CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 131, 4 June 1937, Page 4

CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE.

"Green-Light," which opens today at the. Regent Theatre, is in many ways a remarkable film. Apart from the magnificent acting of the principal players,, this Warner Brothers' produc-tion-is notable for the, depth of its story,'this being the work of Lloyd C: Douglas, author of "Magnificent Obsession." '■; The central role of "Green Light"': is, played, by Errol Flynn, who appeared with success in "Captain Blood" and "The Charge of the Light Brigade." In those films he displayed his ability in handling dramatic roles, and in this picture he is given full opportunity in this direction. His part is'that of a clever young surgeon who learns, that in the career of every mart there are times when for a while he Jnust pause and wait, so to speak, for the "green light." Sir Cedric Hardwicke gives a wonderful portray ar of an old man who endeavours to explain this philosophy to younger people. Dr. Page, the character represented' by Flynn, assumes the blame for the death of a wealthy woman. Later he meets her daughter, played by Anita Louise,.with whom he falls in love. As she considers that he killed her' mother, he departs to a fever-ridden district where, in an endeavour to find a vaccine for the disease, : his life is endangered. The scenes which follow are intensely dramatic, firie work being contributed by Margaret Lindsay and Walter Abel. MAJESTIC THEATRE. "xvpse ..-Marie,'"'-starring Nelson Eddy arid«Jeanette Mac Donald, which is in its 'fourth wcok at the Majestic Theatre, surpasses in every respect al? previous films of its type. Not only for the beauty of the singing but for the awe-inspirinji outdoor. scenes, the high standard of acting, and the strength of the story, this picture will live in the memory, for many years to come. In such numbers as "Rose Marie," "The Indian Love Call," "Song of the Mounties,'' and selections from the operas "Borneo and Juliet" and "La Tosca," the stars are given ample opportunity to demonstarte their ability and theiresult is a feast of song. Miss Mac Donald is cast as a leading opera singer who, on learning that her brother has escaped from gaol and-is hiding in northern Canada, sets off to findviiirn, and meets and finally falls iirlove with Sergeant Bruce, of the Mounties (Nelson Eddy). It is some time fcefore the tangle is unravelled aild a happy ending reached. The supports at*, very good. An M.-G,-%1. newsreel of the Coronation is a feature of the programme. ST. JAMES THEATRE. Columbia's "When You're in Love," starring Grace Moore with Cary Grant, written and directed by Robert Riskin, scenarist of the celebrated . "It Happened One Night" and "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" opens today at the St. James' Theatre. The story is a gay,' ■ light-hearted, . charming escapade, conceded to be on a par in story values with anything Riskin has ever done. Miss Moore, herself, has ■been transformed into a charming comedienne. And for her musical renditions she has selected a diversified programme that ranges in appeal from Schubert's "Serenade" to the latest swing hit. Among her other renditions are "Vissi Darte" from "La Tosca," '"■One Fine Day" from "Madame Butterfly," "Siboney," "In the Gloaming," and- two new songs w.ritten. especially -, for ;her by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields. "Our Song" arid "Whistling Boy." Supporting the stars are Henry Stephenson, 'Aline McMabon. Thomas Mitchell, Catharine; D.oucet, and Luis Alberni. '■■ : NEW PARAMOUNT THEATRE. Much has been said and written for and against the controversial film, "The Green Pastures," but the fact that today it commences its second successful week at the New Paramount Theatre provides sufficient indication that the public of Wellington h"as"accepted this unique motion picture entertainment