AMUSEMENTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19515, 14 June 1933, Page 10

AMUSEMENTS

“SECRETS OF THE FRENCH POLICE.” MYSTERY THRILLER AT MAJESTIC. A murderer who makes marble-like statues of the bodies of his victims, most of them women, is brought to justice by scientific police methods in “Secrets of the French Police,” the super-thriller which is to open at the Majestic to-night. As taken from the memoirs of H. Ashton-Wolfe, and combined with Samuel Ornitz’s amazing story, “The Lost Empress,” this RKO-Radio picture offers all the thrills possible to pack into an hour and a half of screen entertainment. Gwili Andre, as the lovely Paris flower girl who is abducted by Czarist plotters, hypnotized, and presented as the missing Princess Anastasia of Russia, fulfills all the promise she revealed in her early pictures. Gwili Andre is considered by many to be the most beautiful woman on the screen to-day. A newcomer makes his bow in “Secrets of the French Police.” He is John' Warburton, as handsome and as able a young leading man as ever came from England to America. Radio signed him to a five year contract as a result of his work opposite Miss Andre. Another is Frank Morgan, long a Broadway stage favourite, who makes his debut as an RKO-Radio player. Morgan, as one of Bertillon’s detectives, gives a plausibility to the part that makes it stand-out from all others. “WHITE ZOMBIE" AT REGENT. STAR OF “DRACULA” AGAIN. Regarded as one of the eeriest pictures ever brought to the screen, “White Zombie,” which is to open at the Regent to-day, has had a very successful run in other parts of the Dominion. “White Zombie” was produced in Hollywood by Edward and Victor Hugo Halperin, independent producers who have made countless successful pictures in the past decade. Bela Lugosi, who came into prominence in this country with his stage and screen creation of Count Dracula in “Dracula,” has the principal role in this newcomer, and his portrayal even surpasses that former work of artistry. He plays the role of a sinister fiend who traffics in the exhumation of dead bodies in order to man his sugar cane mills and his fields. He also has nine of the Zombies as a personal bodyguard, a bodyguard which perpetrates heinous crimes. Madge Bellamy, who retired from the screen two years ago in order to devote her time to stage work, makes her screen come-back in the principal feminine role. Joseph Cawthron also plays one of the principal roles, as do Johnny Harron, Robert Frazer, Clarence Muse and Brandon Hurst. The settings and photography of “White Zombie” are among the best ever done for the screen. ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY. A special attraction for the orchestral concert to be given to-morrow evening in the Theatre Royal will be Weber’s concerto for clarinet and orchestra, the solo clarinet being played by Mr W. C. Burke. Other items by the orchestra under Mr W. H. Osborne (hon. conductor), will be “Marche Tzigane”; “Zampa” overture; two pieces, “Angelus,” and “Carnival”; selections from “Tannhauser”; and “Marche Slav.” The assisting artists will be Mrs Evelyn Barley, L.A.8., soprano, of Christchurch, who will sing a Chinese lyric “Wild Geese,” “The Cry of Rachel.” “The Hindoo Song” and “Dawn.” Miss Evelyn Hosken will play a harp arrangement of Schubert’s “Serenade” and Mr Don Mclnnes will sing “The Erl King.” and “Cortigianni vil Razza” (from “Rigoletto”). The orchestra is now in its eighth season, and should have a full theatre on Thursday evening. POPULAR CONCERT. A popular shilling concert, the proceeds from which are to be handed to the Central Relief Society, is to be held in St. Mary's Hall, on Tuesday next. The organisers have obtained the services of a large number of artists of outstanding ability. Besides a selection of vocal, dance and instrumental items there will be orchestral numbers by an orchestra of 16 instruments, while a comedy will be staged by Geraldine players. The full programme will be published next Tuesday.