CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 24, 28 July 1939, Page 6

CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATKE. The smart, modern comedy makes c welcom-a return 'in "Midnight," which is now in its second week at the Re .. gent Theatre, starring Claudette Colberi t and Don Ameehe. Cast as a i>enniless American entertainer, Miss Colbert i£ : - shown arriving at Paris at night in the pouring rain without a penny to hei name. A handsome but poor taxi-drivei " (Don Ameehe) takes her under his wing -^ only to lose her again when she crashes into a society music party and '- is taken for a Hungarian countess '*• Caught in a romantic intrigue, she con tinues to be-a countess for a while revelling in fur coat, and motor-can ;" supplied by a gentleman who enlists . - her help in smoothing out "his own ~ matrimonial difficulties. From then or romance and comedy "hold sway. The ' supporting programme includes scenes in colour of the visit of the King and Queen to Ottawa, and a beautiful pre- *■' sentation by a leading American symphony orchestra of Schubert's "Unfinished Symphony." ■i • N MAJESTIC THEATRE. Eleanor Powell, acknowledged to be , 4 the world's, most accomplished tap dancer, proves her title again in • "Honolulu," which heads the new bill . at the Majestic Theatre. This lavish new musical has all that the Broadway I shows of modern times can offer and more. Robert Young has the male lead in a dual role.carrying the pleasantly light weight of a humorous, but plausible." story. Comedy is provided by George Burns and Graeie Allen, ' of screen and radio fame, and "the music is superb. A large and talented supporting cast includes Rita Johnson, Clarence Kolb, Jo Ann Savers, Ann Morris, Willie Fung, Cliff Clark, Edward Gargan. Eddie Anderson, Sig Rumann. Ruth Hussey, Edgar Dearing, and Kealoha Holt, selected in a contest embracing all the islands .. -as Hawaii's champion hula dancer. Then there is also the most famous " of all. Hawaiian orchestras, Andy ". lona's Islanders, lending authenticity - to the musical background of the hula >' numbers.! . * DE LUXE THEATRE. . A fabulous treasure, in gold and : jewels, buried by Royalist soldiers • three L hundred years ago, forms the ; basis for "Bulldog Drummond's" newest adventure in Paramount's exciting thrill drama, "Bulldog Drummond's ', Secret Police," which is showing at 'the De Luxe Theatre. This time. instead of : / ."Drummond" seeking out adventurei . adventure/ seeks out "Drummond," when a famed scientist" and sinjster crook arrive simultaneously to^look for a treasure buried 3n the mysterious depths of "Bulldog's" - own castle. Although "Drummond" himself hopes to be married the next day. he has to put off his nuptials and ~ join the hunt when the crook murders L the scientist in cold blood and carries - his financee off into the trackless cha.m- ---' bers. John; Howard plays the dapper . ' amateur sleuth for the sixth time* The • laughs, joys, and heart-breaks of modern family life, with the screen's maddest menage occupying .the spotJ ■ light "move, the plot of Paramount's _ new comedy, "Boy Trouble." the second - V ' feature,'starring Mary Boland, Charlie .. jßuggles, and a dozen other favourites. PARAMOUNT THEATKE. 1 .-'The Bumsteads-—Blondie, Dagwood, and Baby Dumpling—are in the movies. The popular characters of ;Chic Young's famous newspaper , comic strip are seen in Columbia's ''Blondie," first of a projected new series, starting at the Paramount \ Theatre tomorrow. Portraying Blondie • is Penny Singleton, vivacious young musical comedy" star of many Broad- ' .