ENTERTAINMENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17997, 16 April 1930, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS.

THEATRE ROYAL. “Side Street,” all-talking melodrama, will open at the Theatre Royal to-night. Unusual interest centres in the fact that the three Moore brothers —Tom, Matt and Owen —appear co-starred for the first time in their long screen careers. The story provides an admirable characterisation for each of the three stars. It concerns a family of moderate circumstances living on Forty-ninth St. in New York City. Tom is a cop, Matt an ambulance surgeon, and Owen a racketeer who carefully hides from his family his method of livelihood. Eventually Tom is called upon to round up the gang of which Owen is the brains. When the latter finds he has ordered his lieutenants to take bis own brother “for a ride,” he beats Tom to the rendezvous and pays with his own life. It is one of the most gripping and sensational climaxes ever portrayed in motion pictures. STRAND THEATRE. “The Desert Song,” Warner Bros.’ latest Vitaphone novelty—a complete screen operetta, with music, songs, choruses, dances, dialogue is drawing huge crowds to the* Strand Theatre. “The Desert Song” retains all the charm, colour, action, romance and tropic love of the stage production, greatly enhanced by the motion picture camera’s power of motion. Warner Bros, were fortunate in being able to select a cast of such excellent singers, most of whom have had both stage and screen training. John Boles, tenor lead, sang the same role in the stage presentation of “The Desert Song,” and has been a screen leading man for several years. Carlotta King, lyric soprano, is a concert and radio artist of note. Their voices register perfectly on Vitaphone, are true in tone and sweet in quality. Othrs in the excellent cast are Louise, Fagenda and Johnny Arthur (in the leading comedy roles), John Miljan, Edward Martindel, Myma Loy, Jack Pratt, Otto Hoffman and Del Elliott. The large chorus is well trained and possess fine singing voices. The photography is magnificent. TALKIES AT CAMBRIDGE. Married in Hollywood,” now delighting large audiences at Cambridge, is a lavish production with its opening scenes laid in Vienna, intermediate scenes on an ocean liner headed for America, and the final scenes in the film colony in Hollywood. The story concerns a philandering son of Royalty, who is attending' an opera in Vienna where an understudy “Mary Lou” is acting the star role. The Prince is intrigued with her. He sends his adjutant to command her to take supper with him, but she refuses. He again meets her and the romance develops. A revolution occurs, and on the night of their betrothal Royalty is wiped out. The girl departs for America, and is followed on the next boat by the Prince. A movie producer hears “Mary Lou” sing and sees the stellar qualities in her. In Hollywood under another name she becomes a star and in a strange way the one-time Prince and the stage star come together again and are “Married in Hollywood.” Harold Murray, a New York musical comedy' favourite, is an ideal "Prince.” Nonna Ferris plays the feminine lead and sings and dances in a fascinating manner. The film has a chorus of 100 voices and 60 beautiful dancers, and the song and dance numbers prove very entertaining.

THE CIVIC. The latest picture offering from Fox, “Salute," played against the romantic backgrounds of Annapolis and West Point, opened at the Civic Theatre last night. It was directed by John Ford, and is packed with drama and thrills. The picture’s climax reaches its height in an ArmyNavy football classic at the Polo Grounds, New York City. Heading the cast are George O'Brien arid Helen Chandler, widely known Broadway actress. In support are William Janney, Joyce Compton, Slepin Fetchit, negro comedian; Frank Albertson and other favourites. “Salute” is a gripping, sincere drama of two boys and two girls, told in a refreshingly different way. One boy,-'George O’Prien, is an athletic hero at West Point —an All-American halfback O’Brien’s brother, William Janney, is 'a midshipman at Annapolis, a dreamer who neither understands nor is interested in his brother’s get-what-you-go-after attitude. When the girl the dreamy youth loves is about to be swept away from him by his fa.mous kinsman, he rises in revolt and things begin to happen. O’Brien is ideal as the West Point gridiron hero ■whose joy in his younger brother’s victories on the football field and in love overshadows the bitterness of his own defeats. FRANKTON’S OWN.

The Main Event-” heads the current programme at Franklon's Own. Good supporting films are screened.