ENTERTAINMENTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 139, 15 June 1932, Page 11

ENTERTAINMENTS

MAJESTIC THEATRE “LOVE LIES,” A BRITISH COMEDY. What would you do if your best riend Idcnl presented you with a wife to love and cherish when he had only married the girl himself that morning? This is the predicament in which Jerry Walker, a confirmed woman-hater, finds himself when he visits Roily” Rider on his wedding day, in “Love Lies,’’ British comedy, which »pcns at the Majestic Theatre to-day. You see Roily’s uncle, who has threatened to cut his nephew of! with a shilling if he marries, unexpectedly arrives, and Jerry being handy—well, there you arc. Neither of the friends could foresee the advent of Jerry’s uncle, hot on his way from Spain with a charming senorita, whom he was bent on marrying—to Jerry. Stanley Lupino makes his talkie debut as the luckless Jerry, playing opposite Binnio Barnes as a Spanish vamp who, despite repeated attempts on Jerry’s part, manages to inveigle him into her clutches, to bis ultimate happiness. A strong supporting cast, which includes Dorothy Bartlam, Jack Hobbs, Dennis Hoey and Sebastian Smith, provides an entertainment which eventually merges into one long roar of merriment, “Private Lives” Noel Coward’s most sensational farce hit supply the story and intriguing title of “Private Lives,” which opens at the Majestic Theatre on Saturday next, with Norma Shearer and Robert Montgomery costarred. It is high farce at a breakneck pace and the most hilarious picture offered in many months. Both Miss Shearer and Montgomery seem perfectly at home in its happy but scrappy —environment, and it is easy to imagine that they had quite as much fun making the picture, as the audience did in laughing at its gay wit and hysterical situations. The story is about a divorced man and wife who marry again to spite each other. By chance both couples are assigned to adjoining bridal suites in a French hotel on the first night of tho honeymoon. They row with their respective spouses and discover each other’s presence, finally eloping to a chalet in Switzerland where they later are found by their rightfully enraged —but chaste —bride and bridegroom. It js a screaming affair from start to finish and hits a merry pace that makes it difficult to wonder just how it all came to be put together. It seems so utterly spontaneous and so unexpected are the episodes that it all appears only too real. Reginald Denny, Una Merkel, Jean Hersholt and George Davis do good work in the chief supporting roles.

GARRISON BANL SUNDAY NIGHT CONCERT. The concert given last Sunday night in the Majestic Theatre Ly the Garrison Band and assisting artists was, undoubtedly, one of the finest of this year’s series. Magnificent s.ngjng of well-chosen numbers by the Wellington artists, Miss K. L’orris and Mr. H. F. Wood, interesting aa.l entertaining elocutionary items by Mr. K Howell, and well-played selections by the Garrison Band, all helped to elevate tho concert to the highest level. Opening with an organ-like manner, the hymn, “Deep Harmony,” played by the band created a deep impression by this devotional rendering. A pot-pourri of ex-

cerpts from well-known operas and ballads by the band met with warm approval.* Mr. R. Howell held rapt attention with an elocutionary item from the opening phrase to the conclusion. He was deservingly given a double encore. Mi.ss K. Ferris, who is the possessor of a fresh and liquid soprano voice, which she controls with perfect ease in all registers, sang “Free As The Heart,” for her opening number. To an insistent encore she gave the “Love Call” from “Rose Marie?’ In all her work Miss Ferris displayed a finished technique and exact intonation. A selection from “The Arcadains” was played by the band and tho audience showed their appreciation of the bright selection. Mr. H. F. Wood proved to be immensely popular because of his excellent singing and winning personality. Opening with ‘‘Caravan,’’ his robust voice gripped the audience and carried them from one to many encores. Ho is a singer of the highest class. A euphonium solo by Mr. O. Williams was played in his usual finished style. Miss Ferris and Mr. Wood made other appearances in which they scored further successes. They combined in the “Miserere” duet from “Il Trovatore,” in which the back stage singing by Air. Wood came through effectively. As the audience clamoured for more numbers by these artists they responded by singing a duet from “The Maid of the Mountains.” From a musical point of view the concert was an outstanding success and the band is to be congratulated on the promotion of such excellent entertainment. Mrs. C. Kendall excelled as the accompaniste, and received a well-deserved compliment from Miss K. Ferris, who said, “Airs. Kendall is the best accompaniste I have ever had.”

