ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 143, 19 June 1934, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE.

Without doubt "The Silence of Dean ■Maitlaud," showing for an extended season at the Regent Theatre, both technically and artistically is the finest picture yet produced by the Australians. The picture has an Australian setting, the story opening in a small seaside town early in the present century. Two young men, Cyril Maitiand, son of the local rector, and Henry Everard, a doctor, have just returned from completing their studies, and proceed to carry on their professions of religion and medicine respectively. Alma Gray, daughter of one of the villagers, conceives a passion for Maitiand, while her name is also linked with that of . Everard, who is in daily attendance upon her stepmother. Each of the young men, however, is betrothed to the other's sister, and it is with reluctance that Maitiand secretly meets Alma at night. Some time later he hears that she is in trouble, and when he returns to discuss the matter with her they are interrupted at a lonely spot by her infuriated father. A violent struggle results in Alma's father being killed. By strongly circumstantial evidence the crime is laid .' at Everard's door, and (he is sentenced to twenty years imprisonment for ' manslaughter. Wlien the term is up Everard returns with vengeance m his heart, but he meets the little blind son of Maitiand (now dean "' acity parish) arid, after a- talk with Maitiand, decides to leave the latter's punishment in other hands. The consciencestricken Maitiand, however, can keep silent no longer, and in an intensely dramatic scene, he confesses from his pulpit.

GRAND OPERA HOUSE.

. George Arliss gives an outstanding performance in "Voltaire" at the Grand Opera .House It is undoubtedly the greatest contribution to the screen Mr. Arliss has ever made. ■ The film deals, with the S°rf t e°us and extravagant, Court of Franco at its most brilliant stage before the Revolution The palace of Versailles was reconstructed in order that Voltaire could produce a play, costumes and settings are gorgeous This makes an excel ent background for the wit and impishness of Voltaire as Arliss conceives him. Plot ouLTD- er'plot ? eyelo P. rapidly, and the Irvir^" ?, Imost t0 the last minute. .\r o i t a, re > s we ii. known f rien(Js hip with Madame Pompadour (played by Doris Kenyon) plays a vitalpart in the story Margaret Lindsay plays the role o f" Nanette Calas, one of the innocent causes of the eventual revolution. Theodore Newton, who won his spurs in "-The Working Man," plays the part of Nanette's lover Reginald Owen (as King Louis XV), David Torrence, Alan Mowbray, lay Kinnell a:-e others in the cast.

DE LUXE THEATRE.

THEATRE. "The Lost Patrol," at the De Luxe Theatre, is one of the most stirring films seen here for a long time. The storY concerns a patrol of a British-Indian cavaky 5S™« I?} 1 cornea los* » the desert Bi £ '?* "^.campaign, and it is as bnlhant as it is exciting. Trapped by Arabs in an oasis, the eleven men of the patrol having lost their officer, match their wits against .the cunning of the nomads of the desert,- and throughout the picture the excitement grows until a great climax is reached right.at the close. There if an almost entirely British cast, headed by Victor MacLaglen. Boris Karloff, both of whom play outstanding roles Re°inaM SethVD, d >VallaCe Thiffo of the best pictures-of. adventure and excitement ever made.: .

PARAMOUNT THEATRE.

Farce, drarn-a, and mystery are combined m an excellent double-feature programme at the_ Paramount Theatre. "The UediWehv nJ S l n mf lodram» with a cast •'« llv Cla," de w AI ister, the screen's prize silly ass." He ia introduced as an impecunious member of the aristocracy who is prevented from fleeing with his girl because he is confined to his hotel until he can satisfy the cashier. Eventually he is able to buy his freedom by agreeing to impersonate a medical friend who is expecting a call. It is not long before he. discovers that he has let himself in tor more than he bargained for. Another picture, "Called.Back," deals with a blind man s experience when he enters a wron" house and later marries a girl who has lost her memory through shock.

KING'S THEATRE.

