CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 2, 3 July 1939, Page 4

CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

EEGENT THEATRE. Regarded as one of the most finelyacted pictures of the year. "Stolen Life," screening for a further week at the Regent Theatre, continues to attract large crowds. Elisabeth Bergner gives one of the most magnificent portrayals of her career. She is teamed with the brilliant English star Michael Redgrave. Redgrave has the part of a mountaineer, a leader of overseas expeditions. He meets a girl who fascinates, him, but he already has a wife. His wife, however, died in an accident, but it is not the girl who takes the first wife's place, but her twin sister. This twin sister is much more versed in the art of making love and capturing a man than her counterpart, and when she finds herself in a position to steal the life of her 4 sister she does not hesitate to do so. On the supporting programme is a musical item of outstanding merit, a "Tannhauser" selection played by the Philharmonic Orchestra, reinforced by male voices,. MAJESTIC THEATRE. "The Great Waltz," which is now in its second week at the Majestic Theatre, looks like proving the musical success of the year, both for strength of story and the magnificence of the musical presentations of the works of Johann Strauss, the Second, the "Waltz King." The film producers have declared that they sought to recreate the spirit of the Strauss music rather than show anything connected with his life, and the result is as gay and appealing a film as has been screened here for years. The elusive spirit of Vienna seems to have been captured very successfully, especially in some of the great scenes, such as the raising of a restaurant to popularity during the appearance of the Strauss orchestra and the writing of thp "Tales from the Vienna Woods" waltz. The leading roles are played by Fernard Gravet, Luise Rainer, , and Miliza Korjus^a beautiful Latvian star. ST. JAMES THEATR*E. If Wellington picturegoers recognise a good thing when they see it then St. James Theatre should experience a record season for "The Lambeth Walk." Nothing more hilariously comic in the greatest sense iof the word has ever been offered, and Lupino Lane's work as Bill Snibson, the Cockney who dramatically discovers that he is a peer of the realm, entitles him to rank with the great laughter-makers of modern stage history- The part of Bill's girl, Sally Smith, is admirably played by Sally Grey, and Wellingtonians who remember Seymour Hicks's appearance in the flesh on the stage of St. James when it was His Majesty's Theatre, will be interested to see him in the same theatre in this picture as one of Bill's new-found noble relations. In fact, he is the one member of the family who does not agree with the rest that Bill's ennoblement must be followed by his separation from Sally. DE LUXE THEATEE. I One of the snappiest, funniest, and craziest comedies of the best type heads the double-feature bill at the De Luxe .Theatre. It is "Hold My. Hand," but it should have been "Hold Your Sides." From the moment Stanley Lupino (a funny man) arid heavyweight Fred Emney leave the Artists' Ball, dressed with appropriate idiocy and packing two of the rosiest hangovers (condition due to alcoholic excesses), to the triple Gretna Green wedding at the climax, there is not a dull moment. Stanley and Fred, with overdrafts like Lord Nuffield in reverse, find plenty of trouble in their attempts to raise the "wind," and Stanley's love tangle adds to the mix-up and comedy. Boris Karloff finds a new role, in the raw, as it were, in "The Mystery of Mr. Wong," the second full-length feature. PARAMOUNT THEATRE. j A particularly fine double-feature programme, which includes the films j "In Old Chicago" and "The Road to i Glory," is showing at the Paramount Theatre. The stars are Tyrone Power, Don Ameche, and Alice Faye. "In Old Chicago" commences when the O'Leary family are making for the young city of Chicago in a prairie schooner about 100 years ago. . The father is killed when he is within sight of Chicago, and his wife carries on in the city to bring up the family of thre"e boys. One turns out to be a gambler, another a successful young lawyer, and the other a home-loving young j man. The gceat fire of Chicago, with j all jts suffering, forms an important part of the story. Included in the cast are Alice Brady, Brian Donlevy, and Andy Devine. "The Road to Glory" is a film of the Great War in which a young French lieutenant (Fredric Mai'ch) finds' that '■ he has fallen in... love with the same woman as his captain (Warner Baxter). Lionel Barrymore, June Lang, and Gregory Ratoff i are also in the cast. \ NE\y PRINCESS THEATRE. Glorious in its sweep of exciting adventure in north-west India, far-flung outpost of Empire, and moving in its depiction of gallantry and heroism is "Storm Over Bengal," which is showing at the New Princess Theatre star* ring Patric Knowles, Richard