-way- stage successes." - Dagwood's role is taken'by Arthur Lake, an old hand ■ at portraying:* veomicf characters, whost most .notable role previously . was "Harold Teen." The same gang of kids who first won fame in Monogram's "Boy of the Streets," which starred Jackie Cooper, again play • members of--his-, gang and their rivals in "Streets of New York," the associate film. The boys are Bobby Stone, David Durand, Robert Tucker; William - Tucker, Kent - Rogers, Sidney Miller, ' - and Buddy Pepper. Some.of them also , pliyed in "Gangster's.. Boy," Jackie's ' Second Monogram picture, i Although ' they do quite a bit of-work in pictures.: - ' these* boys' are mostly high school friends of Jackie's, and two of them are members of his swing band. "Streets of New York" is the story of an "idealistic, young boy who runs a , newstand so he can go to law school at night. Outstanding in the cast are , Martin Speliman, Dick. Purcell, George • Irving, Marjorie Reynolds, Robert Emmett O'Connor, and David Durand. / ST. JAMES THEATRE. • High adventure along' one .of the 1 world's last frontiers is thriliingly de- ■ picted in "Heart of thcr North," the > Warner Bros, picturisatiori in technicolor of a tale of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, which is the new film at St. James Theatre. Authentic in every detail, the picture destroys many a widespread misconception of the operations and daily existence of the \ Canadian "Mounties," but the : actuality, as vividly oortrayed in "Heart of the North" turns out to be even more thrilling and cerainly more interesting "than the popular delusions. The hero is Dick Foran, big, red-headed star, who is most effective in outdoor pictures, and there are three girls who could each be nominated as heroine. They are Gloria Dickson, Gale Page, and little Janet Chapman, six-year-old starlet 'who recently captured the hearts of a host of ] fans in "Broadway Musketeers." Other important roles are filled by Allen ' Jenkins Patric Knowles. James Stephenson.- Anthony Averill, Joe Sawyer, Joseph King. Russell Simpson, and a canine actor who is certain to steal > ■• some of the scenes in which he appears. ROXY THEATRE. The powerful "bad man" portrayal of Wallace Beery, the uniformly fine work of such stellar supporting play ers as. Virginia Bruce. Dennis O'Keefe, ' Joseph Calleia, Lewis Stone, Guy Kibbee. and Bruce Cabot, combined to bring to the screen an absorbing drama in "The Bad Man of Brimstone," which - ' is screening at the Roxy Theatre. '"'Men Are Such Fools," the associate film, is a fast-paced succession of amusing, exciting, and sometimes moving incidents. REGAL THEATRE, KARORI. Fifteenth-century Paris forms the picturesque setting for "If I Were King, which is showing at the Regal Theatre. The story revolves' about the famous rogue-poet Francois Villon, who became ruler of France for one • unforgettable week. The chief roles are played by Ronald Colman. Frances Dee, and Basil Rathbone. "Up the River," the second feature, stars Preston Foster, Tony Martin, Phyllis Brooks, Slim Sufnmerville, Arthur Treacher. and Bill Robinson. It is a hilarious, combination of music, broad comedy situations, and prison football. In addition. Walt Disney's latest creation, "Ferdinand the Bull," is showing. . v ' KILBIRNIE . WRESTLING CLUB. In an endeavour to raise funds to help purchase their own gymnasium. the Kilbirnie ■ W ■'Stling and Sports • Club decided to stage a series of Sunday night entertainments, the first of . which was held last Sunday at the D*» Luxe Theatre .with great success.' Thi=> staff of the club were kept busy coping - with, the large crowd which filled the house to capacity. The club extends special thanks to the following artists, who contributed to the programme:— • Henry Rudolph and1, his. Swingtime Harmonists, Doug. .Keydylies's Savonia Hand, Norman and Shirley Wilson, Arthur. Penningtpn, Nat Beatus. Judy Cooper, Ngaire Corkhill, H. C. Billstone, the Yodeling Girl, Maxwell Stewart, Roland Laviri, Doug Keydylie. and Hazel Martin's Ballet. The next Sunday concert will-fee.-given on Octo&K U •-, , ,: :■•-■:■•■ ■■-■■-':'■■■ ■ -

