ENTERTAINMENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume 112, Issue 18697, 25 July 1932, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS.

“ONE HOUR WITH YOU.” MAURICE CHEVALIER CHARMS. AT TIIE STRAND THEATRE. The infectious charm and droll humour of Maurice Chevalier, and the beauty, singing ability and comedy sense of Jeanette MacDonald make ‘One Hour Wth You,” screened at the Strand Theatre on Saturday a delight from beginning to end. It is all very jay, very sophisticated, very romantic md never have the popular pair been seen to better advantage. The director of the production was Ernst Lubitsch, and he shows his mastery af the art of film-making by a thousand deft touches. The story deals with the complications ensuing when a j r oung Parisian doctor falls in love with his wife’s best friend. Mitzi Olivier, who has been giving her husband a good deal of anxiety, tries to attract the attention of Dr. Bertier (Maurice Chevalier), who, however, nas no intention of being other than a model husband. To avoid Mitzi he tries to arrange someone else to sit next to him at a dinner party. Just is he is substituting the place cards bis wife arrives and thinks that he is ioing this to be next to a Mile. Martel. She engages the help of Mitzi, who willingly, agrees to help her keep her lusband away from Mile. Martel luring the evening. Thus the more attention Mitzi pays to the unfortulate Dr. Bertier the more his wife entourages her. Before the night is aver he becomes involved in a compromising situation. To complicate matters Mitzi's husband has a detective shadowing her, but in his inimillble manner Chevalier succeeds in explaining all and the picture ends with the reconciliation of the happily marked couple. Several.clever songs are introduced, md these are notable In that they have leflnite plot value. Never does musicinterrupt the gay momentum' of the story, but always furthers the progress of the plot. Tile songs include ‘We Will Always Be Sweethearts,' sung by Chevalier and Miss MacDonild; "One Hour Wtih You," introduced by Bing Crosby and his band md sung later by Chevalier and Miss MacDonald; “What Would You Do?” 1 great comedy number, sung by Maurice Chevalier; “What a Little Thing Like a "Wedding Ring Can Do,” by Chevalier and Miss MacDonald; “It Was Only a Dream Kiss,”, by Jeanette MacDonald; “Oh, That Mitzi,” by Maurice Chevalier; "Three Times a Day,” by Maurice Chevalier md Genevieve Tobin. . Besides the outstanding work of the two principals, excellent studies ire given by Genevieve Tobin, Charles [Juggles, Roland Young and George Barbier. THEATRE ROYAL. “Black Coffee,” a British production, is a tense mystery drama ;hat holds the interest throughput. The story tells how the formula, for a high explosive discovered by Sir Claude Am'ory had been stolen, and Hercule Poirot, celebrated French detective, is called in by the inventor to investigate the theft. Sir Claude, wishing to avaid a scandal, md believing that one of the household is guilty of the theft, affords the culprit an opportunity of returning the formula before the arrival of Poirot. “Put the formula on the table while the light is out and I shall be satisfied," he says. When the .light is again switched on the formula is still missing, but Sir Claude lies dead in his study. Investigation and analysis prove that Sir Claude has been poisoned by hyoscine taken in his coffee. Suspicion appears to rest with equal weight upon three of the household. Poirot takes charge of the case and Informs the guests that they will not be allowed lo leave the house until the murderer has been found. Suspicion falls first on one, then the other, until the thrilling climax when the detective discovers the murderer. The strong cast contains several well known on the London stage, including Austin Trevor, Adrianne Allen, Elizabeth Allan, Marie Wright, C. V. France, Philip Strange, Riohard Cooper, Dino Calvani, Malville Shepley, Harold Meade. Gazettes and travelogues, which are always so popular, many people preferring them to the ordinary “shorts," occupy most of the first part of the programme. CIVIC THEATRE. An all-British double-feature programme is being screened at the Civic Theatre. “Almost a Divorce” is a bright, joyous comedy of marital mixups and compromising situations. It features the inimitable Sydney Howard af “Splinters" fame. He Is claimed to be better than ever in tho role of Macintosh, a constant inebriate, whose ways cause almost a divorce. Nelson Keys, as his married friend, whose wife heartily disapproves of his evil jompainon, gives the finest characterisation of his career. The other characters are equally well presented. Matrimonial complications are turned to good aocount to provide some of ,hc funniest situations seen for a long while. “Escape," tho second attraction, is i tense, powerful drama by John Jalsworthy, dealing with the escape Tom a prison of a man charged with manslaughter and his hounding down md re-arrest. As a stage play it made . great impression, and the talkie version is even more successful. Sir Jerald Du Maurier, the distinguished -ondon actor, takes the leading role, md several other London stage sLars ire in the supporting cast.

RCXY THEATRE. A broken-down prize-fighter and his small son, living in a border resort where die old gladiator seeks a ‘‘comeback”—these arc the characters pi i veil by Wallace Beery and Jackie Cooper in their first appearance togelher, in "The Champ,” now showing at the Boxy Theatre. The story is a poignant heart-interest drama, based on parental love, but the picturesque details of a garish Mexican border town—horse racing, pr.o fighting, the whirl of the gambling balls—all invest it with a colour and a thrill that give a new dramatic t ini..