in the spirit in, which it was written, directed, and produced by Warner Bros. Hollywood has given its version of "The Green Pastures" a lavishness of production that far outstrips the stage play. Those who have seen both the record-break-ing play and the picture claim that the latter, has lost nothing in transfer from stage to. screen, of its quaint humour and inspirational characterisations, but has gained much in the magnitude,of spectacular backgrounds and .settings: For those who are tired of the trite and • commonplace, "The Green Pastures" .is-a new screen experience. It is interesting to note that "The Green Pastures" has 'proved one of the three most successful plays of purely American .! origin ,in ■ modern times, the other two being... "Lightnin"' and "Abie's Irish Rose." The film of "The' Green Pastures", has a" cast of; 800 people,' including the world-famous Hall-Johnson Choir, who are responsible for no less than twenty-five magnificent choruses. . '■'KING'S THEATRE. : - .. The..love -story which changed the destinty of an empire, with handsome Tyrone Power " and beautiful Madeleine1 Carroll-as the lovers, is told With stirring beauty ■ against a magnificent setting in, the Twentieth Century-Fox triumph, "Lloyds of. London," now screening at the.King's Theatre. Tyrone Power is- cast as an enterprising member of Lloyds, the great international" underwriting organisation, who brought to, that firm its world ■ repute, and whose courageous lie at. the moment of the Battle of Trafalgar changed the fate of the British Empire. Hailed, as the year's funniest, fastest football musical frolic, "Pigskin Parade," Twentieth CenturyFox picture, is also showing, with Stuart Erwin, Johnny Downs, Arline Judge, Betty Grable. Patsy Kelly, Jack Haley, the Yacht Club Boys, Dixie Dunbar. Anthony Martin, and Judy Garland featured. roxx theatre. With the theft of the world-famous "Mona Bell" of Rembrandt as its motivating theme, "Woman in Distress," a fast-paced comedy-melodrama featurihjg May- Robson, Irene Hervey, and Dean Jagger, is screening at the Roxy Theatre.. The* daring robbery of the Rembrandt painting from the modern Maine home of Miss Robso ji sets: in motion a series, of exciting escapades which culminate in a hairraising climax. Joseph Schmidt is starred in "A Star Fell From Heaven,"' the . supporting picture. This is a-romantic musical comedy, a scintillating satire on the eccentricities ?of"filmland,, set" in a Continental atmosphere and decorated with a delightful musical score, magnificently slendered by the . famous "pocket tenor," . . •«JUR THEATRE, NEWTOWN. .The love story which changed the destiny of an empire, with the screen's new' romantic sensation,, handsome Tyrone ■Power' and beautiful Madeleine Carrolli; is.: told with stirring beauty against a magnificent setting in the 20th Century-Fox triumph, "Lloyds of London," which heads the double-feature programme now showing at. Our Theatre. Starring Freddie Bartholomew and Madeleine Car-, roll, the film also features Sir Guy Standing and C. Aubrey Smith. Merrily rolling along on a vacation on wheels, the • happy, scrappy Jones Family fill the wide open spaces with fun and hilarity in their latest hit, "Back to Nature," which is the second attraction. CAPITOL THEATRE, MIRAMAR. What happens when a girl who has full intentions of . marrying a millionaire discovers she is in love with a supposedly penniless young man forms the theme of "Smartest Girl in Town," a romantic comedy starring Gene Raymond and Ann Sothcrn, which is showing at the Capitol Theatre. "Sally of the Regiment," the other feature, has not only spectacle, but thrilling action, tense drama, comedy, and laughable situations. Wallace Ford is starred in the role of a Bowery tough fleeing from murder suspicion in New York who joins the British Army and falls in love with the sergeantmajor's daughter.

CITY-'AND SUBURBAN THEATRES

PLAZA THEATRE.

