ENTERTAINMENTS

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20730, 14 February 1939, Page 10

ENTERTAINMENTS

CURRENT PROGRAMMES “SNOW WHITE AND DWARFS” A DELIGHTFUL ENTERTAINMENT j A picture which has been long awaited by theatre patrons in Hamilton was screened at the Civic Theatre yesterday, when “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” commenced a season. Costing £210.000 and taking over two years to produce, this picture is a brilliant tribute to t.nc work of Walt Disney and his assistants. What was hut fairyland fanrasy has been transformed into a living story, combining romance, pathos, suspense and humour. The story, familiar to all who have read fairy tales, retains all the old-world charm of (irinun’s fable. Surely few leading ladies have aroused one’s interest so much as Snow White. Her story has been creating fresh interest, and children and adults everywhere have been making further acquaintance with her story. Now she has arrived with her dwarfs, her handsome prince and her guardian, the wicked queen, and all her shy friends of the forest. The latter are particularly delightful, with their curiosity, their keen desire to help the lovely princess. They will capture the imagination of all who see the picture. Each of the dwarfs has been made a very real person, with his own name and own characteristics. There is “Doc,” who imagines himself to he the leader of the band; “Grumpy,” who considers Snow White a dangerous intruder; little “Dopey.” misunderstood by all except the little princess; and “Sleepy," “Happy," “Sneezy” and “Bashful.” All have been instilled with the charm and comic touches so definitely associated with Disney’s , characters. Everyone will enjoy i “Snow White and the Se\en Dwarfs.” ; REGENT THEATRE | “The Crowd Roars” is splendid I enlerlainment. It is a thrilling story nr the boxing ring, in which excitement. romance and eoinodv are blended in verv entertaining fashion. Popular . Robert Tavior nas the chief part and is cast as a professional boxer, under the control of a ; gambler. In his first fight- at Madison Square Gardens, McCoy , Taylor finds himself opposed by his ! former instructor, who is attempting to regain the li^ht-heavy-weight- championship of the world. With an unfor- , tunate blow Mct'^ v vn,B hia

and sports writers at the ringside are led to believe that it was a “lucky” punch. The story % continues in an intriguing manner and is brought < to an exciting conclusion with a contest for the world's championship. A fine supporting cast includes Maureen O'Sullivan, Frank Morgan and Edward Arnold, who all give very fine performances. Some very interesting featurettes complete the programme. STATE THEATRE A race track romance, “Racing Lady,” co-featuring Ann Dvorak, Smith Ballew and Harry Carev, deals with a wealthy automobile manufacturer who uses his string of thoroughI bred horses and his attractive girl j trainer solely as a publicity venture | to aid his business. He runs into | trouble, however, when he attempts I to scratch the horse that this girl I raised from a colt, simply because he j was not certain that the" steed could j meet the requirements of his stable i policy “win or nothing” I Ballew, as the automobile magnate, is teamed {with Ann Dvorak. Harry Carey is j east as an old-time racehorse owner. | “15 Maiden Lane” presents Claire | Trevor and Cesar Romero, supported ! by Lloyd Nolan and Robert McWade, j in a clash of vivid personalities set in j the world-famous je-.vel centre. The ! film is a thrilling story of an almost | impossible diamond theft, and holds i the close into res I; of the audience as it works up to its exciting climax. THEATRE ROYAL A clash of principles between a father and daughter, both of them newspaper people, forms the plot of “Exclusive.” The father (played by : Charlie Ruggles) is an “old-school” ; journalist who believes that his career ! is more than a job. His daughter, a young modern (played by Frances Farmer', believes her job a racket. When the girl’s ideas cause a man to take his life and bring down the • wrath of the city upon her employer, the powerful climax is reached. Fred Mac Murray plays the romantic lead opposite Miss Farmer, i Lynne Overman and Roscoe Earns I make their first appearance together i as a comedy team in “Murder Goes i to College.” a breezy mystery storv. i 11verinan. as the detective who solves ! the murder, and Karris, as the reporter who helps him and wins beaiiti- - ful Marsha Hunt in the pi ess. are 1 i d < ■ a 11 v suited to each other—the. j hard-boiled cynic and the trusting, timid soul. ROXY THEATRE i 7~~ l Bre.p.n in his must appealing vein, both

as singer and actor. Comic relief is supplied by an oily-tongued antique dealer who sells Hepplewhite chairs as well as a mule trained to return home after it is sold. The antique dealer, who tries to sell even Bobby, is played by Charlie Ruggles. Others in the strong supporting cast of this, one of the best Bobby Breen pictures to date, are Dolores Costello, Robert Barrat, Dorothy Peterson, Charlie Murray and Bihv Gilbert. Irene Dare, the six-year-old ice-skating marvel, makes her screen debut in the film’s costly i r e revue. Myma Loy, Franchot Tone, Rosalind Russell and Walter Pidgeon appear in “Man-Proof,” a modern story of a four-party love affair. There is much scintillating comedy throughout the story, as well as a very charming romance. “The Magician's Daughter,” a sparkling musical comedy, is also screened. COVENT GARDEN BALLET Interest in the appearance here of the Covent Garden Russian Ballet is very great, and on Thursday night the Theatre Royal is likely to be t-i its utmost capacity. The company totals 120 people, including the whole of the dancers who appeared in the recent productions at Covent Garden, London, and a sxmphony orchestra of over 20 spcciill>-selected musicians. General satisfaction has been indicated by theatregoers over the selection of the ballets to lie presented, as “Carnaval,” “The Swan Lake” and “Les Presages” are undoubtedly three of the best, most picturesque and most successful in the extensive repertoire of the company. There are Irina Baronova, Tatiana Riabouchinska, Anton Dolin, David Lichine, Paul Petroff, Tamara Grigorieva. Baronova is an exquisitely beautiful and peerless technician; Riabouchinska, dancing for the sheer love of it: Anton Dolin, a veteran of dancing, although not in years; David Lichine, most promising j choreographer; Paul Petroff, g-illant i dancer and the world's best partner. | These few names give some ind>i- : t.ion of the towering strength of the i company. As great ns was the en thusiasm which greeted the previous ! company in Auckland, the present. organisation has met wiih •uiieb j greater success in the northern cil,“ | where night after night the Humtre ! has been packed. The brilliant symphony orchestra of over 20 high-class > musicians is under the direction of Antal Dorati. Dorati was only JS : When lie was appointed at the Roval Open House at Budapest, and became conductor of Hie same institute the ! following season, which position he held for three years. After continuous i successes Antal Dorati joined life Monte Carlo Ballet Busse. and he is j now regarded as the finest, musical director of ballets in the world to-.lay. j Several members of the (invent Garden Ballet, including Vanda Crossen. I Leila Roussova. Tamara Tchinnrovi. 1 visited New Zealand with the previous | ballet. The box plans arc now open.