Cromwell, and Rochelle Hudson. Fun aplenty is provided in the associate attraction, "Fools For Scandal," a Warner Bros, romantic comedy which altars Carole Lombard and Fernand Gravet. Also on the same programme are three alltechnicolour shorts. ROXY THEATRE. Constance Bennett and Brian Aherne are starred in "Merrily We Live," which is showing at the Roxy Theatre. Billie Burke has the role of Mrs. Kilbourne, a philanthropist, whose specialty is the reformation of hoboes who call at her door. "Pirates of the Skies," the supporting film, depicts Kent Taylor as a member of the State air police, who, through quick thinking and daring, solves the mystery of several huge robberies. REGAL THEATRE, KARORI. Adapted from the story "The Gay Banditti" a new film, "The Young in Heart," is showing at the Regal Theatre. Janet Gaynor, Douglas Fairbanks, jun., Paulette Goddard. Roland Young, and Billie Burke are starred. The associate feature is "The Lone I Wolf Spy Hunt," starring Ralph Bel-! lamy and Ida Lupino. OUR THEATRE, NEWTOWN. Norma Shearer and Tyrone Power head the cast in "Marie Antoinette," which is showing at Our Theatre. It is a most absorbing drama, based on the exciting lives of true characters of history. The story tells of the disappointing marriage of the girl-queen, her reckless pursuit of heart affairs, and the world-shaking events of her time. Also showing is "The Headleys at Home," another of the popular family series, with a human story of commonplace folk. The film stars Evelyn Venable and Richard Morley. The remainder of the programme is splendid. SEASIDE THEATRE, LYALL BAY. Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, C.Aubrey. Smith, and Sophie Tucker head the cast in "Thoroughbreds Don't Cry," tee main attraction at the Seaside Theatre. Gangdom leaves the underworld, invades the home, and casts its sinister shadow over an average family househcild in "Hunted Men," the associate film. Lloyd Nolan heads the cast. CAPITOL THEATRE, MIRAMAR. Using for its hero the immortal British actor David Garrick, a gay comedy of that star and his times, •"The Great Garrick/' is showing at the Capitol Theatre, with Brian Aherne in the role of Garrick and Olivia de HaviJland as Germaine, the girl with whom he falls in love. Dorothy Lamour and W. C. Fields are the stars in "The Big Broadcast/ which is the associate attraction.

CITY AND SUBURBAN THEATRES

KING'S THEATRE. "The Nearest Thing to Heaven," now n showing at the King's Theatre, is an k unusual and enthralling drama, with a 0 cosmopolitan flavour. It is undoubtedly r a very fine film, in which both Charles j - Boyer and Irene Dunne are at the top dI of their acting form. This picture is [ '.1 1 the first in which these two have been a together,, and the result is a colourful - blend of personalities. Boyer gives - further proof of his capabilities ;. as an actor, and is much more t ( convincing a cosmopolite than he ;t was as Napoleon. He plays the s part of a young Frenchman whose c name is a byword throughout Europe a and America as a Don Juan, but whose n technique is apparently quite lost on j the girls he meets aboard ship. The j. story is a sad but interesting one. An _ associate attraction is Walt Disney's 1 "Ferdinand the Bull," a technicolour j n presentation of a new Disney character. l| STATE THEATRE. The name of John Barrymore has always been associated with films that j are noteworthy for outstanding act--11 ing. and in "The: Great Man Votes," 9 which is showing at the State Theatre, l" the star lives up to his reputation, r As the father .of two children and a c former prominent classical scholar p who has slipped back in life to occupy '» the position of a poorly-paid night--s watchman, Barrymore gives a won- •' derful characterisation.- Prompted by ? the apparent widespread greatness 3 of a local politician, and realising the ' talents their own father has, the chil--1 dren try to bring him once more bee fore the admiring gaze of the public, *An election in which Barrymore is " keenly followed by a political party ~ for his vote, provides the opportunity. JI The associate feature, "12 Hours to , Live," which stars Richard Dix, Lucille r Ball, and Alan Lane, is an exciting '■ story of a newspaper crime reporter. ? PLAZA THEATRE* With a background of the old West in the frontier days and Claire Trevor and John Wayne in the leading roles, £ "Stage Coach" is showing at the Plaza « Theatre. It is the story of a stage - coach's dash through country terrorised by a murderous band of Apaches, 2 with two women, a gambler, an abf sconding banker, a spirits "drummer," s a drunken doctor, and an outlaw as - passengers. The film is remarkable t for its sustained suspense, for, from 3 the time the coach sets out the audif ence is aware of a tenseness that is | increased as at each successive, halt i comes more news of the depredations s and atrocities of the Indians. The pic- - ture culminates in the outlaw, the f "Ringo