ENTERTAINMENTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 147, 24 June 1931, Page 11

ENTERTAINMENTS

THE DUCHESS. | ‘•HAPPY DAYS” FOR WELCOME I WEEK. I A full one hundred stars of stage I and screen doing their stuff in as spark- i ling an all-talking musical romance as was ever conceived for stage and screen. Here are a few of the stars: Will Kogers, Janet Gaynor, Charles Farrell. Ed. Lowe, J. Harold Murray, Warner Baxter, and ninety others, and how these stars shine. There is a host of beautiful girls who can sing and dance most charmingly; also a fine dramatic story, teeming with heart interest, wind- ; ing swiftly through the colourful musical settings. The story grips in every sequence. This programme will be on to-night and Thursday. REGENT THEATRE 1 ‘ THE MAN FROM BLANKLEY’S” c ‘ln spite of the Bard’s famous question, there is a great deal in a name,” says John Barrymore, starring in the Warner Bros, and Vitaphone comedy, ‘‘The Man From Blankley’s,” now r at the Regent Theatre. “ Until a character is properly named,” says Mr Barrymore, ‘‘it is a’most impossible to develop the plot. No one has been so clever at making names fit characters as Charles Dickens, but F. Anstey, editor of “London Punch/ who wrote ‘The Man from Blankley’s,’ is a close second.’’ Much of the character and the comedy that this picture possesses in such unusual degree is based primarily upon the characteristic and comic names that the people of the story possess. John Barrymore for the first time since the advent of the talkies has returned to the type of acting which first gave him fame. “The Man from Blankley's” is a slapstick, gloriously slapstick, adventure in mistaken identity. Young, swanky, and a bit tipsy, Lord Strathpeffcr starts out through a fog to visit an Egyptologist, carrying with him a case of the instruments used by entomologists. He misses doors by one, and stumbles in on the party wh’cli the Tidmarshes are giving for their rich une’e, Gabriel Gilwattle. On account of many regrets received from invited acquaintances, ami fearing that there will be thirteen at table, : they have gone to the Blankley Employment Agency to hire a guest, who will take the curse off the party, ami at the same time impress Uncle Gab riel. The Tidmarshes belie' e Lord Strathpeffcr to be the man they have rented, and he takes them for the anti quarians he seeks. Indeed, they look it. for the guests arc more like Cruiek shank characters for a Dickens novel • than anything else in the world. When I the hilarious pandemonium breaks— j you’ll get the laugh of a lifetime, i Barrymore never more the artist.

MAJESTIC ‘'MEN CALL IT LOVE” Of all the the screen has presented on the pitfalls of modern marriage, none can rank higher than “Men Call It Love,” the Metro-Gold-wyn-Mayer production co-starring Adolpho Menjou and Leila Hyams, which opens to-day at the Majestic. Based on the stage play “Among the Married,” by Vincent Lawrence, the sound story and logical development of the situations nf “Men C*hi It Love” form a solid basis for an absorbing drama of marital insecurity, braced by 'cleverly written dialogue, ultra-fashionable settings, real human people and a strong Jove theme which, despite the proverbial difficulties, wins through in the end. The performance of Adolphe Menjou as the wrecker of homes is very well done. Doubt’ess there arc thousands like him in ’eal life —not a wicked man in the accepted sense of the word, but one who has a weakness for pretty and not-too-scru-pulous women. It Is this absence of ordinary conventional “villainy” of the characterisation which makes the story so logical and gripping. Leila Hyams also does very well as the young disillusioned wife who tries her contrite but erring husband’s ways in a vain effort, to rc-discover her happiness. Her grief is sincerely evident in the disillusionment sequence, where she wins and retains the sympathy of the audience till the end. Mary Duncan is also deserving of praise. Her the scene where she discovers that Leila Hyams’ husband “means something” to her, together with the subsequent adventures of these two. As the husband, Norman Foster is quite good and convincing, as likewise is Robert Emmett Keane, who has a weakness for apologising to a shrewisn wife every time the latter adopts an indignant attitude to confront his misgivings. The dialogue is smartly written all through, but withal there is a peculiar ring of real life and real people pervading each and every scene. Everybody will like “Men Call It Love,” both as entertainment, which it certainly is, and as a •cross-section of modern fashionable life. HAWERA SHOW. NEW ZEALAND WOUL CAMPAIGN. The Ilawera Winter Show, which is the home ot the Empire shopping movement, is always creating a fresh page for the history ot this movement. This year, in conjunction with the women's branch of the Farmers’ Union, arrangements have been made for a , special display of manufactures made ' from New eZaland wool. Several of our . Nrw Zealand woollen mills arc sending i forward exhibits ami a large collection of home-made New Zealand woollen garments will be displayed. This is an effort worthy of the best support and recognition by the public. The arrangement of this exhibit is in the capable hands of Mr A. Bone, who has a world-wide reputation as a window-

GRAND THEATRE “TIGER. ROSE” I Magnificent against natural backgrounds of the wilds that have seldom been equalled, “Tiger Rose” comes to the Grand Theatre to-day, as the last word in Vitaphone entertainment. There is a splendid sweep to this story of the Hudson Bay country and the North Woods, and life, movement, and speed have been combined witu some of the finest dialogue that has yet been heard. It is a talc of primitive sections in a province far removed from the dust and roar of cities —a province which does not wish modern activities to enter. Lupo Velez, the little Mexican actress, who plays the co-starring part with Monte Blue, wins new screen laurels in the title role of “Tiger Rose.” Her work is , dynamic and filled with violent passion, pathos and humour.. It is a most colourful characterisation. Monte Blue, as Devlin, the blarneying Irish sergeant of the Northwest Mounted, who loves Rose, and eventually helps her escape because she loves another, is at his very best in this picture. It is by far the finest thing he has done. WELCOME WEEK. TO-DAY '8 PROGRAMM E. The item of public interest on the programme of “Welcome Week” festivities to-day will be the annual Rugby football match which will be staged at Spriggens Park between teams representing the Wanganui Collegiate School and the Wanganui Technical College. As it is the annual match and both schools are fielding their best teams, a fast, open game, full of interest, is anticipated. Following the principle adopted by the headmasters, no charge will be made for admission, but a collection will be taken at the gates, the proceeds being devoted to the Mayor's Local Relief Fund. Choral Society’s Concert. The committee of the Wanganui Choral Society has adopted a novel scheme whereby concessions to tonight’s concert may be obtained by visitors to the city. All travellers from a prescribed area may reserve a seat at half the advertised cost upon their producing satisfactory evidence at Emmett’s music store, where the. box plan is now open. Trade Procession. In order to stimulate interest in today’s trade procession, Air G. Spriggens is donating a -valuable silver cup for tinmost meritorious turnout in this section. As the Winter Show committee is presenting a 10-guinea challenge shield for the best displa, in Saturday’s procession, it will be well worth the lime of those competing to make their entry worthy of the occasion.