AMUSEMENTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21183, 2 November 1938, Page 9

AMUSEMENTS

MAJESTIC THEATRE “ARSENI LUPIN RETURNS’’ Arsene Lupin, that famous fictional character created by Maurice Le Blanc, is revived tn “Arsene Lupin Returns," which begins at the Majestic Theatre to-day. In this new mystery thriller the adventures of the famous gentleman jewel thief, who is supposed to be dead, are continued Melvyn Douglas. Virginia Bruce and Warren William share leading roles with John Halliday and Nat Pendeltoi also prominently cast. In the supporting cast are Monty Woolley, . E Clive and George Zucco. The picture was directed by George Fitzmaurice. The story’s action races at breathless speed from the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Washington and New York, to the haunts of crime In Paris. The story logins with Warren William taking a job with an insurance company to guard a valuable emerald, owned by Halliday. William falls In love with Holiday’s daughter, Mias Bruce. Meanwhile a paste copy of the jewel Is stolen. The thief leaves a card maraed “Arsene Lupin." Accompanied by William. Halliday and his daughter move to P.-.ris where they meet Douglas, a friend of the family. Several more attempts are made to get the jewel, and In the course of events two suspects are killed. Pendelton and Clive, two of Douglas' friends, come to his country place and accuse him of ■'coming back to Ufa’’ as Arsene Lupin. Lupin then enters the case, but not until the final scene is the real .nuiderer revealed. “Merrily We Live” Hilarity will reign at the Majestic Theatre on Saturday, when "Merrily We Live” opens its engagement. Few comedies maintain the dizzy pace set in this picture, directed by Norman Z. McLeod, or have the ability of creating such continuous laughter as evoked by its co-stars, Constance Bennett and Brian Aheme and the supporting cast of stellar calibre. The new comedy has been given elaborate production, with the settings matching the cast in brilliance. The screen play by Eddie Moran and Jack Jevne abounds in droll situa-

tions and rapid-fire dialogue. Miss Bennett gives further evidence of marked ability as a comedienne. She interprets the role of the petted darling of the Kilbourne household with commendable skill, making the debutante both amusing in her wise-cracking and tempestuous outbursts and appealing in her search for romance. Aherne is excellently cast as the mysterious hobo who appears onr morning at the Kilbourne’s door and later becomes their chauffeur and more startling, their dinner guest. He plays the romantic scenes with excellent restraint and abandons himself in the mirth-provok-ing sequences to a degree of comedy that fans have hitherto unsuspected. Delightful, too, are the scenes in which Billie Burke appears. Her role, that of an absent-minded philanthropist whose mission is to rehabilitate hoboes, is almost tailor-made for Miss Burke’s comedy talents. STATE THEATRE “INTERNATIONAL SETTLEMENT" “International Settlement," the picture of the hour . . . and a hundred big moments, is showing at the State Theatre. The 20th Century-Fox film deals with the adventures of a freelance American pilot who finds himself in China’s great metropolis as the city is engulfed in the maelstrom of conflict. War sequences on a scale unduplicated since the filming of “The Road to Glory” at Twentieth CenturyFox are used in the massive production. Several thousand film players including hundreds of Chinese actors, have been engaged for the war scenes and other Sequences. Chief roles in' “International Settlement" are taken by Dolores Del Rio, glamorous screen beauty, George Sanders, new star “discovery,” June Lang, piquant little star, and Dick Baldwin, handsome young player. Others in the notable cast, appearing in supporting parts, are Keye Luke, youthful Chinese actor who has won a wide following among film fans by his work in the Charlie Chan series, John Carradine, Leon Ames and Ruth Terry, the latter a young singer who recently made her screen debut in “Love and Hisses," the Walter Winchell-Ben Bernie-Simone Simon musical hit. Lou Breslow and John Patrick produced the screen play for

“International Settlement." Eugene Forde is the director, selected by Executive Producer Sol M. Wurtzel. Special musical scores for the picture are under the direction of Samuel Kaylin and the exotic costumes which appear in the production are the creation of Herschel. REGENT THEATRE "THE BROKEN MELODY" “The Broken Melody,” Cinesound’s new production, which opens at the Regent to-day, is a delightful adaptation of F. J. Thwaites’ sensationally popular novel of the same name, interpreted by a big cast headed by Lloyd Hughes, Diana du Cane, Rosalind Kennerdale, Frank Harvey and Alec. Kellaway, and set to glorious music by Mr Alfred Hill. The leading role of a young singer is taken by Miss Diana du Cane, the charming English actress who first appeared in Sydney for J. C. Williamson’s two years ago and who has recently appeared in Timaru. Playing opposite the American star Mr Lloyd Hughes, Miss du Cane sings several songs composed by Mr Alfred Hill and also sings in the operatic sequence specially written by this famous musician that is the glorious climax to the film. Miss Rosalind Kennerdale, wellknown to all radio listeners, and the wife of Mr Lawrence Cecil, A.8.C.. has the role of a vivacious French Prima Donna, and it is hard to believe that this is Miss Rennerdale’s first screen appearance. She gives an inspired performance right up to the highest Hollywood standard. Playing her manager in the film is Mr Frank Harvey, who is seen in an entirely different part, rich in sophisticated comedy, as a French concert entrepreneur. This versatile stage and radio star also wrote the screen adaptation of “The Broken Melody.” Set in Sydney and London, “The Broken Melody" is the story of a young musical and university student who, through an escapade, is expelled and after a run of hardships goes to England and embarks on a successful career as a composer conductor. A delightful romance between Lloyd Hughes who plays the role of the young musician, and Diana du Cane, is developed with sincerity and charm. All in all, “The Broken Melody" is quality entertainment of the highest standard, a pic-

ture any of the world’s foremost studios would be proud to have produced. It opens at the Regent to-day. THEATRE ROYAL CONCESSION NIGHT PROGRAMME The lawless North-country, vibrant with romance and drenched with drama, once again flashes across the screen in “White Fang," Jack London’s thrill-laden sequel to his “Call of the W.ld,” which opens at the Theatre Royal to-night. Featuring an exceptional cast, headed by Miichael Whalen and jean Muir, “White Fang" is a stirring story of adventure ranking with the screen’s greatest outdoor dramas. Whalen, fresh from triumphant roles in “Professional Soldier" nd “The Country Doctor,” here has his most ambitious part and gives promise of becoming one of the outstanding young men of the screen. Jean Muir, lovelier than ever in a setting as picturesque as her own beauty, contri butes a noteworthy p.rformance while the remainder of the cast is uniformly good. Slim Summerville and Charles Winninger, especially, deserve mention for their hilarious comic characterisations. A dramatic story, rich in romance, studded with bright comedy and revealing for the first tune life in the medical and nursing corps of the Navy, “Navy Wife,” is also shown. Claire Trevor heads the film cast. Ralph Bellamy, one of the screen’s most popular young actors, has the romantic lead opposite Miss Trevor. Others prominently cast are Warren Hymcr, Ben Lyon, Jane Darwell, George Irving and Kathleen Burke. “Navy Wife" is the screen version of Kathleen Norris’s popular novel, “Beauty’s Daughter.”