Kid," seeking his brother's s murderers through the darkened i streets, of the town of Lordsberg, and s the outcome of their meeting. . r TUDOR THEATRE I "Submarine-.Patrol,'' -now at the .: Tudor Theatre, is a bright, adventurous yarn of wartime seas. It is: a tale of the sub-chasers, #ie tiny 110 ft wooden launches which bore the brunt of the anti-submarine patrol, arid . which j crossed the Atlantic itself to offer protection to Allied merchantmen. Richard p Greene, Nancy Kelly, Preston Foster, I George Bancroft, and Slim Summerville ii all have prominent roles. In "The „ Edge of the World," the second feature, j the entire photography was taken on i the island of Foula, on. the edge of ; Shetland isles. The film unit and cast ? lived there for six months.: , 9 - 1 REX THEATRE. ;. "The Invisible Menace" and "The c Hurricane" conclude' tonight' at the y Rex Theatre^ c One of the most notable casts ase sembled in recent months for.a roman--3 tic comedy was completed: at ■■.Metro.-. , Goldwyn-Majfer with the . signing of '■ Charles Butterwoiith -and Walter Abel ■. for two of. the, principal roles", in. "We, Went to .College,'', which opens tomorrow. A trans-continental marital fight provides a hilarious new vehacle 2 for Robert Young, Ann Sothern, Re--3 ginald Owen, Cora Witherspoon, and ? others in "Dangerous Number," a c j satirfe on. married life, which is the ' associate film. .. .' : ' GRAND THEATRE FETONE. » The Spanish civil war forms the > background •of the tempestuous love t story which is told, in "Blockade," \ Walter Wanger's thrilling romantic * drama, starring Madeleine Carroll and Henry Fonda, which is show-- ' iqg at the Grand Theatre./ With J its strikingly unusual background as i an aid tp its clever story, "Beauty for t the Asking" is the associate film. } Heading the cast are Lucille Ball, , Patric Knowles, Donald Woods, and ) Frieda Inescort. . b ■ ' '..*..■ ■ , i, STATE THEATRE, PETONE. f "Pygmalion," the screen version of : Bernard Shaw's brilliant comedy; is ? now at the State Theatre. Bernard ' Shaw's story tells, of a Cockney flower girl (Wendy Hiller) who becomes' the subject of an experiment Of a, professor of phonetics-—a. role, which provides Leslie Howard one of the great- ' est opportunities of his distinguished f career. . , * PALACE THEATRE, PETONE. A stormy romance that flowers in . the shadow of a man's tyranny on r board an ill-fated steamship, is depicted in striking fashion in "Pacific ' Liner," now at the Palace Theatre. \ Victor McLaglen and Chester Morris \ are co-starred in the exciting drama. . "Return of Jimmy Valentine," with Roger Pryor and Charlotte Henry, in a thrilling adventure story, is the associate film. .-.•;■ -, KING GEORGE THEATRE, LOWER HUTT. * ; "if i were King" concludes tonight. ' at the King George Theatre. Entertainrsent seekers who enjoy 1 something really thrilling, full of ex--5 citement, and spiced with hilaripus j 5 comedy should make a point of seeing ! the much-discussed film "The Lady ', Vanishes," which opens tomorrow. * Hailed as the most enjoyable picture of 1939, it brings to the screen Michael Redgrave, Margaret Lockwood, Paul Lukas, and Dame May Whitty, in a comedy-mystery drama with its story j r centred around the mysterious disap-1 { pearance and reappearance of a, 1 woman passenger on a- non-i ," stop express. It is t indeed, out-of-1 ' the-box entertainment, and is certain to ; enjoy an exceptionally popular season. ' DE LUXE THEATRE, LOWER HUTT. \ •'The Affairs of Annabel," starring Jack Oakie and Lucille Ball, is one of the- feature films now showing at > the De Luxe Theatre, Lower Hutt. t The jams into which a hare-brained ! publicity director gets his studio's big--3 gest star as a result of ill-considered . stunts form the hilarious basis of this offering. The second feature is "Man- , hattan Melodrama," starring Clark : Gable, Myrna Loy, and William Powell. 5 In addition, on the stage, is the third : series of the juvenile amateur trials. 3 PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE, ■ WOBURN. 3 Lewis Stone, always master of character analysis in a screen portrayal, again reaches the heart in his latest role as head of the Judge Hardy fam- ; ily in "You're Only Young Once," I which is showing at the Prince Ed- " ward Theatre. Clive Brook, whose film [ appearances have been too rare during [ the last few years, makes a welcome . reappearance in the A.T.P. production, I "The Ware Case," which is the second i feature. SUNDAY CONCERT. ! A Stan Campbell show is being pi"o- .'' riuced at the St. James Theatre on ' Sunday night next. Roy Baker's AcL cordion Band has been engaged, and ' I will render the latest numbers. Ap- . pearing on the programme is that | popular artist, Dave Paris, with his ; electric guitar.: The- funds are to be. devoted to. Christmas cheer for the .'Seddon and. Victoria Wards, the secre- . tary of the Hospital Board acting as | trustee. Box plans are at Begg's* -. j

