AMUSEMENTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19944, 31 October 1934, Page 11

AMUSEMENTS

MAJESTIC THEATRE “HAPPY EVER AFTER” Jack Hulbert, Britain’s most versatile screen comedian has quite a different type of role in “Happy Ever After.” the Fox-released Gaumont-British Picture which opens at the Majestic today. He plays the part of Willie, a window-cleaner, pals with a colleague (Sonnie Hale) until they both fall in love with a delightful little girl up from the country, who possesses one ambition, and that is to be a Hollywood film star. Their companionship is broken by quarrels over the fair charmer and although the onlooker gets a lot of laughs out of the situation they become very gloomy. Hulbert invests his role with a whimsical kind of humour that, while in contrast to his more robust methods in “Jack’s the Boy,” is very pleasing to watch. He succeeds in gaining sympathy as well as laughs and his Willie is a very human fellow, whose affairs Hulbert makes of considerable interest to the onlooker. Lilian Harvey is the girl in question. “Happy Ever After” is a “different” kind of story, treated with a light touch which emphasises the fantasy of the subject, and brings to the screen a picture as refreshing as it is bright. Two particularly “catchy” numbers add to its attractiveness. The excellent cast assembled for this picture is headed by four recognised stars, Lilian Harvey, Jack Hulbert, Sonnie Hale and Cicely Courtneidge, and has a fine array of' feature players in support.

REGENT THEATRE

“PALOOKA” The new programme at the Regent to-day will be headed by “Palooka,” in which Jimmy Durante realises two of his most ardent screen ambitions. One is an opportunity to run the sartorial gamut—the other to make violent love to Lupe Velez, one of his best friends off the screen and his favourite actress on. Full evening dress, cutaway coats, striped trousers, spats, stick, silk topper, brocaded pyjamas and satin lounging robes—he wears them all Durante, Lupe and Stuart Erwin head the cast of this Harry M. Gotez-Edward Small presentation,' which includes Marjorie Rambeau, Robert Armstrong, Mary Carlise, William Cagney, Thelma Todd, Gus Amheim and his orchestra and others. A hilarious cinema concoction, suggested by the characters in the famous Ham Fisher comic strip, “Palooka,” tells the story of a lovable but not-quite-bright lad, whose mother tries to prevent him from going the way of his bright-light loving dad. “Stu” Erwin plays the title role, Marjorie Rambeau is seen as his mother and Armstrong is cast as his Pa. Durante plays “Knobby’ ’Walsh, fight promoter, who lures him into the life that licked his father. Lupe is the volatile night club entertainer who dazzles him into forgetting home, mother and sweetheart Mary Carlisle. Thelma Todd plays Ma Palooka’s rival for the affections of the senior Palooka, while young Cagney is seen as the blustering sweetie to whom the fickle Lupe returns when young Palooka’s lucky star wanes.