ENTERTAINMENTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 42, 19 February 1932, Page 11

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE

“ TABU” AND “THE GIRL HABIT” “Love; in a land where love began.” : That is what one Hollywood writer calls “Tabu,” the F. W. Murnau feature picture of South Sea islaud life, ■ showing finally to-day at the Regent. “Tabu” is the story of a primitive . love between Reri, a beautiful Poly- j nesian girl of the island of Bora Bora, and her handsome lover, Matahi, a ; youth of the same tribe. They live . happily in the carefree joyousness with which all the natives seem to be en- 1 dowed. But their romance is threat' . ened wheu the chief of the islands arrives to announce that Reri has been ' honoured as the Chosen One, the maid ; who will henceforth bo set apart from ' all others. She is to be “tabu”—that is, unattainable, beyond the possession of any man. None is to desire her. He who does must suffer death. When Hitu, the chief, takes her away, Matahi follows and steals her from the righteousminded old leader. Reri and Matahi go to a far-away island, where he succeeds for the time as a pearl-fisher, earning money, which they spend freely in feasts and semi-civilised carryingson. But old Hitu finds them out, and threatens Matahi with death unless he gives up his loved one. Charlie Buggies, the droll but cheru-bic-looking comedian of “Young Man of Manhattan,’’ “Her ’ Wedding Night” and other successful talkies, is • also to be seen in his first starring picture, “The Girl Habit.” In this picture, which was made at Paramount’s New York studio, Ruggles is definitely launched by his sponsors into a career of stardom which will carry him to the forefront of screen personalities. Ruggles has well-merited the distinction of stardom. His career has been featured by hard work and painstaking care. At a youthful age he began his stage career in San Francisco. It was not long before he was starring in musicals in New York and on the road.

•Night Nurse”

“Night Nurse,” which details the romantic adventures of a young girl who enters a great city hospital as a student nurse, and leaves it to a . woman who knows life from its depth to its heights, comes to the Regent to- 1 morrow. The picture is based on the . sensational best-selling novel by Dora : Macy, who also wrote “Ex-Mistress.” ; The human and dramatic phases of hos- ; pital life are portrayed, as never be- ] fore. Beside the unusual story “Night ’ Nurse” has been given the superb | direction of John Francis Dillon, who ' did “The Public Enemy” and I “Wings.” It should be stressed that ! while the sequences of “Night Nurse” 1 are largely in a hospital,’’ the gruesome ’ is never in evidence —rather the 1 humanness of the throngs that fre- ' quent it, from the surgeon in command 1 to the humblest orderly. It is the ' night nurse herself who steals the picture and holds the imagination and ' sympathy of the beholder from first to - last. Lora Hart is her name, and she . has the great luck to be interpreted by Barbara Stanwyck, remembered for her recent performance in “Illicit.” Miss Stanwyck has beauty and talent, - but it is an indefinable quality which ; makes her dominate any scene—and ' her portrayal of Lora, torn between, temptations, .fears, loves, ambitions and loyalties—is unforgettable. Love finds Lora after many a long way—in the person of a likeable young rough who comes to her for the treatment of a gunshot in the arm—Ben Lyon makes much of the role. Joan Blondell is Lora’s jazzy pal, also a nurse. Many other screen favourites play notably—among them being Clark Gable, Charles Wininger, Charlotte Merriam, Edward Nugent, Allan Lane, Blanche Fridorici, Vera Lewis, Ralf Harolde, Walter McGrail. Betty May and two quite astonishing seven-year-olds, Marcia Mae Jones and Betty Jones Graham.

GRAND THEATRE

“KNOWING MEN” Elinor Glyn’s first bi-lingual talkiefilm, “Knowing Men,” recently completed at Elstree, is showing finally today at the Grand. “Knowing Men,” written and produced by Elinor Glyu herself, has been recorded in English and French by a company equally conversant in both languages, the cast including Elissa Landi, Carl Brisson, Helen Haye, Jeanne de Casalis, Thomas Weguelin and C. M. Hallard. Mr. Charles Rosher, a brilliant English camera-man, regards it as a happy coincidence that he should have “shotl’ Mary Pickford’s first film and has now “shot” Elinor Glyn’s first. “Mrs. Glyn’s technical knowledge of production is truly marvellous,” he declared, “and after my experience in America I was amazed at the ease with which Elinor Glyn directed. She knows exactly what she wants, and gets it!” Elinor Glyn has been prompted to duplicate this production in French by reason of her long residence in Paris thus having an equal appreciation of the English and French markets. Mrs. Glyn, of course, speaks French perfectly and is fortunate in having a cast who are also to perform in both languages with the sole exception of a parrot who has an important role.

A TOOTHBRUSH TIP.

