AMUSEMENTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20057, 14 March 1935, Page 13

AMUSEMENTS

FASCINATING MYSTERY “MENACE” AT THE MAJESTIC For fascinating, breath-taking and spine-chilling mystery it would be difficult to find an equal for “Menace,” which opened at the Majestic Theatre last night. Gertrude Michael and Paul Cavanagh fill the principal roles and other players are John Lodge, Henrietta Crosman, Montagu Love and Halliwell Hobbes. The theme of the film revolves about a maniac who is intent on taking the lives of three people wrongly accused of his brother’s death. After dodging this terrible vengeance for years, the three meet in a mountain home in Hollywood, by arrangement, to trap the fiend. But before he strikes unexpected guests arrive and in the midst of all the gaiety the first victim is struck down. Everybody is suspected of the crime. Then the murderer moves to strike again and with rapidity the climax of “Menace” exposes him. “Hide Out” “Hide Out,” which comes to the Majestic Theatre on Saturday brings back in one of his most entertainingcharacterisations—“Lucky” Wilson, the prankish post-repeal racketeer who finds reformation through contact with a farmer’s family in a typical rural setting. Maureen O’Sullivan, always dependable for an excellent performance. again repeats with her portrayal of Pauline, the farmer’s daughter. Whitford Kane, for thirty years a leading character actor of the London and New York stage, makes his screen debut as Miller, the farmer. Mickey Rooney, 12-year-old actor, appears as Willie the pestiferous boy, and Elizabeth Patterson plays the farmer’s wife. The cast also includes that universal favourite Robert Montgomery. Other performances worthy of mention are contributed by Edward Arnold, Edward Brophy, and C. Henry Gordon.

“CASE OF THE HOWLING DOG” AT THE REGENT An original note is struck in the thrilling murder mystery “The Case of the Howling Dog,” which opened at the Regent Theatre last night. Instead of the familiar detective taking the central part of the plot, the outstanding character is a criminal lawyer Perry Mason. The mystery which surrounds the howling of an Alsatian police-dog, and the subsequent disappearance of a man and his wife are admirably sustained and when Mason discloses in court that not one, but three, murders have been committed, the audience in the theatre is almost as dumbfounded as that in the courtroom on the screen. There are more surprises to follow, and the final unravelling of the case is of intense interest. Warren William is admirably cast as the criminal lawyer who never loses a case, while Mary Astor plays the part of the society woman, accused of killing her husband. “Trans-Atlantic Merry-Go-Round” A sparkling comedy-drama, with melody, mystery and romance, staged aboard a palatial ocean liner, “Trans-Atlantic-Merry-Go-Round” opens at the Regent on Saturday. Jack Benny, Nancy Carroll and Gene Raymond head an outstanding • cast. Benny is seen as a genial master of ceremonies, broadcasting from the high seas, while Nancy plays Sally Marsh, the star of his troupe, and Raymond is seen as a young Raffles who falls in love with her. Among the famous screen and radio personalities who take part in Benny’s broadcasts are Mitzi Green, in her first grownup role; Frank Parker, The Boswell Sisters, Patsy Kelly, Jean Sargent and Jimmy Grier and his orchestra. Benny’s famous satire, “Grand Hotel,” is a high point of the programme.