ENTERTAINMENTS

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19691, 26 September 1935, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

CURRENT PROGRAMMES.

REGENT THEATRE. An mnusual and entertaining' murder mystery story is provided in “Death at Broadcasting House." Many intimate giimpses are gained of the workings of the great English Broadcasting institution. A play written hy Hodney 1 Fleming is Being Broadcast, in which • one of ttie characters is to be • strangled. At the rehearsals Julian (Jaird, the producer has the greatest s diliiculty with this character, played > By a mail named Sydney Parsions, ■ whose representation of Being . strangled is a very weak one. How- ■ ever, on the night of Uie actual per- ! formanco of the play Parsons, who 1 does his Bit in a separate room from ' tlie others, does the strangling part ’ magnificently. Gaird is delighted, as 1 are the other actors, prominent among whom are the Drydens, Leopold and 1 Joan. They rush into the stiudio where Parsons was stationed to congratulate him, But their admiration turns to horror when they find Parsons lying on the floor, dead. He had actually Been strangled when they imagined he had merely ibeen playing liis parti Half a dozen persons within tho great 8.8. C. headquarters were suspect, but strong circumstantial evidence seemed to point to Leopold Dryden. Inspector Gregory in the end fixes the guilt on the right person in a senational climax. The leading parts are played By lan Hunter, Henry Kendall, Austin Trevor, Mary Newland and Yal Gielgud. "CALL OF THE WILD." "Call of the Wild,” to Be screened on Saturday, is a film version of Jack London's great story, and is filled with romance and adventure. Clark Gable, Loretta Young and Jack Oakie head the cast. The latest coloured ■Mickey Mouse cartoon, "Mickey’s Kangaroo,” will also Be screened. STATE THEATRE. In a convincing manner “Chasing Yesterday" enacts its drama around i the lives of a Book collector and the orphan daughter of his hirst and only sweetheart. His search for "The Golden Legend," the first Book printed in England, Brings them together; and thereafter their careers are closely j •knitted together, to Battle all obstacles ' and win happiness. The collector finds j his reward in furthering the romance j that has sprung up Between the girl and a young student. Anne Shirley makes the heroine a vital figure, and 0. P. 'lieggie and Helen Westley are .sympathetic and convincing in their respective roles as the Book collector and his grumpy housekeeper. Set in a typical South American j Background, in the picturesque little : town of San Felipe, “Heat Wave" de-' velops the amusing and exciting ad-1 ventures of Albert Speed, a wholesale j seedsman and vegetable merchant, ' who visits the place on the eve of a revolution. The cast includes such well-known people as Les Allen (radio star), Vera Pearce, Cyril Maude, Albert Burdon, Bruce Winston and Anna Leo. Clever song and dance i numbers are introduced. “BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN.” With the same players in the leading roles, “The Bride of Franken- i stein," to Be screened on Saturday, is a fitting sequel to “Frankenstein," the picture which about three years ago set a new level in drama. Again Karloff gives a notable performance as the monster whom Frankenstein had made of dead Bodies and endowed with life. Through his ghastly makeup Karloff conveys with consummate art the dim flickering of human feelings in the weird creature's mind. THEATRE ROYAL. A mystery story replete with suspense, loaded with laughs, and sprinkled with a delightful romance, marks the comedy-drama “One New York Night.” Introducing a new team to the public, Franchot Tone, romantic leading man and light comic, and Una Merkel, pretty comedienne, are cofeatured in this film, whicii provides the audience with many thrills and hearty laughs. The plot has to do witli the disappearance from a hotel of a dead man’s Body, a stockbroker who is very' much disliked. A young cowman from Wyoming, a private secretary, a' telephone operator, a Russian countess, and many other guests find themselves directly mixed up in the unsavoury affair. Franchot Tone portrays the role of Uie cowman who is visiting the big city in search of a brunette lo marry. Una Merkel is seen as a blonde telephone operator who joins forces with the cowman to clear certain suspicious directed at the countess. “OIL FOR LAMPS OF CHINA.” “Oil for the Lamps of China,” which comes to-morrow, is powerful drama and a stirring human document. The novel by Alice Tisdale Hobart, upon which tiie picture is Based, is a most ' colourful delineation of the life of American pioneers in China, wlio fought flood, lire and famine, as well as pestilence and Banditry, to carry on for the American firms whose business they carried. CIVIC THEATRE. “Charlie Chan’s Greatest Case,” do- t pi cling the latest adventures of that famous Hawaiian detective, reunites 1 he three personalities that have carried the inimitable Charlie Chan to ■ ; the heights of screen popularity, it is an all-new story, a vastly different situation, and an engrossing atino- j : sphere in which Charlie Chan solves l his greatest and most intricate case. ] Warner Gland again portrays this, bland detective whose quainl and Human philosophy have delighted audiences for years. Earl Derr Riggers, whose vigorous pen created this pic- . luresque character, lias here placed ; him in a thrilling situation, and Daniil- ( lon MacFadden did the directing.!' Heather Angel has the leading l'emi- |. nine role. Olliers in the cast are 1 ; Roger ImliolT, John Warburton, Walter j Byron, Ivan Simpson, Virginia Chcrl'iil, Francis Ford. “Me and My Gal," featuring Spencer' Tracy, sparkles with merry humour, and forms an excellent contrast to Hie other feature film. “LADIES LOVE DANGER.” “Ladies Love Danger," which combines romance, humour and thrills very cleverly, will head the new pro-

gramme to-morrow. Mona Barrie and Gilbert Roland will have ilio romantic leads, and Herbert Mundin will be seen in one of his funniest comedy roles. Adrienne Ames heads the supporting cast. ROXY THEATRE. The love story of Jan Ridd and Lorna Doonc, that throughout Hie years has thrilled Hie hearts of lovers j everywhere, now "lives" on Ibe screen j with all ils charm, beauty and thrills, i in the pioturisalioii filmed against the ! wild, authentic background of Black- j more's famous novel. Handsome Join) Loder is Jan Ridd, and Hie stage; star Victoria Hopper makes a lovely Lorna Doonc. In “The Gilded Lily” Claudette Colbert plays the part of a girl who gives up silks, jewels and a million- j aire’s adoration for the love of a man who feeds her popcorn on a park seal. Fred Mac Murray and Ray Millaifd arc I in the principal supporting rules.