ENTERTAINMENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18164, 31 October 1930, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS.

TO-NIGHT’S PROGRAMMES. ROXY THEATRE. “Sarah and Son,” Timothy Shea’s great hovel of mother-love, is being s'creened at the Roxy Theatre. Ruth Chatterton, of “Madame X” and “The Laughing Lady” fame, is starred in the central role of Sarah Storpi, the impoverished young wife-mother who, stimulated by a burning ambition to raise herself from obscurity and to regain the -baby boy who had been spirited away from her by her worthless husband, finally achieves fame and glory as an operatic star and eventually,"is re-united with her son. How she accomplishes the final step of her plan furnishes some of the most tense and exciting scenes the screen has yet given us.

STRAND THEATRE. “Inside the Lines” is full of incident. Betty Compson, who makes, a charming principal, is first introduced as Jane Newsham, an English girl visiting Germany in the fateful days of July, 1914. hHere she meets a young compatriot, excellently portrayed by Ralph Forbes; but before a week has elapsed a secret message recalls her to Paris, where she is entrusted with the responsible and • dangerous mission of penetrating into the fortress of Gibraltar and procuring the details of the mine fields in the straits. She is then to meet “No. 54” and hand them over in readiness for a plan of destroying the Mediterranean squadron of the British fleet. The story is evolving 'into a conflict between love and duty, when suddenly a new factor enters the plot, and all the preconceived ideas of the audience are thrown-, aside by startling new developments. The picture as a whole is well produced, and the supporting roles -are strongly portrayed. A Mickey the Mouse cartoon is a very popular supporting feature.

THEATRE ROYAL. In “The Painted Angel” popular Billie Dove is seen in a type of. role she . has not previously essayed. She appears as the proprietress of a Broadway cabaret, in which she leads the chorus and ' s'ings a number of songs. In previous talking- pictures her speaking voice proved to be soft -and melodious, and she is even more successful in her several singing numbers, which are rendered with charm and grace. Edmund Lowe has the principal male role, that of the manager of the cabaret, and his performance is a marked departure from his usual characterisation, being suave and sophisticated to a degree not to be expected of the hero of “What Price Glory?” .and “The Cockeyed World.” Among the popular players in the excellent supporting cast are J. Farrell McDonald, Gissie Fitzgerald,- GeorgevMaofarlane -and Neillie Bly Baker. The cabaret setting forms the background for a number of spectacular dance ensembles, while in addition ,to Miss Dove’s numbers there are several catchy songs. That novel canine comedy, “Hot Dog,” is seen ni support.

TALKIES AT CAMBRIDGE. Charming in tempo, appreciative in treatment and dignified in performance. Add to these fundamentals in talkie making a dramatic Story bolstered up by a high-grade direction, and the result is an approximation of “The Melody Man." Its motif revolves around a rhapsody and how its lovely melody tints a path of hardship and eventual tragedy along which the composer is forced to wend his way. There is a rare charm and sense of freshness pervading this production. John Sampolis gives a highly dramatic performance as the old musician whose hatred of jazz is conquered and who makes a* great sacrifice for those he loves. William Collier, jun., wins fresh popularity as the lover. Several outstanding musical numbers are introduced, the playing of a symphony orchestra being a special feature.