ENTERTAINMENTS

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20279, 23 August 1937, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

CURRENT PROGRAMMES. REGENT THEATRE. Jean Harlow and Robert Taylor are so-starred in “Man In Possession,” and In the supporting cast are Reginald Owen, one of Hollywood’s outstanding character actors, and Una O’Connor. The story casts Jean Harlow as Mrs Crystal Wetherby, who poses In London society as a wealthy Amerioan widow, but who is actually Impoverished and is being pursued by her creditors. When Taylor, playing the part of Raymond Dabney, is given a Job as a sheriff’s officer assigned to watch the personal property of Mrs Wetherby, she induces him to pose as her butler in order not to “give her away” before a man whom she hopes to marry for his money and thus liquidate her debts. Since this man turns out to be none other than Dabney’s brother, who, under the impression that Mrs Wetherby is rich, similarly plans to marry her for her money, the complications make one of the merriest screen comedies of the year. The supporting programme includes Deanna Durbin in a miniature musical comedy entitled “Every Sunday,” “Bosko and the Pirates,” a coloured cartoon, and the Interesting “March of Time.”

ROXY THEATRE. ‘‘When You’re in Love” Is one of the most entertaining film that Hollywood has produced, with Grace Moore shining as actress and singer. The opera star sings such masterpieces as Schubert’s “Serenade,” “One Fine Day” from “Madame Butterfly,” “Sibroney,” “Vissi Darte” from “La Tosca,” the “Waltz Aria” from “Romeo and Juliet" and “In the Gloaming.” All these, besides two excellent new popular numbers, “ Our Song ” and “Whistling Boy.” St. Luke’s Choristers are also heard in several numbors. Mtes Moore is well supported with a grand story. Cary Grant Is Just right as a hard-drinking American artist, while other roles are dealt with -skilfully by Aline Mahon, Henry Stephenson, Thomas Mitchell, Catherine Doucet, Luis Alberni and others. “The Return of Sophie Lang” Is an exciting drama, with a surprise twist at the finish that makes a satisfying climax. Gertrude Michael and Ray Mllland have the romantic leads, and the New Zealand actor Colin Tapley Is also in the cast. STATE THEATRE. “Border Cafe” tell* of a colourful romantic triangle between a headstrong young New Englander, his former fiancee, and a Mexican girl whom he meets in a frontier cantina, with John Beal, Harry Carey and Armita in the leading roles. Woven Into this romance arc Beal’s regeneration at the hands of Carey and Armida, and a spirited war against cattle rustlers who adopt modern methods of stealing their beef and of intimidating the ranchers. The story bristles with excitement, and works up to a sensational climax. In “Oh, Doctor!” the popular Edward Everett Horton portrays a fellow who thinks he has every sickness In a patent medicine almanac. He signs over his Inheritance to a band of sharpers for a £IO,OOO cash advance. A beautiful vpung nurse (Eve Harden) outwits the criminals and helps save Horton from their scheme. The story is very romantic and amusing, and at the same time provides plenty of excitement.

THEATRE ROYAL. “The Secret of Stamboul” tells of romance in a hotbed of mystery aftd intrigue, with Valerie Hobson and Frank Vosper In the romantic leads. It deals with Larry, a young army officer who, at a club ball, knocks down a Turkish diplomat who is forcing unwelcome attentions on the colonel’s daughter. To avoid a military scandal Larry resigns and accepts a job to investigate the affairs of a tobacco company in Turkey. When he gets there he is thrown into a series of sensational events, and the story works up to an exciting climax. “Conflict,” replete with high adventure and fast action, is based on the Jack London novel “ The Abysmal Brute.” It is a robust story of two brawny battlers who settle their own differences and at the same time end a bitter feud between two great lumber camps. A farmer boy (John Wayne) becomes embroiled with Knockout Carrlgan (Ward Bond) when the pugilist, comes to the little town of Springfield, California. Jean Rogers provides the love interest. CIVIC THEATRE. “Quality Street.” brings the late Sir James Barrie’s amusing and romantic comedy to the screen very successfully. Katharine Hepburn Is cast, us a pretty inhabitant of Quality Street, and her demure ways prevent a dashing yoking doctor who is courting her from proposing. He enlists for the war and departs without, declaring his love. Ten years pass, and then, after Waterloo, he returns. The girl, however, has aged greatly with the passing of the years. The captain departs, remarking 11 1 at. he Is going to a ball that night, and the girl, in a desperate effort to regain his love, dresses herself so skilfully that she regains much of her former beauty. So successful Is she that the captain, who calls hack at the house later, fails to recognise her. and the cook cunningly introduces her as r niece. The deception is highly successful and the difficulty j with which it is maintained provides a series of intensely amusing situations, j which eventually brings the film to u j pleasing conclusion. The role of the captain is handled in highly creditable manner by Franchot Tone. Eric Blore supplies much of the humour with an amusing characterisation as a recruiting sergeant.