ENTERTAINMENTS

Waipa Post, Volume 45, Issue 3250, 3 November 1932, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE.

TO-NIGHT ONLY.

“MR LEMON OF ORANGE.” “Mr Lemon of Orange, the Fox comedy which has its premiere performance at the Regent Theatre tonight, is one of the funniest pictures of the year to he shown on a local screen. El Brendel, famous Swedish dialect comedian, and Fifi Dorsay, vivacious French comedienne, have the starring roles and succeed in keeping the fun going from the first scene until the final fadeout. This reviewer considers the teaming of these two comedy stars as a move but a bit short of inspiration, as they work perfectly together and extract every ounce of humour possible from the laugh arousing situations. Brendel appears in a dual role in this picture, the first as the inoffensive toy clerk, “Mr Lemon,” and the other as the hard-boiled gang leader, “Silent McGee.” The contrast in the two portrayals is very convincingly done, and Brendel proves that he really can act a straight part as well as do his ysugl Swedish characterisation to a queen’s taste. Miss Dorsay shines as the night club singer and incidentally delivers .a clever song to prove that she really can sing. “My Rocket Is You” has a rather catchy swing to it. Briefly, the ludicrous incidents arise from a case of mistaken identity—the toy clerk being in the neighbourhood of a hi-jacking and mistaken for the gang leader. During the hi-jacking Dorsay’s brother is killed and she swears to put McGee “on the spot.” Others in the cast, including William Collier Sr., Ruth Warren, Donald Dillaway and Joan Castle, acquit themselves in an excellent manner. John G. Blystone, the director, has turned out a picture that is fast in action and sparkling in comedy. It provides one of the biggest laughs of the year.

FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND MONDAY. “REBECCA OF SUNNYBROOK FARM.” Rebecca, the imaginative little girl whose name came ouUpf Ivanhoe and who lived at Sunnybrook Farm, has long been the favourite role of the greatest stars of the stage. For the modern Fox sound version of the immortal classic, to be shown at the Regent Theatre beginning on Friday, Marian Nixon, whose personality has carried her to new screen heights, was chosen to portray the character that to millions is symbolic of optimism.

Conceived originally as the heroine of a series of short stories by Kate Douglas Wiggin, “Rebecca” was later made into a stage play by the author in collaboration with Charlotte Thompson. Director; Alfred Cantell re-created the renowed farm of Sunnybrook in the present production just as it appeared in the pages of the original book, in the picturesque sleepy farming country near Santa Cruz, California. There, far away from the artificialities of studio life and influence, the entire cast lived for weeks enacting the romantic drama that has captured the imaginations of millions. The plot deals with the experiences of an imaginative, impulsive girl who leaves her beloved Sunnybrook to live with her elderly maiden aunts, the very pillars of ’ respectability in a Maine village. Her penchant for adopting everybody’s troubles wins the immediate disapproval of the aunts but strikes quickly at the heart and sympathy of Dr Adam Ladd, who befriends her from her first day in the village. Ralph Bellamy, tall, blue-eyed leading man of many recent Fox successes, portrays the kindly, understanding character of Dr Ladd, while Mae Marsh, who recently renewed her screen career in “Over the Hill,” is seen as Aunt Jane, the younger and more -sympathetic of the two aunts. Aunt Miranda, whose hard-shelled surface of New England reserve is the last to be won over by Rebecca’s irresistible personality, is faithfully by Louise Closser Hale in what is said to be her- best performance to date.

Other characters of note in the picture are Alan Hale, as the eccentric radical; Sarah Padden, the kind-heart-ved woman who wants to adopt the child; Ronald Harris, lovable two year old who nearly steals the picture in his first screen role, and scores of Others.

EMPIRE THEATRE.

TO-NIGHT AND FRIDAY.

“ compromised.”

v Compromised,” the First National picture which comes to the Empire Theatre to-night, featuring Rose Hobart and Ben Lyon, a native of Atlanta, Georgia), is fortunate in including another young Georgian, Juliette Compton, recognised as one of the most beautiful actresses of the screen. Miss Compton plays the menace to the happiness of Miss Hobart—who, as Ann, a slavey in a mill-town boarding house, is married to Mr Lyon—as Sidney Brock, son of a millionaire. “ Compromised ” is one of these rare plays which have appeal for all sorts and conditions of people.

. 'SATURDAY AND MONDAY. - - - " ■■ MATINEE SATURDAY. : “ HELL DIVERS:” Although it has not been advertised as the “greatest flying picture ever made,” “Hell Divers,” which commences its season at the Empire Thek atre ton Saturday, well merits this title. Both from the point of view of flying and of photography Hell Div>l''r ers”. surpasses either Wings or . : Heli's Angels ”as a spectacular aviation, film, although it is not xn any . sense,' a.war picture.,- Never before wonderfuj flying scenes .•-•been captured for the .screen. Naval

manoeuvres off the Panama Canal, with a host of machines leaving and landing on the deck of the aircraft carrier, Saratoga, the latest fighting machines in formation flights and amazing “ aerobatics ” and bombing aeroplanes sinking a battleship at sea are Only a few of the spectacular features of this production. In addition to the more sensational side of the picture, a pleasant romance runs through the plot. The main theme of the story is the rivalry between two petty officers acting as gunners and observers, Nelson and Rikers, who represent opposite schools in the American Navy. Rikers is an enlisted man who has served in the navy for the greater part of his life and relies on his fists more than his brains, while Nelson is a younger man, full of ambition. whose desire- for advancement provokes the anger of Rikers. The two solon develop into deadly enemies, their animosity being fanned into open hatred when Rikers by means of a trick leads a girl with whom Nelson is in love to believe that Nelson had affairs with other women. The fleet sails fior Panama, where Rikers is given cause for jealousy by the behaviour of Nelson, but the two are temporally reconciled. The friendship does not last long, but later, during the annual manoeuvres of the fleet, the machine in which Nelson is observer and gunner crashes near a beach, and Rikers and his pilot land near by. The pilot is injured, and after a wait, during which no help is forthcoming,, Rikers attempts to fly from the beach to the aircraft carrier. He succeeds, but on landing on the vessel’s deck wrecks the machine, losing his life. Wallace Beery, who can always be relied on for a sound characterisation, is at his best as Rikers, making a living figure of the rugged but good-hearted petty officer, while Clark Gable adds tohis laurels as Nelson. No betterchoice for either role could be imagined, as each looks the part and their acting leaves nothing to be desired. Beery in particular makes the best use of every opportunity, while he is responsible for a number of bright e)omedy touches. In these he is aided by Cliff Edwards, who is seen as his pal. Conrad Nagel gives a restrained and polished portrayal as Riker’s pilot, while Dorothy Jordan and Marjorie Rambeau fill the leading feminine roles. An attractive supporting programme will be screened.