THEATRE. Excellent entertainment is offered in the current programme at the King's J-neatre. Richard Dix, in "Day of Reckoning, has hia most powerful role since his great triumph in "Cimarron." Ably supporting Dix are Madge Evans, Una Merkel, and Stuart Erwin. The second picture, "Two White Arms," an amusing matrimonial comedy, stars Claude Allistef, Margaret Bannerman, and Adolpe Men]OU. .

QUEEN'S THEATRE.

; There is an, excellent double star programme now showing at the' Queen's Theatre. The popular Edward G. Robinson is in his most thrilling characterisation, "Tiger Shark," ■a" thrilling epic of the wave-tossed jungles which depicts ferocious sharks filmed in'their undersea lairs. The second attraction is Joe E. Brown's comedy romance "Going Wild," which is one hilarious roar of laughter Ifrom start to finish.

PRINCESS THEATRE.

PRINCESS THEATRE. "Midnight" is-at. the"*' Princess Theatre, with 0. P. Heggie, and. Sidney Fox in the cast. By a simple twist of fate, members of a quiet average American family are hurled into, a vortex of overwrought emotions. Two girls have admitted murder. The evaluation of the guilt of these two. lives and the weight of the guilty one on the guilt of the other: makes the suspense of a wait until midnight terrifically gripping. The Sydney Howard comedy, "Up; for. the Derby,". is an i excellent supporting picture. ''■

SEASIDE PICTURES.

SEASIDE PICTURES. In "Gallant Lady," which will be shown at the Seaside Pictures tonight, Ann Harding, who plays the star role, is faced 1 with the necessity of making a decision as to which of three men shall rule her life. The story is woven around the experiences of a young woman who becomes the mother of an illegitimate child, which she is forced to assign for adoption immediately after its birth, agreeing never to see it again. Her inward battles, to down the insistent call of motherhbod' and yet to play fair with the man she loves form some o£ the most dramatic sequences ever seen on the screen. In the capable hands of Miss Harding, they become human epics.

ARTCRAFT THEATRE.

The sparkling and melodious comedy "A Bedtime Story," with Maurice Chevalier, Helen Twelvetrees, Edward Everett Horton, and Baby Leroy in the cast, commences a brief season at the Artcraft Theatre this evening. Chevalier plays the role of a young lion hunter who, returning from Africa, has a year-old infant laid at his doorstep. An attractive nurse conveniently attaches herself to infant and: foster-father, but complications arise when 1 the party go to visit father's fiancee. The: conclusion straightens itself out, after many laughable incidents, to the satisfaction of the three principal participants, and there is the happiest conceivable ending. The usual featurettes will be shown in support of the main picture. i

SHORTT'S THEATRE.

Claudette Colbert has the principal part in Paramount's "Torch Singer," at Shortt's Theatre. Miss Colbert has a dual personality role—first as a deserted mother who finds the social barriers too. difficult to overcome, anrl later as a brazen, hardhearted cabaret entertainer. Second on the programme is "Golden Harvest," a dramatic story of the present-day American farmer's fight to retain his home and his battle against the speculative debacle in the wheat market, ;

REGAL THEATRE, KARORI.

THEATRE, Tonight at the Regal Theatre, Karori, a comedy programme will be screened. The feature is a pknsing British comedy titled "Trouble," with Sydney Howard in the leading role. This outstanding comedy tells of humorous adventures on a pleasure cruise to the Mediterranean. Special supports will be screened. On Wednesday and Thursday Ann Harding and Clive Brook will be presented in "Gallant Lady." . ....... Today's Radio Programmes appear on Page 14.

STATE THEATRE.