CITY AND SUBURBAN THEATRES

KING'S THEATRE. a | In translating Emily Bronte's fama ous. novel, "Wuthering Heights" to the ■- screen, Samuel Goldwyn has produced "t his greatest triumph. The picture, 3,' which heads the bill at the King's s Theatre, has oeen acclaimed the most c outstanding picture so far of 1939 r because of its compelling artistry, , its r baauty, and dramatic power. ' Emily g Bronte, the lonely spinster who wrote c j "Wuthering Heights," died 91 years d ago at the age of 30, without ever ; knowing that her book' would become l- one of the imperishable treasures of >, English literature, and that she had •s! given to the-world a haunting, tragic s j love story that would thrill generan I tions whose grandmothers were then n' unborn. Merle Oberon, Laurence Olie vier, Flora Rpfcfson, David Niven, Gers aldine Fitzgerald, and Hugh William d head the cast. i- s PLAZA THEATRE. Flying has always offered a fertile field to Hollywood producers, and the films have dramatised practically every phase of it. But the progressively--2 important part being played by women 3 in aviation was neglected until Darryl \ F. Zanuck conceived the idea of pro--1 ducing "Tail Spin," s smashing melo--1 drama of women who fly, which is y showing at the Plaza Theatre. "Tail j Spin" is not so nmch an epic of the => air as the simple yet dramatic story 7 of three women who go in for flying" t at its most dangerous. There is Trixia, i who flies because she needs the money j ,so desperately. There is Gerry, who; 1 flies because she loves a man who j I thinks it is the greatest thing in the a world; and then there is Lois, wiio fJes because it keeps her near her pilot f husband. Alice "aye, Constance Ben- . nett, Nancy Kelly, Joan Davis, Charles Farrell, Jane Wyman, and Kane Richj mond have the leading roles. 3 STATE THEATRE. ? The very likeable criminal created I by Leslie Charteris, the "Saint," the 1 modern Robin Hood, is portrayed in a further adventure, "The Saint Strikes Back,'? which is the main feature on the hew programme at.the State The s atre. George Sanders is entrusted with , the role of the Saint in this clever mystery film, and he is a very suave and ► polished crook. Always on the side , of the underdog and aiding the law to i track down and punish the gangsters i and crooks, the Saint uses methods that a police officer cannot follow ;. The second feature is "I'm From : the City," a straight-out farce, 'starring Joe Penner. The story deals '. with the adventures of a circus i rider who can ride only when he ;s 'hypnotised. A ranching family en-j • cages him to ride a horse in a big race, k but at the critical momen 4 his hypnotist disappears. The comedy is honest . and hearty. A short subject deals cd • . vincingly with earthquakes. '. ' . . TUDOR THEATRE. >' No excuses for the fact that Jesse " James came to be utterly ruthless in: j his outlaw escapades are made in the' . picture, "Jesse James," which. has |. • returned to Wellington to screen at I the Tudor Theatre. . Nevertheless, it . does indicate that at the outset of his outlaw career the tide of fate was ' \ against him. Driven with his brother, Frank, into the realms beyond the law by hi& simple determination to exact vengeance for the murder of his mother by an employee of the rail- ; road which is just beginning to thrust : its way across the vast grazing lands of the West, he finds a joy in the new' life of freedom and danger. The as- ! sociate film is the musical . comedy \ • version of Alexandre Dumas's "The ■ Three Musketeers." The Ritz Brothers i' masquerade as musketeers, but they • know more about the use. of