ENTERTAINMENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume 112, Issue 18703, 1 August 1932, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS.

“OUT OF. THE BLUE.” POPULAR GENE GERRARD. AT THE STRAND THEATRE. Gene Gerrard, the London light comedian, jumped into immediaie popularity when he was seen here some time ago in “My Wife s Family, His very likeable personality, his convincing acting, his clever dancing, and his great comedy powers in dialogue and singing, made him a great favourite. “Out of the Blue,” screened on Saturday, will do much to increase Mr Gerrard’s popularity. It is not given to many comedians to establish a reputation as quickly as he has done, but his Inimitable flair for exploiting every humorous situation to the utmost and a natural sehse of the ridiculous have quickly endeared him to a very large picture-going public. In "Out of the Blue" he is seen as a radio announcer, “Uncle Bartholomew,” of the British Broadcasting Company, whose dulcet voice had a romantic effect on a girl who had never seen him. Unfortunately, it Is ■the girl’s sister whom the announcer first meets, and they become engaged. When, the announcer’s identity becomes known it is inevitable that complications should occur, particu--n/. larly as the girl to / whom the anW nouncer becomes engaged is already engaged to another young man. In desperation the announcer goes to Biarritz, but even here he finds that he has not escaped from the trobule ,in which he has been placed. To further explain the plot would be to spoil the pleasure of the many who will want to see the film. Gerrard is at his best as the harassed announcer, ' a part which might have been specially written for him, while Jessie Matthews is appealing as the romantic radio listener who falls in love with the unknown voice. Kay Hammond‘is well cast as •the sister, and Kenneth Kove, who has appeared with success in a number of Ralph Lynn farces, contributes soniD i excellent comedy as • the thwarted fiance. The film is lavishly . staged, the whole production bearing \the stamp of expert direction, while • the dialogue abounds in lines of the type which are repetaed by members of. the audience hours after they have •left the theatre. During the film Mr Gerrard and Miss Matthews sing several charming songs. One of the most interesting travelogues seen - in Hamilton—a trip through, the little-known Northern Australia—and a fascinating nature study and several Gazettes were features of the supporting programme. THEATRE ROYAL. “Dangerous Years" has a strong emotional and sentimental appeal, and greatly 1 impressed audiences at the Theatre Royal on Saturday. Like all skilfully drawn plays, it manages successfully to mix its tears, with laughter, Wha,t is more, there is some wonderful' acting by boy playersboys, Tommy Conlbn and Ray.hiond Borzage, do some splendid work together, realistically depicting the boyish mind in all its devious workings with a skill and nonchalance even mature actors must admire. To face the-camera and all Its forbidding i appurtenances with such complete absence of nervousness is a feat-not \ always successfully accomplished by youths of their age. As far as the tale is concerned comedy and tragedy are capped with a< completely melodramatic ending, but the interest revolves mainly rounu the problem of the delinquent juvenile as it affects practically every community. The •purpose of the play—and it makes no bones about pointing a moral with a very decided Anger—is to show that even in the worst boy there is always something good. The youthful hero of the film is known as the bad boy of the town, always- getting into scrapes and a subject for the attentions of the police and the juvenile court. Tiie court in the Him is depicted in the most favourable colours as a court of correction and advice rather Hhan a court of punishment, ‘ • and the judge as a man of wide sympathies and a shrew-d understanding of the motives governing human actions. He shows that the chilcj who ’ constantly gets into tr ouble may in many cases be actuated by the highest motives and be the victim of intolerance, lack of understanding and sympathy, and ignorance of the child himself on the part of the older people. CIVIC THEATRE. “Side Show" is proving a popular attraction at the Civic Theatre. It Is a story of circus life that has distinctly novel features. The peak of comedy Is reached by matching the vivacious Winnie Lightner 'with OhaHes Butterworth. Either of these alone would he sufficient to make the L picture an hilarious evening’s fun. Freaks, stunts and animals aro thero - in plenty, but the story never loses itself in the colourful background. Evalyn Knapp and Donald Cook provide the love interest. Cook gives a splendid performance of Winnie Lightner’s lover until her sister, Evalyn Knapp, stops into the picture. Between her moments of clowning, in which Miss Lightner substitutes her ’ humorous show freaks—such as hula girl, lire diver and cannibal—she demonstrates her versatility, it is she who is torn between love for her flanee and for her. sister, who also loves him. The. large supporting cast includes, besides the circus freaks, ’several talented players who contribute much to the comedy and dramatic Interests. Matthew Betz makes a fine villain, Guy Kibbee portrays the circus owner,- and Louise Carver and Edward Morgan ilo good .work in minor parts. ROXY THEATRE. Tim re I urn of Gloria Swanson, star j of both silent and “talkie” dims, drew I large audiences to Iho Boxy Theatre on Saturday. In’ “indiscreet" liid d.Miiorous Gloria lias scope lpr the lispi.iy of her gifts, and .succeeds in holding the inlorest of the 'audieire |l:r )ugliout. She is suppor'ed by an excellent cast. The story combines romance, ■ humour, action and dramatic tenseness. PASSION play OF OBERAMMERGAU I The piciurcs of t ho Passion Play of 1 i oberfliniuergau will lie screened at f the Theatre Royal Ibis afternoon , and ’ f 1 to-morrow Afternoon. The people of / who in 1 G.’i.M made a ' (Continued In next Column.) U

vow that they would produce the piny once every decade, if their village, of some 2000 inhabitants, were freed from (lie black plague, have demonstrated their religious sincerity by refusing many tempting offers from wealthy American film companies for iln: jiiu) lights of the production. It was only after much tactful negotiations that those in charge of the precut pictures were aide to gain permisison to show the world Die marvel of faith as displayed by the Bavarian peasants in their thankfulness at deliverance from the plague. A very interesting lecture accompanies the pictures, in which it is stated that they, after having fulfilled their mission of being shown to the world, must be returned to Oberammergau to be destroyed. The play was last enacted in 1930, at. which presenlation the part of the Christum was taken by Alois Lang, who. in common with the rest of Ihe characters, was a inanuaj worker of the v£iaga»