Of intense interest on the programme at the Plaza Theatre this week is the first film of the Coronation proceedings to be shown in the Dominion. The film, a Fox Movietone newsreel, portrays the wonderful spectacle o£ the Empire's greatest pageant. The scenes along the route and in the Abbey are extraordinary, and one responds to the unbounded enthusiasm of the massed crowds that saw the King and Queen go by. Indeed, those who see the picture see a great deal more than many of those who were on the spot. Another timely "scoop" on the programme is a glimpse of the King and Queen and the two Princesses in their grounds, where the Royal Family poses for the cameraman. The other featured picture is "Girl in a Million," the season for which is to be extended for a.third week. ■ It stars Sonja Henie, the world's champion ice skater, who shows she can act as well as skate. Adolphe Menjou and Jean Hersholt are also featured. Entertaining supports complete the programme. , » DE LUXE THEATRE. Long one of Hollywood's leading featured players Virginia Bruce scored heavily in such productions as "The Great Ziegfeld" and "Born to Dance." But it is' Universal's "When Love is Young," opening today at the De , Luxe Theatre, that gives full play to Her beauty and talent. The story moves swiftly through a series of exciting and sometimes hilarious adventures to a brilliant climax. Handsome Kent Taylor is the romantic lead opposite Miss Bruce, and Walter Brennan, in the featured character role, is presented in an entirely new light as the humorous star-gazing uncle of Wanda Werner. "When Love is Young" is as liberally supplied with: tuneful music as it is with comedy and romance. Thrills and chills abound in Columbia's "The Man Who Lived Twice." featuring Ralph Bellamy, Marian Marsh, and Isabel Jewell, which will also be shown. A special added attraction will be the personal appearance of Norman Dawe at the Wurlitzer and Jimmy Fitzpatrick, the boy soprano. The Universal Air-mail News shows the actual scenes of the tragic burning of the airship Hindenburg, the world's largest dirigible, at Laliehurst, New Jersey, on May o. STATE THEATKE. For her unusual role in her most remarkable picture, Shirley Temple had to learn some four hundred words of real Chinese, lending not only authenticity but extraordinary entertainment to the Twentieth Century-Fox film, "Stowaway," which opens at the State Theatre today. Singing and speaking in the official mandarin dialect of China so well that she wins a prize in a Chinese theatre, Shirley had two hundred and' fifty fellow-students studying the language with her. These were the Chinese "extras" in the Mm. all of whom spoke dialects other than the one the Chinese Government is endeavouring to make the official tongue of China: Cast in the role of the daughter of American missionaries in China, orphaned by a bandit raid, Shirley somehow gets to Shanghai, where she meets Robert Young, a rich young playboy, who loses his heart to her. The manner in which Shirley finally helps her handsome benefactor win the hand of Alice Faye, who was promised to another, provides outstanding entertainment. REX THEATRE. "Breezing Home," the main feature at. the Rex Theatre, is a uprightly comedy drama featuring William Gargan, Binnie Barnes, and Wendy Bame. The story has its settings in modern night clubs where Wendy Barne is a singer and at the Santa Anita track where Gargan trains a string of horses owned- by Binnie Barnes. There is romantic rivalry between the two girls over the affections of Gargan. Alan Baxter, as a cabaret owner and bookmaker at the track, provides the menace which intensifies the dramatic element of the screen narrative. The ominous threat of drought and the villany of unscrupulous beef dealers who plan to use it to enrich themselves by forcing up the price of beef, is the story of Paramount's "Trail Dust," the latest "Hopalong" Cassidy picture, which will also be shown. William Boyd, Jimmyv Ellison, .and George Hayes head the cast. ' PRINCESS THEATRE. • Paramount's "College Holiday," which is the principal attraction at the Princess Theatre is one of the funniest,- gayest, and most hilarious comedies with music to reach the screen this season. Jack Benny, George Burns and Grade Allen, Mary Boland, Martha Raye, Marsha Hunt, Eleanore Whitney, ' Lief Srikson, Johnny Downs, Olympe Bradna, Louis DaPron, Ben Blue, and Etienne Girardot are the. principal players. A courageous English girl valiantly sacrificing her own desires for her daughter's is the dramatic role played by Katharine Hepburn in "A Woman Rebels," the associate feature. Herbert Marshall, an English diplomat, plays opposite