Pour Q-TOL on your dry toothbrush and massage gums and teeth, then use a good toothpaste in the usual way. Q-TOL restores vitality to the gum cells, softens and removes tartar and kills germs of decay. Q-TOL acts as a tonic to the gums. Made in New. Zealand.—Advt.

MAJESTIC THEATRE

“THE CUBAN LOVE SONG” Lawrence Tibbett, principal of the Metropolitan Grand Opera Company, New York, has a typical role in fils fourth screen success, “The Cuban Love Song,” showing finally to-day at , the Majestic Theatre. As in all his previous productions, his wonderiul voice is an important feature of the picture, but the romantic story of a restless soul forced to choose Between two blind and overmastering loves is in itself sufficient to make the production outstanding. A large proportion of the action takes place in the picturesque island of Cuba, where the relies of the old Spanish culture and the carefree life of the inhabitants blend to make an unforgettable atmosphere of simplicity and romance. Much of the importance of the picture is due to the director, W. 8. Van Dyke, whose sympathetic treatment of tropical scenes has been responsible for a lengthy list of noted pictures. The photography throughout is of a very high standard. Tibbett takes a role very similar to the one he played in “ The Prodical. ” Once again he appears as a man of good family whose wild spirit leads him to break away from home associations. Signing on as a marine, he is sent to Cuba shortly before the outbreak of war. He is farewelled by Crystal, his fiancee, who believes that a period of hard, rough life will enable him to settle down eventually to the position it is his duty to fill. Karen Morley gives a sincere and moving portrayal of a difficult role as the woman who is prepared to humiliate herself in her efforts to maintain her influence over the man she loves. She invests her part with pathos and emotion. It is not long after the arrival of the marines in Cuba before young Terry is attracted by the fascinating Nenita, played in a natural manner by Lupo Velez. The romance that springs up between them contains much of real charm and, were it not for the calls of duty to his family and to Crystal, Terry’s happiness might almost have been assured.

‘ ‘ The Reckless Hour. ” . .

“The Reckless Hour,” the adaptation of Arthur Richman’s phenomenally successful Broadway hit, “Ambush,” commences at the Majestic Theatre to-morrow. The story is sen- 1 sational and tremendously human—but it takes more than a fine story to make a fine play. The characters must look and act the part and this is one of the points which makes “The Reckless 1 Hour” ring so true. Dorothy Mackaill portrays Margaret Nichols, the heroine of the story, as no one else we can think of. could do. Margaret Nichols sounds the depths of suffering and the heights of happiness. She is a model whose drab home life is in contrast to the brilliant days in the fashion shop where she parades in the peacock-alley in gorgeous raiment- When love comes her way she believes —against , warnings of her kindly and henpecked old father—that her lover’s promises are well-meant. Deserted by him—her baby dead —she becomes cynical—hat- ; ing all men as ardently as she has loved one. Then comes the other man who is to remake her life—but not without many exciting complications which make the unexpected climax the inevitable one. “The Reckless Hour” —taken all in all—is one of the you simply must see.

GARRISON BAND

TO-DAY’S COLLECTION The special house and street appeal in aid of the Garrison Band’s uniforms and contest expenses will be be made to-day. Lady collectors will be stationed at various vantage points throughout the city, and in addition a house to house collection will be made. The band requires funds for new uniforms, recently supplied, as well as to provide contest expenses. It is felt that the public will contribute generously to the object in view. The band leaves for the contest by mail train today.

.JUBILEE BALL

DANCE AT HAWERA One of the outstanding features of the Jubilee, to be celebrated ii. Hawera this week, will be the Jubilee Ball, to be held in the Winter Show Buildings, Hawera, on Friday next February 26. A committee of enthu siastic dancers has the arrangements i; hand and promises that the first ball of the season will set a standard diffi cult to eclipse. Something novel is promised in decorations, while the music will be supplied by Wills’ Me!odymakers. The supper committee is determined not. to be outdone and all is combining to make the ball which “happens only once in fifty years” a memorable one.

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

DAHLIA AND GLADIODI SHOW The dahlia and gladioli show, to be staged under the auspices of the Wanganui Horticultural Society, will be opened in the Drill Hall this afternoon at 2 o’clock by His Worship the Mayor. This is the first occasion on which thb society has staged a show of this nature. The entries received have been in such dimension as to indicate that its efforts will be well rewarded and that patrons will see all the seasonal flowers at their best. Splendid entries have also been re-

ceived in the cut flowers, fruit, vegetables and pot plants sections, while trade exhibits are of more than usual interest, not only numerically, but also horticulturally. Lady friends and supporters are asked to bring gifts for the afternoon tea stall, as arrangements have been made again to serve afternoon tea in a picturesque corner of the hall.