"Three on a Honeymoon" is now showing at the State Theatre. Sally Eilers and Zasu Pitts have the leading voles. The story traces the romance of a daredevil aviatrix, Joan Foster (Sally Eilers), and a young ship's officer, Dick fJharlton (Charles Starrett), the comedy being supplied by Zasu Pitts and her bashful admirer, Ezra Mac Duff (Russell Simpson). Joan, who has joined the Ehip to escape from her stepmother, is the daughter of the president of the steamship company to which the boat belongs, and Charlton is told to entertain her and keep her out of trouble. However, .the highspirited girl, in order to keep herself amused, sets herself out to niake the officer look a fool, and the result is that Charlton avoids her as much as possible, and while he is out of her sight she. becomes involved in a gambling game which develops into a brawl. Events take a further turn when a girl friend of Joan's, who is on her honeymoon trip, is blackmailed by a former admirer. ■ This affair ends in a suicide in which Joan is also connected, and causes more friction between her and the officer. Disappointed by the hostile attitude adopted by Charlton,. Joan becomes drunk at.a ship's ball, and ends a riotous follow-the-leader game by jumping into the swimming pool from a balcony. However, the water had previously been drained out, and the girl is injured and conveyed to hospital. This accident is followed by a reconciliation, and there is a most happy ending to a very enter- ' tainihg picture.

MAJESTIC THEATRE.

A thrilling picture, "The Mystery of Mr. X," is ,riow showing'at the Majestic Theatre. Seven times the various daily newspapers in London receive a postcard reading: "Tonight.—X." and'each card marks the death, in some lonely street, of one of the Metropolitan Police Force. Scotland Yard investigates, while Nick Revel (Robert Montgomery) steals the Drayton diamond, but an unhappy coincidence leads to Nick being unjustly suspected as the mysterious Mr. X. How -the handsome hero gives up crime and tracks the killer to his death m a deserted warehouse, all because of the winsome daughter of the Commissioner of Police, constitutes an enthralling story.

ST. JAMES THEATRE.

THEATRE. William Powell is aligned with Bette Davis in the comedy-drama, "Fashion Gaieties of 1934,'-' at the St. James Theatre. Powell is a rogue-promoter who can dazzle a woman and blind a man, but he is yet a most charming and lovable, rogue. . On the romance side he has the able help of Bette Davis, and on the comedy side he has the help of Frank McHugh, who is his voluble lieutenant .in the promotion of Paris dress fashions based on American ostrich feathers. Veree Teasdale, as a bogus duchess from Hoboken, takes a hand in both the romance and the comedy, and "leads the singing. Ostrich feathers give the keynote to the costumes and to the dances, for most of the dazzling dance movements are done to •tlip rhythm of waving plumes.

OUR THEATRE NEWTOWN

DSFDSF

BRITANNIA THEATRE.

"The Mystery o£thc Wax Museum" is now showing at the Britannia Theatre, with Lionel. Atwill, Glenda Farrell, Frank iMcHugh, and Fay Wiay heading a Jarge cast of players. The story deals with a series of mysterious disappearances o£ both living, persons and human bodies, and the appearance o£ a terrifying monster. The plot centres about a- wax museum which has on display exceptionally lifelike figures of personages o£ history and notorious criminals.

EMPIRE THEATRE, ISLAND BAY.

An excellent comedy is to be screened at the Emph-e Theatre this evening. It is "Strike It Rich," starrinpc one of England's most famous comedians, George Gee. Hilarious comedy and riotous fun predominate throughout the picture, and it makes excellent light entertainment. On Wednesday and Thursday "After the Ball" will be screened.

KILBIRNIE KINEMA.

showing at the Kilbirnie Kinema, "Going Gay" is the first of a series of films which are being made with the idea of combining grand opera with, comedy, in such a manner that it is accepted by the popular theatregoer. In this respect "Going Gay" is similar in principle to "Tell Me Tonight." The musical background is provided bji excerpts from the operas "La Belle Helene," by Offenbach, and "Daughter of the Regiment," by Donizetti. The cast is headed by Magda Schneider, with Arthur Eiscoe and Xaunton Wayne in support.

CAPITOL THEATRE, MIRAMAR.

A double-feature programme of more than usual interest is screening at the Capitol Theatre tonight. In "Voltaire," George Arliss is associated with Doris kenyon, Margaret Lindsay, and Theodore Newton. The story deals with the extravagant Court o£ France at its most brilliant stage before the Revolution, and gives Mr. Arliss a wonderful opportunity to display his wit and impishness as plot and counter-plot develop rapidly. The second feature, "Smoky," is headed by Victor Jpry, Irene Beutley. and Will James, and is adapted from Will James's immortal story of a wild horse and his faithfulness to his master.