Miss Hepburn in this RKORadio picture. SHORTT'S THEATRE. A short story by- Damon Runyon, dean of Broadway writers, serves as the basis for the plot of 20th Century s "Professional Soldier," which is the main feature at Shor.tt's Theatre. Starring Victor McLaglen and Freddie Bartholomew, it tells of warlike adventures in a strange European kingdom. Gloria Stuart and Michael Whalen occupy the; chief supporting roles. "The Country Beyond," the Fox picture which is also showing, featuring Buck, the giant St. Bernard, with an all-star Hollywood cast, is perhaps the most famous of James Oliver Curwood's tales of courage and hardship in the Northern wastes. Rochelle Hudson, Paul Kelly, and Robert Kent are the leading players. EMPIRE THEATKE, ISLAND BAY. i Nino Martini, . the world-famous tenor, comes to the Empire Theatre tonight in Pickford-Lasky's sparkling romance, "The Gay Desperado." Ida Lupino and LeoCarillo' are featured in support of the handsome tenor, who portrays- a gay- and glamorous Mexican bandido who sings his way out of a succession of difficulties, saving his life and winning the girl by the magic of his voice. Dramatic situations abound in Columbia's "The Final Hour," which: is also, showing. -Ralph Bellamy is co-featured in the leading roles with Marguerite Churchill. STATE THEATRE, PETONE. } Cecil Kellaway, Australia's foremost character comedian, has one of his con-genial-roles in- Ginesound's latest production, '.'lt Isn't Done," which is screening at the State Theatre, Petone. It is a scintillating, modern comedy* romance with Australia's new screen "find." lovely Shirley Ann Richards, as Kellaway's screen daughter, Pat. Brilliantly enacted, "It Isn't Done" is the brightest and breeziest of entertainment. GRAND THEATRE, PETONE. "Winterset" will be shown finally tonight at the Grand Theatre, Petone. A musical melange ranging fi."om modern swing tuqes to an operatic aria sung by the world-famous diva, Lily Pons. is brilliantly and unobtrusively presented in the melodic comedy, "That Girl from Paris," in which Miss Pons is starred with Gene Raymond and Jack Oakic. The picture opens tomorrow ■at the Grand Theatre, Petone. The cast includes Herman Bing, Mischa Aucr, Frank Jenks, and Lucille Ball. PALACE THEATRE, TETONE. Another double-feature programme commences at the Palace Theatre, Petone, tomorrow, at. the matinee at 2 p.m. The first attraction. "Wanted: Jane Turner," stars Lee Tracy and Gloria Stuart, and the second attraction, with Henry Hunter and Polly Rowles, is "Love Letters of a Star." Excellent "shorts" will be screened from 7.30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

TIVOLI THEATRE,

Nino Martini, world-famous singing star of radio, opera, and films, comes to the Tivoli Theatre tonight in Pick-ford-Lasky's sparkling romance, "The Gay Desperado." Ida Lupino and Leo Ca.illo are featured in support of the handsome tenor. The second offering of the newly-formed Mary Pickford and Jesse L. Lasky producing combination, "The Gay Desperado" completely discards the conventional plot formula for films starring famous singers and tells a fast-moving romantic story ot a gay and glamorous Mexican bandido who sings his way out of a succession of difficulties, saving his life and winning the girl by the magic of his voice. In addition to the original songs written for Martini, there are several operatic solos and a number of Mexican folk songs. A thoroughly delightful and hilarious comedy of married life, Paramount's "Wives Never Know," which will also be shown, stars Charlie Ruggles and Mary Boland. It is a story of a happily-wedded pair whose romance goes on the rocks when they take the advice of suave Adolphe Menjou, cast as a novelist who believes himself too wise to get married, but is free enough with his wild-eyed theories on what constitutes happiness in marriage. RIVOLI XHEATRE. For the first time the rugged, twofisted Clark Gable of old and lovely Jeanette Mac Donald, with the voice that thrills, are brought together, with Spencer Tracy sharing stellar honours, in "San Francisco," concluding tonight at the Rivoli Theatre. "San Francisco" has drama, love interest, comedy, and spectacle. The story is the story of the Barbary Coast of thirty years ago, opening on New Year's Eve, 1906, and continuing through one of the most disastrous dramas of the century, the San Francisco earthquake and fire. The tensely dramatic and gripping Paramount motion picture, "Valiant is the Word for Carrie," which is also showing, introduces Gladys George, famous stage actress, to the screen. With the restrictions now lifted on children attending the theatres large numbers will be attracted