AMUSEMENTS.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 441, 24 May 1937, Page 8

AMUSEMENTS.

Plaza Theatre. “THEODORA GOES WILD” There are many reasons why you’ll find “Theodora Goes Wild,” which will screen alt the Plaza Theatre, Stratford, to-night, gay impeccable entertainment, but above all is the revelation of Irene Dunne as a glamorous, captivating comedienne. Many believed Miss Dunne commanded such versatility but few dared believe she could be so completely charming, so deftly subtle as a light comedy artist. “Theodora Goes Wild” has the flavour of “It Happened One Night” plus the delightful nonsense of “My Man Godfrey.” It’s action is fast, punctuated with rich directorial touches by Richard Boleslawski. Until she writes several sophisticated novels under a nom-de-plume for her own amusement which unexpectedly leap into the best-selling class over-night, Miss Dunne is just a small town nobody whose most notable achievement is playing the church organ. Despite the fact that the world is clamoring for a look at the woman-of-the-world author, her publishers refuse to disclose her true identity. It is the happy-go-lucky illustrator of her books, played to a turn by Melvyn Douglas, who Anally discovers her secret and realises that her every move is a pose. He follows her to her home town and it is not long before they have failed in love. When Miss Dunne openly shouts this fact to her neighbours, the illustrator disappears. Forced to take mhtters into her own hands, the star deliberately follows him to Manhattan and, designing her approach from the pages of her own novels, participates in a series of adventures which finally bring the young man to bls senses.

Lily Pons In “That Girl From Paris” - ' r From the opening scene when Lily Pons say “No!” to a marrying minister instead of the customary “I do,” to her hectic marriage in a racing taxi cab at the climax of the picture, the tiny singer’s new offering, “That Girl From Paris,” shatters all precedents for screen vehicles for opera stars. It sevens at tlie Plaza on Wednesday and Thursday. The distinguished little French soprano is supported by one of the most versatile groups of comedians ever assembled for a photoplay, including Herman Bing, Mischa Auer, Frank Jenks and Lucille Bali. Miss Pons plays the role ot a French opera star, who jilts her manager at the altar and pursues a handsome American saxophonist to America by stowing away In his cabin. Her troubles as a fugitive from the immigration authorities are manifold, and they increase when two of the members of the orchestra, Gene Raymond and Jack Oakie, fall In love with her. Interspersed in the kaleidoscopic picture, with a French grape festival, an ocean liner, an American roadhouse and the Metropolitan. Opera House as backdrops, is a pot pourri of melody climaxing in the rendition by Miss Pons of the beautiful aria from “The Barber of Seville.” The prima donna also sings “Tarantella” and the “Blue Danube Waltz,” in addition to "Call to Arms,” “Seal It With a Kiss” and "My Nephew from Nice.”

King’s Theatre. “A Star Fell From Heaven” Joseph Schmidt, the diminutive Continental tenor, makes his second appearance in the British film, “A Star Fell From Heaven,” studiously fashioned to fit his style and appeal, which will screen at the King’s The-, atre, Stratford to-night. .Whiait he may lack in inches, and the conventional form of romantic screen allure, he certainly makes up for with his singing. In what may be correctly called a semi-pathetic role, with a touch of Pagliaccism about it, he essays a stud-ent-vocalist whose, voice is eventually employed to “double” for the one lost by a popular screen star. Although he achieves fame after the “showdown," that is bare consolation for the fact that the girl ot his heart is won over by the film Romeo. The action embodies some wholesale guying of film production methods. We are regaled with the presence of the producer, never at a loss for a malapropism in the cause of publicity, the übiquitous "yes man” and so on. George Graves, W. H. Berry, famous London musical comedy actors, and Steve Geray extract some grand tun as stuido types. Billy Milton, Judy Kelly and Iris Hoey also have important roles. “Murder With Pictures” The triumph of the camera over the eyes of forty witnesses to a "perfect crime,” is dramatically depicted In Paramount’s new mystery, "Murder With Pictures,” starring Lew Ayres and Gail Patrick, which screens at the King’s on Tuesday and Wednesday. “Murder With Pictures” ia the story of a murder perpetrated in a crowded room during the height of a celebration. A newspaperman, Benny Baker, took a picture of a number ot photographers who were making a photographs of the host, Ernest Cossart, and even though he didn’t know it, the entire crime was indelibly recorded on celluloid by the all-seeing eye of his camera. The picture is of additional interest because it features the newly-perfected Wirephoto System. which “telegraphs” pictures over great distances, in actual operation.

“Sunset Pass” Two of Hollywood’s best-known Western stars "joined up” with Paramount to play in Zane Grey’s “Sunset Pass,” which is also on the same programme. They are Tom Keene, who is cast in the leading role, and Harry Carey, one of the menaces of the cast. Keene plays the role ot the Cattlemen’s Association deputy, engaged to run down a gang of rustlers, who finds that the brother ot the girl he loves is the man he must apprehend. Both Keene and Carey have woii outstanding success in Westerns. Keene has been a star in them for the past live years. Carey has been in pictures since 1910, when he played his first role for Biograph. "Sunset Pass” follows closely the original story by Zane Grey. It' is replete with thrilling incidents—a raging prairie fire, a mad stampede of an enormous herd of cattle, and plenty of hard riding and breathless gun fighting.