AMUSEMENTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21155, 30 September 1938, Page 14

AMUSEMENTS

REGENT THEATRE THRILLER AND COMEDY The latest adventure tale from the pen of that master of mystery stories, H. C. (Sapper) McNeile, will be brought to the screen of the Regent Theatre, starting to-day by Paramount in “Bulldog Drummond’s Peril,” a picture of the war waged by a powerful diamond syndicate to prevent a chemist from manufacturing synthetic jewels in his laboratory. John Howard, who has already been seen in “Bulldog Drummond Comes Back” and “Bulldog Drummond’s Revenge,” again plays the action-loving amateur detective who interrupts his wedding to solve a mystery which has even Scotland Yard baffled. In addition to the traditional “Drummond” team of John Barrymore. Louise Compbell, Reginald Denny and E. E. Clive, the cast includes Porter Hall, the veteran of “menace” roles, and Elizabeth Patterson. Grade Allen loves Edward Everett Horton! That’s Hollywood’s latest screen romance, which will be seen in the new Paramount musical comedy, “College Swing,” in addition to the thriller. Gracie is cast as the “all-American nitwit” who inherits the college which has been trying to cast her out and revamps it in her own image. Horton plays the role of a South American multi-millionaire whose lifelong hatred of the opposite sex ends when Gracie shows him what real love can do. A dozen famous comic players round out the cast, including George Burns, Martha Raye, Bob Hope, Florence George and Ben Blue. Raoul Walsh who brought Jack Benny’s recent production, “Artists and Models,” to the screen, directed the picture. MAJESTIC THEATRE “A YANK AT OXFORD” The entertaining Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production “A Yank at Oxford” will be presented at the Majestic Theatre for the last time to-day. The chief role of the American undergraduate, Lee Sheridan, is taken by Robert Taylor, who gives one of his best performances in a fine virile part. “Let George Do It” Already claimed as one of the stage’s most versatile comedians, George Wallace adds to his reputation considerably in “Let George Do It,” which commences at the Majestic to-morrow. Though the origin of the title may be a trifle obscure, “George” certainly succeeds in raising the laughs. His facial expressions from the start are sufficient to convulse the most staid of audiences, and when it is taken into consideration that he is seen in a picture redolent with humorous situations, the full scope of his fun-making is more than evident. He appears in the role of Joe Blake, who is momentarily expecting to inherit a fortune, but even his best friends believe this to be but another figment of an altogether prolific imagination. He first appears as a stage hand who has a habit of getting into trouble. This is not only at home where he is possessed of the doubtful blessing of a virulent landlady, but also at work, where his habit is to become entangled in bits of string which release clouds of geese from a magician’s cabinet. STATE THEATRE “CHARLIE CHAN AT MONTE CARLO” Death deals a hand at the gaming tables and “Charlie Chan at Monte Carlo” gives you your best mystery bet in his most brilliant case, which comes to the State Theatre to-day. The world’s ace detective at the world’s gayest playground takes a million-to-one chance to solve a triple murder as he mingles with the millionaire playboys, bejewelled beauties and gay adventurers. Behind the laughter and banter of thousands of pleasureseeking internationals, there is a mil-lion-dollar stake in stock manipulation which spells success for one man and ruin for another. Into all of the gayety and sinister seething counterpoint of this latest and best of Twentieth Century-Fox’s Chan thrillers comes Charlie Chan and his Number One Son Kcye Luke. They are greeted effusively at the Casino de Monte Carlo by the prefect of police. The first rumblings of Death’s roulette are under way at a table where Paul Savarin and Victor Karnoff are playing fortunes on the flip of a card. These two men, rivals at chemin de

fer as well as on the Bourse, later are to provide Charlie Chan with another annoying interruption in his quest for a peaceful vacation. Kamoff’s wife, his brother-in-law, a mysterious English girl and one of the bartenders at the Casino soon become involved in a weird series of events. In the cast supporting Warner Gland are Keye Luke, Harold Huber. Virginia Field, Sidney Blackmer, Harold Huber, Kay Linaker and Robert Kent. THEATRE ROYAL A CHAMPION PROGRAMME Hair-raising thrills and romantic adventure are abundant in “Renfrew of the Royal Mounted,” the screen dramatisation of the famous fiction and radio character created by Laurie York Erskine, which starts at the Theatre Royal to-day with James Newill, who adds a new touch to the character of “Renfrew” with his splendid singing voice, in the title role. Among the many thrilling scenes in the picture is a daring parachute leap which “Renfrew” makes to come down on a band of counterfeiters he has been trailing for months. There are many exciting hand-to-hand battles between Renfrew and his enemies, with the famous mountie outwitting the slippery and ruthless outlaws in the end, aided by his wonder dog, Lightning, who performs stunts with an intelligence that is all but human. Binkie Stuart in “Little Miss Somebody” is a likeable youngster, complete with dimple and lisp and curls, and acts with engaging assurance for one of her years. “BALALAIKA” THE STAGE’S BEST EFFORT The box plans will be opened this morning at 9 o’clock at Begg’s Music Shop for the approaching presentation by J. C. Williamson’s New Royal Comic Opera Company of the mammoth musical romance “Balalaika,” to be staged at the Theatre Royal on Tuesday night next, and for the revival of the exquisite and popular opera “The Desert Song,” to be presented on Wednesday evening. There is an exceptionally large cast of principals in “Balalaika,” and they perfectly fit the roles entrusted to them. Miss Violet Carlson, the comedienne, achieved a wonderful triumph in Wellington in the role of Mascha. She is a vivacious and diminutive comedienne, full of eccentricities, whose every movement and gesture creates ripples of laughter. Mr George Hancock, the young London baritone, has a part in Count Peter which contains almost unlimited possibilities, and it is said he takes advantage of all of them. He looks the part and his high quality voice is heard to outstanding advantage in the numbers allotted to his role. Miss Diana Ducane has a fine soprano voice, and it is said that she also is a finished actress and a clever dancer. Mr Don Nicol has on numerous occasions delighted New Zealand playgoers with his unctuous humour, and in “Balalaika” this talented comedian is particularly humorous. The Russian ballets are an outstanding feature of the production, the soloists being Miss Gwen Brown and Hinky Tayler. Other features are the gorgeous costumes and brilliant uniforms.