AMUSEMENTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLI, Issue 20312, 10 January 1936, Page 13

AMUSEMENTS

“DR SOCRATES” THRILLING DRAMA AT REGENT Paul Muni has the title role in the Warner Bros, production, “Dr. Socrates,” a picture replete with thrills and excitement, which is now at the Regent. There are daylight raids by ruthless bank robbers and killers, their battles with the police and their ultimate capture by government agents after a fierce flight in the bandit stronghold. But the picture is far more than melodrama. The exciting episodes form the background for a remarkable character study and a most unusual romance. “Dr. Socrates" is the colourful story of a famous surgeon whose nerve has been broken through the loss of his fiancee who dies from an operation he himself has performed. He buries himself in a small town, a failure, with all hope lost, not even caring to live. His redemption comes through the love of an Innocent young girl, whom he rescues from the bandit gang that has kidnapped her, facing death alone in their stronghold, after informing secret service men of their hide-out.

“The Crusades” To-morrow

The splendour, savagery and romance of the Old World come to the screen at the Regent to-morrow in Cecil B. de Mille’s latest production, “The Crusades.” This ornate and dramatic film has all the famous de Mille wealth of detail and all the drama that the famous producer has been able to extract from an ingenious arrangement of a series of historic events relating to the Crusades. The film deals with the romance of Richard the LionHeart, his decision to lead an English army to Jerusalem, despite his lack of Christian faith, his feud with Philip of France, and romance with the beautiful Berengaria of Navarre. The brutal soldier’s wedding which Richard gives his bride, the struggle he later makes to win her love, and the scenes of battle and adventure through which his crusading adventure lead him before he finds himself trapped by the vow he made on his sword that he would lay his weapon on the tomb of Christ, are welded into a production of vast scale. “TOE AGE OF INNOCENCE” VICTORIAN ROMANCE AT STATE “The Age of Innocence,” starring Irene Dunne and John Boles, will have its final screenings at the State Theatre to-day. Tile story deals with a beautiful and immaculate love defeated by convention. It accents the high moral fibre displayed by its Tiero and heroine in bowing to what many now would consider an extravagant code of propriety. Miss Dunne and Boles appear as "unrequited lovers,” and are said to give the most moving dramatic performance of their careers, not excepting their mutual triumph in “Back Street.” The supporting cast includes Julie Haydon and five famous players from the New York Theatre Guild—Lionel Atwill, Helen Westley, Laura Hope Crews, Herbert Yost and Edith Van Cleve. “Marry the Girl” “Marry the Girl,” the picturisation of the famous Aldwych farce, which opens at the State to-morrow, is one of the most joyous entertainments of its kind to emanate from a British studio. Adapted from the farcical comedy by George Arthur and Arthur Miller, the screen version Of “Marry the Girl” is the work of Kathleen Butler and Maclean Rogers the director who, incidentally, was responsible for the direction of several Sydney Howard comedies. The story concerns a young man-about-town who, after becoming engaged, indulges in one final fling with an old flame, and lands himself in a breach of promise suit. A brilliant array of comedy stars lend added distinction to this delightful comedy. Sonnie Hale, who is perhaps the screen’s most polished and popular comedian, is seen as the hero, with Winifred Shotter as his former love; Judy Kelly as his fiancee, and Hugh Wakefield as a philandering barrister. Prominent in the supporting cast are Amy Veness, Kenneth Kove, Wally Patch and John Deverell, Next Wednesday and Thursday a special attraction will be staged when the one and only Gladys Moncrieff will appear in person, accompanied by Gil Dech, well known pianist.

“MARK OF THE VAMPIRE”

EERIE THRILLER AT MAJESTIC The age-old theory of the undead beings who leave the graveyard at night to prey upon the blood of men has had disciples throughout the ages and possibly may still have a few, and it has always been a happy hunting ground for the teller of macabre stories. It has also become the happy hunting ground of the producer who wishes to make a terror thriller for talking film, and Tod Browning, the producer of “Dracula,” has succeeded in giving a new interest to an oft-used theme in “Mark of the Vampire,” which is now at the Majestic Theatre. “Mark of the Vampire” tells the story of a detective who set out to solve a mysterious murder case and found himself pitted against an uncanny vampire cult. Varied interests are interwoven in the story, the characters including disciples of the “undead,” a student of demonology, a vampire being assisted by others with similar gruesome instincts, and a well-developed love interest. The cast is a brilliant one, headed by two of the screen’s powerful actors, Lionel Barrymore, as Professor Zelen, a student of demonology, and Bela Lugosi as Count Mora, a character reminiscent of Dracula, Lugosi's first great characterisation. Carl Borland appears as the beautiful but fearsome “vampire girl,” Elizabeth Allen and Henry Wadsworth supply the love interest.

Lionel Atwill is the detective, Holmes Herbert and James Bradbury are the supporting “undead” characters. “A Feather In Her Hat” Flaming with the genius of six inspired performances, Columbia’s picturisation of I. A. R. Wylie’s novel, “A Feather in Her Hat,” due at the Majestic Theatre on Saturday, brings a supreme emotional experience. Pauline Lord, First Lady of the Broadway stage, enacts the role of Clarissa Phipps with beauty and restraint. You’ll never forget Mrs Phipps. Basil Rathbone is Captain Couttney, a real gentleman, not "a toff.” Fresh from his triumph in “Anna Karenina,” Rathbone scores again. Louis Hayward, sensational British juvenile, makes his second role in an American picture something to be remembered. Noel Coward vouches for him. He’s seen as Richard. Billie Burke needs no send-off. There is only one Miss Burke, but you’ll wish there were more after you see her as Julia Trent in this picture. Wendy Barrie, a charming English girl, is Pauline, Hayward’s sweetheart. And Victor Varconi, Continental as always, plays the part of Miss Burke’s husband. THEATRE ROYAL TWO BRITISH PRODUCTIONS

Adapted from the play by Roland Pertwee and John Hastings Turner,

“The Night of the Party” tells of a dinner party arranged for business reasons by Lord Studholme, the unwilling guests all having reason to fear and hate him. After dinner one of the guests proposes a game called “Murder,” in which slips of paper are placed in a bowl and each guest takes one. On one slip is the word “Murderer”: on another, “Detective”; the rest are blank. Lights are lowered for a set period to permit the “murderer” to effect h's faked “killing,” after which it is the detective's job to locate the criminal by asking the guests pertinent questions. When the lights were restored at this party, however. Lord Studholme was found deadmurdered—for the game had been played in earnest. With every guest a potential murderer, each having sufficient motive for the crime, the task of solving the mystery was no sinecure for Scotland Yard, F-“ it makes a highly interesting picture. “The Ghoul” envisages the story of a half-crazed Egyptologist who “returns to life” in search of a jewel stolen from his hand after his supposed death, which was really c ily a fit of coma. Terrible happenings follow his emergence from the tomb and the whole atmosphere is one of impending doom from some mysterious source. That Boris Karloff plays the character is sufficient indication of its excellent portrayal. It is in the best “Frankenstein” tradition, which he created for the screen. Both films will be shown at the Theatre Royal to-night and Saturday.