carving ■ knives than swords. REX THEATRE. "The Return of the Scarlet Pimper--1 nel," which is showing at the Rex Theatre, is a sequel to the first ; Baroness Orczy story, and con- .! tinues the adventures of the gallant ', English nobleman who saved thousands of. aristocrats from the guillotine during the French Revolution Barry K. J Barnes, Sophie Stewart. Margaretta ; Scott. James Mason, and Allan Jeayes , head: the cast. "I Stand Accused," the associate film, deals- with two friends. .; pals since boyhood, who find them- . selves bitter enemies in their positions, one. Robert Cummings. an underworld mouthpiece, and the other, Thomas ; Beck, a young ace of the District Attorney's staff. NEW.PRINCESo THEATRE. ' \ Myrna Loy comes to the Prin- . cess Theatre in "Man-Proof," surrounded by a stellar " cast which includes such well-known personalities as Franchot Tone, Rosalind Russell, and Walter Pidgeon. In :. the new picture Miss Loy makes, a striking departure from her familiar ■ role of the "perfect wife" to play an ' ultra-modern girl who overrides oldfashioned conventions in her pursuit of ' the man she loves. The associate fea- : ture is "Beauty for the Asking," stari ring Lucille Ball, Donald Woods, Patric ; Knowles, and Frieda Inescort. ■ GRAND,,-.THEATRE, PETONE. . ; "Between Two Women" and "Flirting With Fate" conclude tonight at the ; Grand Tjieatre. A romance, a murder mystery, and , a comedy of errors comprise the • triple themes of "The Mad Miss ! Manton," R.K.O. Radio's starring vehicle for Barbara Stanwyck and. Henry Ponda, which opens tomorrow 1 at the Grand Theatre. Two excite-ment-seeking reporters go. looking for I New York's loneliest girl and find ' | Broadway's most dangerous woman and a story they dare not write in "Inside Story-" the associate film. Michael Whalen, Jean Rogers, and Chick Chandler head the cast. PALACE THEATRE, PETONE. "Straight, Place, and Show" and "Hold That Coe-ed" conclude tonight s at the Palace Theatre. ; "Homicide Bureau," the thrilling Columbia drama/ featuring Bruce Cabot and Rita Hayworth, opens tombrrow. The film exposes a series of baffling crimes committed by interna--1 tional dealers in war munitions. Romance and war hit the range country at the same time in Paramount's new t "Hopalong Cassidy" outdoor action . thriller. "The Frontiersmen," the , associate film, stars William Boyd, ■ George Hayes, and Russell Hayden cast in familiar roles.' 'STATE THEATRE, PETONE. "Shopworn Angel" will be shown , finally tonight at the State Theatre. . I What is said to be the most pleasing :' picture in which Deanna Durbin has ever appeared, "Three Smart Girls : Grow Up," comes to the State Theatre ; tomorrow. Directed by Henry Kosi ter, who directed "Three Smart Girls" : and "100 Men and a Girl," the current' . offering is a happy reminder of "Three ; Smart Girls." It presents approxi- ■ mately the same cast—Deanna; Charles ~ Winninger, Nella Walker, Nan Grey, , i and Ernest Cossart, with the addition . of Helen Parr'sh, Bob Cummings, and ; William Lundigan. DE- LUXE THEATRE, > ' LOWER HUTT. Via the genius of David O. Selznick and the magic of technicolor, Mark Twain's famous character steps from the pages of his. immortal story, and ion to the screen of the De Luxe Theatre, where the inspired technicolor production, "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," is showing. ;' PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE, . WOBURN. [ William Boyd, George Hayes, and Russell Hayden, cast as the familiar ' "Hopalong Cassidy," "Windy Halliday," and "Lucky Jenkins," respectively, head the cast of "The Frontiersmen," now at the Prince Edward Theatre. "Slim," a Warner Bros, melodrama . dealing with men who string high ■ tension power lines across the country, is the associate film.