REGENT THEATRE “GOLD DUST GERTIE.” W innie Lightner is the star of “Gold I Dust Gertie,” a hilarious comedy, and supported by Olsen and Johnson. The | picture commences at the Regent Tholatre to-day. She is living up to i the record she made as Afabel in “Tho iGo id Diggers of Broadway,” is more ! ludicrously likeable as Gertie than in any of her other comedies. She is shown in violent pursuit of two newlyweds, who have been former husbands, and owe her alimony. Winnie is really funny as an alimony hunter—with marriage in prospect and retrospect with every man in sight. “Shanghai Express. *’ There is no reason why “Shanghai Express,” to succeed ‘‘Gold Dust Gertie ’ at the Regent Theatre on Saturday, should not take its place as one of tho most notable films of tho year. It presents the bewitching German actress Marlene Dietrich at her loveliest; there are such noted players as Clive Brook, Warner Gland, Anna May Wong and Eugene Dallotte in the supporting east, and the director was Joseph \on Sternberg. Seton Margrave, film critic for the London Daily Mail, says: “I think the finest film of tho week is ‘Shanghai Express,’ a fascinating drama of a railway journey from Peking to Shanghai in time of revolution. It is an amazing picture: one of the best we have had from Hollywood. I have never seen anything more colourful than the motley of Orient and Occident offered in this film. With the most delicate and most decisive camera art wo are shown, in tho opening reel, the cosmopolitan multitude attending the departure of an extraordinary train on an eventful journey. “Tn this conglomeration of races we find the notorious Shanghai Lily, superbly played by Miss ATarlenc Dietrich; a stiff-necked British Army officer, yielding Mr Clive Brook one of his polished performances; a daughter of China, rendered admirably by Miss Anna May Wong: a leader of tho revolutionary army in Air Warner Oland; an American gambler-comedian in Air Eugene Pallette; Atiss Louise Closscr Halo as a boarding-house keeper, complete with Pekingese: Air Emil Chautard as a cashiered French officer; and Air Gustav von Soyffertitz as a German opium smuggler. These are tho leading characters of as strange a collection of rogues and vagabonds and hvocrites and honest men and women as any could imagine.”

GRAND THEATRE “FRONT PAGE” SHOWING The plot of “The Front Page,” now at the Grand Theatre, a play dealing with life on a. Chicago newspaper, has a strong dramatic touch and in translation to tho screen it loses little in value. The greater part of the picture is limited to tho press room at the Chicago Criminal Courts buildings, where reporters from .the various papers await, the call to attend and describe the handing of Earl Williams. Little is spared in tho way of details and the rough and tumble existence of the newspapermen in the citv of gangsters is faithfully shown. The efforts of tho “star” reporter of the gathering to throw up the job and settle down to married life provide the basis of the plot, with his subjugation by the strong-willed and ruthless managing editor. The drama in tho film is emphasised when the murderer escapes and appears at tho window of the press room, whore the lone reporter is present. His attempt to gain a “scoop” nt the risk of ruining his matrimonial affairs is responsible for the high spots in the production and the action in the •confined space is nothing if not rapid.

N.Z. DEMOCRATIC PARTY Supporters prepared to assist in forming the Wanganui district branch of tho N.Z. Democratic Party, capable of contesting 48 seats at the forthcoming General Election, which may take place in November or earlier this year, arc cordially invited to communicate now with E. L. Applcgarth, To Tuhi, Wanganui River. MARIST OLD BOYS’ DANCE A dance aud card party arranged by the Marist Brothers Old Boys’ Association will be held at the Koyale Willows on Monday evening next. The River City Syncopators’ Orchestra ot five instruments has been engaged, and they can be relied upon to provide the latest dance numbers. During the evening Aiiss A. Healy and partner will give an exhibition danco* A capable ladies’ committee will havo charge of the supper arrangements, and Mr. E. J. Crotty will act in the capacity of AI.C. Dancers and card players for a moderate charge arc assured of a good evening’s entertainment. Tho proceeds are in aid of the Marist School renovation fund.