AMUSEMENTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19987, 20 December 1934, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS

MAJESTIC THEATRE “ THE GREAT DEFENDER ” "The Great Defender” is the current attraction at the Majestic, and it features Margaret Bannerman and Richard Bird. No. 1 Court at Old Bailey is probably the most famous of all English Law Courts, and many sensational trials have been conducted within its time-honoured precincts, but for sheer unexpectedness and sensationalism, few have exceeded that of Leslie Locke, A.R.A., charged with the murder of his beautiful model, Phyllis Ware. The evidence appeared to be conclusive. Locke was in love with the girl who was his model, and his wife had engaged private detectives to watch him. He quarrelled with her over his humiliating shadowing, and later left her, and his followers saw him enter Miss Ware’s apartments. The next morning the girl was found murdered. This briefly is the story of a stirring film. “ Blossom Time ” “Blossom Time,” featuring Richard Tauber, will commence at the Majestic to-morrow. The film marks Tauber’s British talkie debut in a subject that affords his talents abundant outlet. He brings a wealth of polished emotional acting ability to his portrayal of Franz Schubert, while superb vocal powers have seldom been more evident than in his rendering of melodies that are among the classics of music.

REGENT THEATRE “ ROMANCE IN THE RAIN ” By that elusive trick of fate, sometimes called coincidence, Esther Ralston, beautiful blonde screen actress, recently relieved some of her own experiences In life while making "Romance in the Rain,” Universal’s romantic comedy with music, now showing at the Regent theatre. The story, dealing with a modern Cinderella who rises by mere chance, parallels Miss Ralston’s early struggles. Like the girl in the story she, too, was a Cinderella looking for her Prince Charming in the form of a successful motion picture career. Like many before her, she started in pictures via the extra route and became known as one of the most daring girls in pictures. Little would one suspect by looking at the gorgeous Esther Ralston, in “Romance in the Rain,” that she could and did ride bucking broncos over embankments, hang by heels from roaring airplanes, make senational high dives and perform other hazardous stunts which the real stars of the hair raising "drammer” days feared to execute. "As the Earth Turns” The Christmas feature at the Regent will be “As the Earth Turns,” another masterpiece of rural charm. It is a worthy successor to “The Song of the Plough.”