TIVOLI THEATRE. "Gunga Din" and "The Mysterious Mr. Moto" conclude tonight at the Tivoli Theatre. An ultra-modern comedy-romance as presented in "Three Loves Has Nancy," which opens tomorrow. The stars are Robert Montgomery, Janet Gaynor, and Franchot Tone. The film teils of a small-town girl who cannot make up her mind which of three suitors she prefers, but who eventually negotiates " the bumpy path of true love. The Lone Wolf, that debonair rogue whose light-fingered knavery made him the bane of police officials throughout the world, returns to the screen in the person of Warren William. Ida Lupino is co-featured with William in the new Columbia film, "The Lone Wolf Spy.Hunt," which is the associate film. Hollywood has already hailed "The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt," not alone bei cause it marks the return of a beloved ■ i literary and cinema figure, but because 1 the new film is both splendid and ; timely entertainment. RIVOLI THEATRE. One of the most pleasing and /thoroughly entertaining pictures in the "crazy" tradition yet to be released in New Zealand is "You Can't Take It With You," which is showing at the Rivoli Theatre. It is more than a story of gay irresponsibility; it had a message, the old but always true one, that money is n< t everything, and that its purchasing power is, after all, very ', limited. Lionel Barrymore dominates an extremely good cast. Edward Arnold is splendid as the wealthy busi-1 ness tycoon Kirby, whose lust for money and power has rather dimmed his eyesight in other directions. James Stewart and Jean Arthur make a new and appealing team in the leading juvenile roles, as the young couple who venture against the storm of class prejudice." The associate feature is "Secrets of a Nurse," with Edmund Lowe, Helen Mack, and Dick Foran heading the cast. KILBIRNIE KINEMA. Smartly dialogued, brimming with laughs, and offering finished and believable characterisation by such stellar performers as Janet Gaynor, Robert Montgomery, and Franchot Tone, "Three Loves Has Nancy" is showing at the Kilbirnie Kinema. Clark Gable and Myrna Loy as daredevils under fire provide thrills, romance, and action-packed drama in "Too Hot to Handle." the second feature, VOGUE THEATRE, BROOKLYN. "Kentucky," a glorious film taken in technicolour, starring Loretta Young, Richard Greene, Walter Brennan, and Douglas Dumbrille, is showing at the Vogue Theatre. The supporting feature, "Adventurous Blonde," stars Glenda Farrell and Barton Mac Lane. There is also a selected supporting programme. EMPH&E THEATRE, ISLAND BAY. A jthrilling drama based upon the machinations of a gangster ring, which supplies contraband scrap iron to foreign war lords for their use in themanufacture of munitions, is depicted in "Homicide Bureau," featuring Bruce Cabot and Rita Hay worth, which opens tomorrow. Charles Farrell returns to th c screen ,in Columbia's thrilling aviation drama, "Flight to Fame," the associate film. Jacqueline Wells appears opposite the famous star. DOUBLE WRESTLING BttJL. ;, The unusual opportunity of seeing a double-feature wrestling programme in which all the contestants will be Britishers will be .provided at the Wellington Town Hall tonight. In the main event, over, eight eight-minute rounds,. "Lofty" Blomfield, the New Zealand professional heavyweight champion, will meet Frank Forster, the South\ African champion, the contest being in the nature of an elimination bout to find the first challenger for McCready's Empire title. Forster is a magnificent physical specimen and is in his best and most vigorous years, so that Blomfield is certain to find the going hard over the whole course. The South African has had extensive ex- . ;perience, both as an amateur and as a professional, and "stands high in the esteem of his countrymen. The supporting professional bout, over five five-minute rounds, will be between Syd Scott and Alf Bloomfjeld, two local boys who have recently left the amateur ranks and who are noted for their fast and aggressive mat. work. There will also be amateur preliminaries. ,''".'' RUSSIAN DANCERS. The final performance by the company of dancers who were prominent in the Covent Garden Russian Ballet Company, which toured New Zealand recently, will be given tonight in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall, Wellington. They will present a programme of ballets, as well as folk and traditional dances, of which every item will be presented in the costume true to the period it represents. The programme will include "Spectre de la Rose," "Carnival," "Les Matelots," "Blue Bird," "Les Sylphides," and Russian and Spanish dances. The principals of this company are Valeric Shaievsky, Raissa Kousnetzova, Eduard Sobichewsky, and Petruche Orlova. Of special interest to Wellingtonians will be the appearance of John Turner, for whom Anton Dolin has predicted a gleaming future. John Turner is as- ; sisted by Lois Humphreys. Feodor Pellack, brilliant pianist, will play.