ENTERTAINMENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume 112, Issue 18778, 28 October 1932, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS.

TO-NIGHT’S PROGRAMMES. THEATRE ROYAL. Marie Dressier, who alternates suceessfully between comedy and stirring character portrayals, has brought a blend of both to the screen in "Emma. Although there are plenty of laugns in her latest story, “Emma stands as a picture which gives Miss Dress the greatest opportunities of her career. She is seen as a servant in a rich man’s home, who works all net life slaving for his children, to whom she is a second mother. When she ultimately becomes the wife of the millionaire the children turn against her, refusing to accept her as a stepmother, because it impairs their social ambitions. The death of the millionaire results in a notorious will con- ' test, which involves Miss Dressier in an accusation of murder. The story is then brought to a surprising but logical conclusion. Miss Dressier gives a flawless performance and again proves that she is in a class of her '■own. whether she Is getting laughs means of her riotous facial contortions or tears by her natural and sympathetic acting. Excellent support is given the star in the work of Richard Cromwell, as the youngest son, who is the only one to stick by the maligned servant, and Jean Hersholt as the millionaire. CIVIC THEATRE.

Although Douglas Fairbanks, jun., has long been accepted as one of the most popular young stars on the . screen, his latest, efforts in “Gentle- , man for a Day” place him in an indisputable position among the screen’s .most outstanding personalities. He has the role of a carefree young . vagrant with whom fortune plays many f. 1 tricks. His pal is a fellow-idler named Scrap Iron. The pair of them adventure, through life, ignoring the buffetings of fate and the scorn of the world. Amongst the teeming multi- - tudes assembled in a railway terminus Douglas, jun., meets Joan Blundell, and a sudden turn of fortune gives him the opportunity to play the gentleman —but only for a day! STRAND THEATRE. If a beautiful girl should accidentally kiss you at a railway station, and you fell head over heels in love with her, wouldn’t you follow her 7 For Ben Lyon, spontaneous and "dashing as a newspaper reporter in "By Whose Hand?" there is only one answer “Yes” —even if it means getting involved in a series of mysterious murders that take place aboard the speeding Pullman. The entire action of the • picture is unfolded on an express train at night. Lyon and the girl, portrayed by the alluring Barbara Weeks, get caught in the' mesh of murder, mystery and humour, along with 11 v other passengers on the Pullman. “BURNT OFFERING" TO-MORROW. To-morrow "Burnt Offering," featuring popular Elissa Land!, will be uoreened. Set In all the mystery that is Africa, and with the aotion Interwoven into the intrigue and adventure of a German West African colony after the outbreak of war, "Burnt Offering" has all the elements of a flrst-olass thriller film.

ROXY THEATRE. In "Shanghai Express” the glamorous Marlene Dietrich is seen as a girl known throughout the length of the China Coast as ‘‘Shanghai Lily," notorious, fascinating, beautiful, sought' after and loved by many, yet there was only one man in her heart —a lover she had lost because he lacked faith. This girl, shunned by many, almost beyond the pale, finds her protector in a seething Chinese revolution, the one man she loves, and who despises her for what she is. Featured In the cast are Clive Brook, Anna May Wong, Warner Oland and Eugene Pallette. GEORGE KINGSTON’S CABARET. The summer season at George Kingston’s Studio will be opened tomorrow night with a Carnival Cabaret. The management announces the special engagement of Dave Shaw and his Melody Boys, a dance band that has proved very popular elsewhere. In a recent tour of the North Island these players received very eulogistic press