ENTERTAINMENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17983, 31 March 1930, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS.

TALKIES AT CAMBRIDGE. “THE COCK-EYED WORLD.” Many people were turned away from the Town Ilall at Cambridge on Saturday night, when “The Cock-eyed World” had Its first screening. Though lire audience expected much, it can safely be said that no one 'vas disappointed. “The Cock-eyed World” in every way has fine entertainment, for it combines humour and pathos, drama and romance, lavishness and simplicity, excitement and quietness, beauty and primitiveness in one merry-go-round of racy enjoyment. Based on a story by Laurence Stallings and Maxwell Anderson, who co-authored I lie memorable “What Price Glory,” it features Victor McLaglcn, Edmund Lowe, and Lily Damita—Lowe and McLaglen again the fighting marines but now in times of peace, confining their chief battles to passages at arms over their various lady loves. The story lakes tiic marines to Russia, to the tropics and to New York and Coney Island. Lily Damita, more fascinating Ilian ever, is their girl of the tropics; Leila Karneily llieir Russian girl, and .lean Bary their New York girl. Quelling an uprising in the tropics is their only opportunity to do Ihc battling the marines arc noted for, and Walsh has even in this comparatively minor engagement, eclipsed lor drama, force and thrills any battle of “What Price Glory.” “The Cockeyed World” has every ingredient that makes for real pastime —humour, sparkling dialogue, hectic love scenes, tense drama and a happy combination of ail those things that appeal from the screen. The supporting cast is excellent, with El Brendel, former star of musical comedy and vaudeville, reaping plenty of honours with his incomparable portrayal of a Swede marine, “Olsen.” Joe Brown, Bobby .Burns and Ivan Linow also have important roles. In addition to the dialogue there are several song numbers, including the theme song, “So Dear To Me,” sung by Bobby Burns; “Elenita, ’ | sung by Lily Damita; and ‘So Long, a marine inarching song. Some of die music provided in this picture is splendid, two U.S.A. navy bands giving some line renditions in different ; ,cones, while a Russian orchestra of a io/.en members anil the famed Mexican .i.trimba Band gave several very pleasng numbers. The speaking was To ' excellent, all the voices being ..e.-rd with clarity.

THE CIVIC. “Big Time," with Lee Tracy, Mae Clarke and Josephine Dunn in the leading roles, opened at the Civic Theatre on Saturday to a capacity | audience that left that popular place i of amusement well pleased. r ilie story | one of absorbing human interest, depicls the triumphs and tribulations of people who make their living, behind the footlights and in the glare ol the lights of a motion picture studio. It moves swiftly and convincingly throughout. Tracy portrays the role 0 f nddie Burns, the arrogant and conceited small time hoofer whose ego finally wrecks his happiness; while Miss Clarke is seen as the devoted and understanding wife, who, after being i deserted by her husband, becomes a motion picture star in Hollywood. As the egotistical hoofer, Tracy gives an outstanding performance. Miss Clarke, also a New York stage recruit,- is charming and appealing as Lily Clark, the wife. Daphne Pollard, one of the best known of screen comediennes, appears in a trained seal act and fuinishes much good comedy, but the biggest laughs are created by Stepm Fetohit, that incomparable coloured comedian, who portrays the role of Eli, keeper of the seals. Josephine Dunn appears as "the other woman and gives a creditable account of herself. The final scenes are in a motion picture studio in Hollywood and a most spectacular and gorgeous set was provided for the climax.

THEATRE ROYAL. In “The Lady Lies,” which entertained a large audience at the Iheatie Royal on Saturday night, Paramount has produced a powerfully dramatic but at the same time absorbingly human iomance drama that should add greatly to the prestige of its sponsors, and to that of its featured players, Walter Huston, Claudette Colbert and Charles Buggies. At the same time, it will doubtless start the upward climb to greater successes of two wonderful child actors, Patricia Peering and Tom Brown. Walter lluslon and Claudette Colbert are two of the most important and best-loved artists of the Broadway stage. They have enjoyed distinguished stardom on the legitimate stage m New York for five years or more. Each is fairly well known to motion picture audiences. Miss Colbert, through her work in silent pictures and in the all-talking “The Hole in the Wall,” and 'Mr ltuston through a number of short, features and through his work as the editorhero in the all-talking “Gentlemen of the Press.” In this production, Huston is the handsome widower, and Miss Colbert is the woman unwittingly responsible for his social downfall.

STRAND THEATRE. “Street Girl," featuring popular .Betty Compson, is delighting large audiences at the Strand Theatre. Befriended by Mike and ids pals of the Four Seasons Orchestra, Sophie, a homeless girl violinist, repays them by obtaining an engagement in a popular Hungarian restaurant. There she plays for Prince Nickolaus of Aregon, on tour of America, and he kisses her while the crowd applauds. Despite sensational success which publicity brings, Mike becomes madly jealous in this belief that Sophie loves the prince. He quits the orchestra and confronts the Prince in his quarters with the accusation that he has led Sophie to love him with no hope of marriage. The j'rince, in a tensely dramatic scene, proves that Soptiic loves only Mike and returns to his native land, leaving the young lovers to their happtness. Betty Compson’s talent with the violin is one of the interesting features of “Street Girl.” it is worthy of note that it was her ability as a violinist which launched Miss Compson on a theatrical career when she was a schoolgirl in Salt Lake City, Utah. FRANKTON’S OWN. To-night's programme is headed by the feature, “Man. Made Woman.” There are good supports, including a gazette and comedy. _ ■ - •