TIVOLI THEATKE. "Pygmalion," the screen version of Bernard Shaw's brilliant comedy, is showing at the Tivoli Theatre. Bernard Shaw's stoi~y tells of a Cockney flower girl (Wendy Hiller) who becomes the subject of an experiment to a professor of phonetics —a role which provides Leslie Howard one of the greatest opportunities of his distinguished career to display his unchallenged histrionic genius. The idea I from the phonetic expert's point of view is to prove that it is possible to I take a girl out of the gutter and transform her into a society lady' of fine Lspeech and exquisite manners. The {experiment is.a brilliant success. The 1 girl; is taken for a Princess at an Am- '> bassadors' reception—but the. real j problem arises when this triumphant ! result ■ has - been achieved. What is to I become of the girl now? "Stranded in Paris," a hilarious comedy starring Jack, Benny and Joan Bennett, with Mary, Boland and Charley Grapewin in support, is the associate film. j • v -RTVOLI TIIEAT&E. "Cowboy From Brooklyn." with Dick Powell, Pat O'Brien, and Priscilla' Lane, in ,the leading roles, heads thei jbill at the Rivoli Theatre. It's, the story of hilarious adventures — 'and misadventures —of a New York crooner who goes West in order tc make good in the East. Blended I with the amusing story are charming i interludes in which Powell, Miss Lane, and several other members of the large | and talented cast sing the five new. songs written for this production as, well as some famous olef-time cowboy ballads. Smartly paced by three talented comedy stars. Mischa Aver, Mary Boland, and Edward Everett Horton, Universal^ ruffian gang of kid actors made'its debut into the charmed circle of the socially elite in "Little Tough Guys in Society," the associate film. Away to a swift start in the initial i I scenes, the picture quickly reveals itself as superb entertainment and affords endless opportunities for hilarious comedy as the "tough guys" ride rough-shod through the realm o± frosty < socialites on a Long Island estate. OPERA HOUSE. "Hei Tiki," Alexander Markey's saga of Maoriland, which is showing; at the Opera House, is the first I world standard talking picture to be made in New Zealand "Hei Tiki" was ; produced at Taupo by a crew of Holly-1 wood technicians and has recaptured, in sound and sight the glory of the, day before the coming of the pakeha. | The story tells of the love of Manui, | daughter of the chieftain, for Mara.1 warrior of an enemy tribe, and of : Mara's impersonation of/ the war god,! to whom Manui is to be Sacrificed. Not | the least exciting sequences in, the film are1- those showing the lovers'! flight from her own people, vyho pur- ; sue them across the lake in sixty-foot war canoes, which were specially built ' for the film. The climax of the pic-j ture is particularly exciting, being a j spectacular pitched battle between the rival tribes, fought with typical Maori fervour. i EMPIRE WRESTLING TITLE. Earl McCready's British Empire, professional heavyweight wrestling > title will be at stake in the Wellington Association's main attraction at the Town' 1 Hall on Monday night, the Can- ; adian's challenger being Frank Fors-! ter, of-South Africa. It is in New; Zealand that McCready Jaas had some :of his greatest battles in defence of i the championship which he won from Jack Taylor, a fellow-Canadian, be-' fore he came here for the first time in 1935, and wrestling enthusiasts in this country have always taken a keen interest both in McCready and lin his title. The championship cariries with it a silver cup avyarded by i the Dominion Wrestling Union and.it! was to make an effort to take this! trophy back to South Africa that was.. the main reason for Forster's visit, | The South African has shaped most; ; impressively in all his. bouts and his I draw with "Lofty" Blomfield at , Christchurch oh Wednesday was a splendid effort. The preliminaries will include a fiye-rouffd professional bout between two local boys, B. Monastra and C. Croskery. VOGUE THEATRE, BROOKLYN. "Submarine Dl" is the main feature at the Vogue Theatre. The cast includes Pat O'Brien, Wayne Morris. George Brent, Frank McHugh, and Doris Western. "Exposed," starring , Glenda Farrel] and Otto Kruger, , is i;he supporting feature. There are also selected supports. ■ ■ . CAPITOL THEATRE, MERAMAR. "London After Dark," an^astounding drama of the queerest pact ever made by man and girl, is showing at the Capitol Theatre. Charles Laughton and Vivien Leigh are starred. Tom \ Walls appears in the comedy sensation, "Strange Boarders," the associate attraction. ■ ' KILBIRNIE KINEMA. . Fredric March' and Carole Lombard have the leading roles in. ■ the sensational comedy hit in "Nothing Sacred," in technicolour, which is showing at the Kilbirnie Kinema. Walter Connolly, Charles Winninger, Sig Rumann, and Maxie Rosenblum head a lai'ge cast of supporting players.: Universal'^ new blood-freezing drama, "Son of Frankenstein," is the associate, film. Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, of "Frankenstein" and "Dracula" fame, personify hair-raising characters in the drama.