AMUSEMENTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18852, 15 April 1931, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS.

THEATRE ROYAL. SCREENS “EAST IS WEST” TO-NIGHT. “East is West,” the title of the new picture which will make its bow at the Theatre Royal this evening, is quite contrary to the famous couplet, “Easi, is East and West is West, but ne’er the twain shall meet," yet is well justified by the romantic drama which has been such a success in Europe and America. It is a welcome change, too, from the usual type of drama which has been such a success in. Europe and America. It is a welcome change, too, from the usual type of drama, for China is a country which lends itself to picturesque screen work, providing suitable settings for romance or tragedy. “East is West” is the Samuel Shipfan stage play which captured London and New York, Berlin and Paris, and is a Universal all-talk-ing production. The stars are Miss Lupe Velez and Edward G, Robinson in the respective roles of Ming Toy and Charlie Yong. Ming Toy is a fascinating character, mischievious, ingenuous and speaking a broken English delightfully. Yong is an outstanding personality, and a commanding force throughout the play, and Lewis Ayres, taking the part of Billy Benson, the American boy, achieves as great a success as he did in “All Quiet on the Western Front.” The thread of a pretty love theme runs through the story, with threats and reprisals providing thrills here and there, and touches of humour that one cannot fail to enjoy. It begins with the sale of a Chinese girl who refuse's to be bought.. The American boy comes on the scene, falls in love with her, saves her from Charlie Yong, and takes her home. The story finishes quite happily, to tell how would spoil the enjoyment of the picture. Other pictures on the programme will include an Oswald the Rabbit cartoon, a smart dialogue comedy, “Accidents Will Happen,” and the latest “Universal Reporter News.” Seats may be reserved through 'phone 670 without extra charge. WILLIAM POWELL AND MAY BEATTY. “THE BENSON MURDER CASE." Philo Vance is here again trailing the killer in Paramount's latest sensation, “The Benson Murder Case,” and he will keep audiences on the qui vive until he finally solves the greatest of S. S. Van Dine’s mystery thrillers, and brings the guilty person to justice. “The Benson Murder Case” is more exciting, more suspenseful, than even “The Canary Murder Case” or “The Greene Murder Case.” William Powell is more convincing than ever as the suave, silk-hatted, amateur sleuth, Philo Vance, and Eugene Pallette as Sergeant Heath is a riot of _ homely humour. Van Dine’s story is filled with gripping climaxes that twist and turn as the police fumble with mis-leading-clues. It is baffling to the end. Five persons are involved in the investigation following the death of Anthony Benson. Two women and three men are put through the ruthless third degree. Police are lead off on wrong trails which seem to involve each one of the suspects in turn. And, when everything seems hopelessly entangled, Philo Vance put his finger on the guilty person, and proves him guilty. The final climax and explanation of the crime is the strangest ever conceived by an detective fiction writer. Although the clues are presented to the audience as they occur throughout the picture, it is a safe bet that very few, if any, uninitiated persons will grasp their' significance and guess the solution of the story before Vance explains it. Many tried last night, but few boasted that they had out-guessed the author.

Slim Summerville is also here again in another of his hilarious soldier comedies entitled “Wee Wee Marie,” which is a highly amusing production. The Fox Sound News and Universal Reporter News will also be screened. A special matinee of the very successful musical extravaganza “King of Jazz,” which has proved such a big attraction at the Theatre Royal will be shown for the last time at the Majestic this afternoon.

“DESERT SONG.” GRAND THEATRE TO-NIGHT. Just to what extent Vitaphone has revolutionised business methods in the film industry is illustrated by the arrangements made by Warner Bros, for the presentation of “The Desert Song,” one of the most successful light musical works of recent years, as a talking and singing motion picture, which opens at the Grand Theatre to-day. One of the particularly intriguing things about this operatic work is the romantic colour of its story. Heretofore when the story of a musical comedy appealed to a producer he acquired the rights of any stage work. In the finished picture of a musical work, however, all that remained was the title and the theme song, the latter being retained for the accompaniment of the action by the theatre orchestra. This was sufficient; it was all that could be used. This day has I passed however. In securing the rights to “The Desert Song” the Warners obtained the entire musical score and the libretto as well. In other words jthey bought all the rights just as if they were to produce the musical work on the legitimate stage. In presenting “The Desert Song” on the screen all of its original numbers have been retained. The score is played by the Vitaphone symphony orchestra of 100 musicians. It was the intention to make an even more imposing production of the musical comedy on the audible screen than did its original producers on the legitimate stage. The screen has this advantage, all of the desert scenes can be taken out in the open. “The Desert Song,” in addition to a cast including John Boles. Carlotta King, Myrna Loy, Louise Fazenda, Johnny Arthur, Marie Wells, Jack I*ratt, Robert E. Guzman, Otto Hoffman, Del Elliott and others, has a chorus of 100 voices.