to the Mickey Mouse Mystery Matinee to be held at the Rivoli Theatre tomorrow at 1.30 p.m. Some fine children's pictures have been selected for the occasion, none of which, it is stated,' has previously been shown to a juvenile audience in Wellington. In addition to the special programme each child will receive a free gift of chocolate. The prices of admission have been re-| duced so as to allow the entire theatre to be available at 6d per head. NEW OPERA HOUSE. "Land Beyond the Law," a story ofi New Mexico in the days of the I pioneers, heads the programme at the New Opera House. It is a vigorous Western film, easily the best in which Warner Bros, have starred their singing cowboy, Dick Foran. There is plenty of action, tense situations in which primitive passions are unleashed, tender scenes in which Linda Perry plays opposite Foran, and catchy music which is in keeping with the story. Foran portrays the part of a harum-scarum youngster who joins up with the forces of law and order, becomes a sheriff, and sets himself against the killers and cattle thieves who infest New Mexico. "Midnight Court," a melodrama whose characters are introduced to the audience at a novel police tribunal, will be the associate feature, with the popular Ann Dvorak in the starring role. It is typical of those timely, out-of-tne-headlines pictures which Warner Bros, turn out so .well. John Lite], an excellent actor who recently left Broadway for Hollywood, has the featured male rqle. • KILBIRNIE KINEMA. "East Meets West" and "Fire Over England" conclude tonight at the KUbirnie Theatre. , Moments of sheer beauty .-. contrast vividly with moments of the tensest sort of dramatic suspense m btolen Holiday," the First National romantic drama which opens tomorrow at the Kilbirnie Kinema, The picture stars lovely Kay Francis whose Give Me Your Heart" and- i'The White Angel", are still fresh in the memories of her multitude of. admirers. The romantic interest is provided by lan 'Hunter/the handsome young British actor Jean Harlow reaches the high note in her glamorous career as a star in the associate feature, buzy, the unusual M-G-M .picture of an American girl caught in the intrigues of wartime spying. Franchot Tone and Cary Grant play the main roles opposite Miss Harlow. REGAL THEATRE, KARORI. A dramatic revelation of ecstatic first love, a young, exciting new personality, and a daringly different emotional story are features of Girls Dormitory," the 20th Century-Fox production at the Regal Theatre. Simone Simon, brilliant Continental star, makes her American debut as the lovely young girl trapped by an emotion she does not understand. Herbert Marshall and Ruth Chatterton are starred with Simone, and the cast also features Constance Collier, J. Edward Bromberg, Dixie Dunbar, John Qualen, and Shirley Deane. . ."Devil Doll," the second feature, starring Lionel Barrymore, concerns a Devil's Island prisoner; wrongly accused, who escapes and returns to Paris armed with the weird secret of a mad scientist, which he uses to revenge those who wronged him and clears his name, in a bizarre mystery plot. NGAIO CITIZENS' PICTURES. Jeanette Mac Donald with the voice that thrills, is starred with Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy, in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's masterpiece, "San Francisco," which will be screened tomorrow afternoon and evening at Ngaio. KHANDALLAH PICTURES. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's great production, "San- Francisco," with the star of the golden voice^ Jeanette Mac Donald. Clark Gable, and Spencer Tracy, will be the main attraction tomorrow and on Monday at Khandallah. WRESTLING ON MONDAY. ■ On Monday night New Zealand's big wrestling attraction, "Lofty" Blomfleld, will meet Sammy Stein in the Wellington Town Hall ring. Haying had one sample of Stein's wrestling, Blomfield has had an opportunity of working out a plan of campaign which he considers will enable him to beat the brilliant American. Past experience has shown that Blomfield is always a more formidable proposition against a. visiting wrestler after he has had one contest against his rival, and there is good reason to .believe that his confidence is well founded. However, Stein is a particularly for-' midable proposition, largely because of his versatility. He possesses exceptional skill and speed and never seems to be at a loss to meet the advances of his opponent. His flying tackles are as good as anything of that description that has been seen in New Zealand, and his drop-kicks are used very sparingly,, but none-the-less effectively.1 Amateur preliminaries' will commence at 8 o'clock.