THE THEATRES

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 366, 7 March 1932, Page 5

THE THEATRES

UPROARIOUS COMEDY. Interpreted by a clever cast, “Ex-Bad Boy," the Universal feature based on Anita Loos’ famous stage play, “The Whole Towns Talking," which opened at the Crystal Palace Theatre before crowded audiences on Saturday, is easily one of the brighest comedies seen for a long time. It is pure farce and depends for its humour mainly on the ludicrous situations that arise and the fast comedy work by Robert Armstrong, aided and abetted by Spencfer Charters. From first to last the audience is kept in a state of almost convulsive laughter as the hero gets deeper and deeper into difficulties. Robert Armstrong is the central figure of the story in the role of a rather slow-witted young man who is very much in love with the pretty daughter of his business partner. He does not meet with much success in his

woman has advanced ideas on marriage. She declares that she wants to marry a man with a past who is experienced in the ways of women. This places the hero in a quandary, but, urged on by the girl’s father, he pretends that he has been the amorous suitor of a film vamp. News of this astonishing claim spreads rapidly through the town and the unsophisticated young man finds himself in the position of a national hero. The girl who previously had turned him aside, at once agrees to an engagement and everything appears to be working out satisfactorily until the film vamp lifer self appears personally in the town. Complications crowd on each other and there are many highly _ ludicrous situations before the tangle is eventually straightened out. Jean Arthur, Lon Lane. George Brent, Marie Doran ant. Jason Robards have important parts in the well-balanced cast. Among the supporting films is another tiproarious comedy, “Bless The Ladies, In which Slim Summerville is t.ie ffeatured player. The other films are a cartoon. Universal newsreel and pictures in colour of unusual happenings. SEASON EXTENDED. " The Millionaire.” George Arliss’s Tatest film, which has pride of place at the Plaza Theatre, is one of those rare pictures which leaves a feeling of complete satisfaction with the person peeing it. Jn actual life the series of events which go to make the story would hardly be possible, but it is this strong streak of romance running through the whole that renders it an outstanding production. The cast is remarkably Btrong. although throughout the film it is used merely as a background for the great actor Arliss. There is a strong love interest running through the production. carried with great by David Manners and Evelyn Knapp. Noah Beery is one of the minor characters who makes a great showing in a part which suits him admirably. The dialogue is strong, and was written by Booth Tarkington. It is modern, the first modern film Arliss has made, and in Arliss’s hands the most is made of the clever lines. ** EAST LYNNE ” RETURNS. Hollywood, possibly the most critical iof all screen audiences, has placed its stamp of approval on “ East Lynne,” which will be shown at Everybody’s today. hailing it as one of the finest contributions to the art of motion pictures. Ann Harding. Clive Brook and Conrad Nagel are starred.

STORY OF MOTHER LOVE. All the sincerity, all the pathos and the joys that go to make up the life of a family are brought to the screen in “ Over the Hill,” which opened at the Regent Theatre on Saturday evening. Onlv a simple story and one which is a.s old as the hills, yet it brings both tears and laughter through that very simplicity. The audience shares in the troubles and disappointments of a mother as she watches her children grow up and steers them through the stormy waters of life. There have been families like hers the world over; the dutiful son who wins prizes at Sunday School and yet steals his mother’s housekeeping money; the scapegrace boy who is always in trouble, yet loves his mother in spite of his casualness; the

youngest boy and girl too young yet to show individuality, and last of all the good-natured but shiftless father who hangs around the house all day. This household grows up round the little mother, who keeps it going by sheer strength of mind, and toil which greys her hair and makes her old before her time. It is a tribute to the artistry of

“Over the Hill,” that the audience can live with and share the problems of this little mother, problems of everyday life, which all mothers meet. “Over the Hill” brings together again the young lovers of “Bad Girl,” James Dunn and Sally Eilers, who repeat their previous success, as the harum-scarum son and hi.s childhood sweetheart. But the finest performance of the picture is that of Mae Marsh, as the mother. COMEDY AND DRAMA. Comedy and drama are well intermingled at Liberty Theatre, where the principle pictures on a double-feature bill are “Little Caesar” and “Fifty Million Frenchmen.” The first is a picture having its location in the gangland of Chicago. The story might be that of several of the present-day leaders of the underworld of America. It shows the “ rise ” of a small town crook to membership of a “big” gang, then his advancement by reason of his cold-blood-edness and cunning eventually to the leadership. It is a story of political chicanery, racketeering, of viciousness and murder, and it shows very clearly the methods and power of these men who have assumed such importance in American city life that the police arc almost powerless to touch them. “ Fifty Million Frenchmen ” is a riot of laughter, with the two leads ever providing more amusing scenes and witty cross-talk to keep the audience going. Americans in Paris have provided more than one director with material for good comedies’, but rarely have they supplied more amusing situations than those in “ Fifty Million Frenchmen.” It concerns a young man who is in love with a girl, but does not mind taking a sporting chance. He bets 50.000 dollars that he can win her without a penny in his pocket, and wins, but had lie known the difficulties that were going to be thrown in his way by his friends he would probably have chosen some less dangerous sport. “ A DANGEROUS AFFAIR.” Mirthful mystery that is genuinely amusing and entertaining is offered in “ A Dangerous Affair.” the new Columbia Holt-Graves talkie that opened at the Majestic to-day. It keeps the theatre in paroxysms of laughter and at the same time offers a mystery that is intelligent and baffling.