted for the screen by Ladye Horton and j Eve Unsell. “The Carnival Man” himself is the proprietor of the show, and in small towns he is a big sheik. The glory of his show is a flashy background for his conquest of uninitiated small town belles. At this afternoon’s matinee, “Nothing But The Truth” will be shown followed by a Punch and Judy Show. GRAND THEATRE. RETURN OF “DISRAELI.” Intrigue, melodrama, and high finance are intermingled in a brilliant story in “Disraeli,” the Warner Bros. Vitaphone production which commenced a return Timaru season at the Grand Theatre on Saturday. In his autobiography, “Up the Years from Bloomsbury,” George Arliss recalls an amusing incident of his early career. Mr Arliss, now one of America’s great- i est actors, has brought this successful screen through the magic of the Vitaphone. “I heard of the possibility of a part in a new play by Paul Merritt called “Round the Ring,” writes Mr Arliss. “I made a desperate effort to get it. I stood little chance unless I could interview the manager, Mr Cobbe, and he was in Leeds, so I travelled all night, and spent all my savings in getting to Leeds, but I settled the engagement. I remember my interview with Mr Cobbe very vividly. He was a large, kindly man. He said, ‘Well, I’ll engage you. Sign your contract; you’re signing for the entire season. I’ve never seen you act and I don’t know what you can do. But I’m signing everybody up for the season. If you’re no good you can hold me to this agreement, but I warn you, we shall make it domned uncomfortable for you if you do.’ I recall the first night of ‘Round the Ring.’ I was most anxious to make good. I was playing a serious part—a very serious part. I did a murder. I was wearing a new front tooth which I had recently put in, in place of an original one that I had recently had knocked out, I was also wearing a black wig which was too small for me. I got on very well until I came to my big scene and then in the excitement my tooth came out and my wig came off simultaneously, rendering me mentally and physically incapable of proceeding until I had darted behind a friendly wooden settee and collected mv thoughts, my hair and my tooth.” i