AMUSEMENTS.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 453, 22 June 1937, Page 8

AMUSEMENTS.

PLAZA THEATRE “Born To Dance” The tap dance of ’to-day is born of the folk dances of yesterday. Buddy Ebsen says that every country, from Africa to Alaska, has contributed at least one step to modern tap dancing. In one of his routines io • “Dora to Dance,” M-G-M’s spectacular new musical starred? Eleanor Powell a.id showing at the Plaza Theatre tonight, the former Broadway star illustrates just how each arisen out of a folk dance. Ebssn said thiat he believed Americans liked tap dancing because their country is the melting pot of the world and. tap dancing is the melting pat in the art of the d<ance. The Irish jig has done much to giving tap dancers a varie'ty of heel steps, while the Scotch reel has supplied spectacular toe steps that are far enough away from the acrobatic phase of dancing Ito be used for tapping, he declares. “The African race has contributed one of the most important factors of all,” Ebsen explains, “by giving tap dancers a basic rhythmic palter •to follow. Their tom-tom step in my case—and I believe it must be true with other dancers —has enabled me to build up many new routines;” In “Born to Dance” Eleanor Powell once again clinches her reputation as the foremoslt feminine tapdancer She introduces a bewildering array of routines, even an origj inal version of the current popular -swing” tempo.

“Men Are Not Gods” This intriguing picture, scheduled for screening on Thursday and Friday, stars the popular Mariani Hopkins and Gertrude Lawrence. It is 4 riotious comedy drama of a woman stage critic who made an adtor famous but lost her job as a result. The story is an unusual one. In the offices of the London “Daily Post” works Ann Williams, secretary to Mr. Skeates, famous Londion dramatic critic. One night London is presented with a new production of ’’Othello” with a newcomer, Edmond Divey, In. the title role. Skeates, attending the first performance, arrives late at night at his office and distates to his secretary his criticism of the production. This criticism is a scathing attack lipoh the young actor When Skeates leaves 1 , Ann Williams sits down at the typewriter and ratties off the article Twenlty minutes later the newspaper goes to press.

Next morning this critique presents itself to readers of Ithe "Daily Post” as one long hymn of praise for Edmond Davey. London marvels 1 , and is aware that with this praise from Skeates, a ne:w artist has been discovered for the English stage. Mr. Skeates too, reads the newspaper and stares aghast at the lines.

From. this point things start to move, and the story works its hilarious way through a series of fascinating situations to a perfect climax.

king’s Theatre “The Jungle Princess” A romance in the heart of the Malayan jungle between a white man lost in the wilderness and a girl who had never seen a white man before is the story of Paramount’s. “The Jungle Princess,” which will show at the King’s Theatre to-night. Dorothy Lamour, whose golden voice has captivated millions on the radio, makes her film debut in this picture as the child of lhe jungle whose only companion is a fullgrown man-eating tiger and a giant chimpanzee. Riay Milland playa the part of the explorer in the Malay jungle who is saved by the girl ahd then falls in love with her.

Thrills in large measure are furnished in “The Jungle Princess” by a stampeding elephant herd, the ba'ttle between a man and a tiger, the fight to the death between a tiger and a leopard and the destruction of a Malay village by a herd of baboons. Miss Lamour sings a Malay cradle song during the course of the picture.