ENTERTAINMENTS

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20737, 22 February 1939, Page 4

ENTERTAINMENTS

CURRENT PROGRAMMES ▼HEATRE ROYAL Grim mystery among a group o! scientists at a university, and the solution of a baffling crime by the tiny clue of a pet clog's rubber ball, are the exciting elements in "Under Cover of Night.' - a detective story in which the audience plays detective alongside the detective on the screen. Edmund Lowe creates the newest detective character of the screen as Christopher Cross. “Mama Steps Out” tells the very amusing story of Len Guppy, an average American business man, and his wife. Ada, who with their, daughter, Leila, seek a vacation in Europe. The wife determines that culture is what is needed in the Cuppy family, and she sets out to acquire it for all of them. Before poor Len knows what It is all about he discovers his home

invaded by a group of would-be artists. He gets a little annoyed, and there are exciting complications.

CIVIC THEATRE

Shirley Temple is always good to see and hear, and in “Little Miss Broadway” she is well up to form.

Six new melodies are featured, including ‘‘Be Optimistic,” "We Should Be Together,” “If All the World Were Paper,' 1 "Swing Me an old-fashioned Sonar,'" ‘‘How Can I Thank You?” and ‘•Little Miss Broadway *’ The story j is about, a little girl who lives iti a vaudeville hotel with her foster family Edward i.llis ami Phyllis Brooks). : When .Timmy Durante’s jazz band gets too loud in its rehearsals the wealthy neighbour Edna Mae Oliver) corri- ! plains and threatens to close the hotel. 1 George Murphy, her nephew, interi cedes, and while he wins nothing but • enmity from his prim aunt, he wins the favour of Phyllis. Led by Shirley /' Temple, everything ends as it should, especially after Shirley convinces an austere judge that he should permit the actors to stage their show in the courtroom. George Barbier, Edward I Ellis, Jane Darwell, El Brendel. and : Claude Gillingwater, sen., have prominent roles. REGENT THEATRE | “Blockheads,” in which Laurel and [ Hardy appeared together for the last | time, has an unusual and amusing opening scene, with Laurel guarding a military post in France , and firing on a passing aeroplane. During the Great War Laurel j has been fold to remain on ! guard until relieved from duty, but, I unknown to Laurel, the war has been | over for 20 years. The pilot of the 1 aeroplane demands an explanation, 1 and Laurel suddenly discovers that | the Armistice was signed in 1018. i Returning home to the United States, , he is bailed as a hero, and his amazing : story obtains wide publicity in the newspapers. His former war com--1 nanion (Hardy) reads the reports, and is led to believe that Laurel’s in- ; telligence has improved considerably since the war. He invites him to his home, but Laurel has a hostile recep- : tlon from Mrs Hardy, and the pair j soon succeed in becoming Involved in complicated and amusing situations. ROXY THEATRE Two of the most striking and popular stars of the talking screen are seen together for the first time in j “Mannequin,” which comes to the Roxy Theatre to-night in the persons of Joan Crawford and Spencer Tracy. Joan as the factory girl who fights her way from poverty to wealth and position, and Tracy as the hard-hitting, self-made millionaire furnish as exciting and romantic co-starring team as the screen has seen in some time. A highlight of the new picture is Miss Crawford’s singing of “Always and Always,” a haunting melody of the torch-song type, which was especially written for the star by Edward Ward, with lyrics by Bob Wright and Chet ; Forrest. ! Louis Hayward, who portrayed a

■ouis Hayward, who portrayed a French aviator in “The Woman I Love,” and a prison doctor in “Condemned Women,” is seen as a daring adventurer and killer in RKO Radio’s “‘The Saint in New York.” His achievements in wiping out racketeers make the exciting theme.

STATE THEATRE

“Sea Devils” Is as exciting 1 as its title. While evacuating refugees from a Central American port two coastguardsmen from rival cutters, Chief Bo’sun’s Mate “Medals” Malone (Victor MiLaglen) and Seaman Mike O’Shay 'Preston Foster), have a wild battle in a cantina ashore. Soon al’ter- , wards Mike is transferred from his vessel to New London, Connecticut, where Medals’ cutter, the Taroe. is stationed. Reporting at New London for duty, Mike meets Doris Malone (Ida Lupino'. Medals’ daughter, who works at the city library, and the two are greatly attracted to each other, but there are many exciting happenings before love is triumphant. Helen Broderick, in “We’re On the , Jury,” in which she is co-starred with Victor Moore, is seen as a lady of social prominence serving on her first jury. As portrayed by the favourite comedienne, this juror has a mind of her own, and what she does to normal court proceedings may be very upsetting to the judge and' the trial attorneys, but, ably abetted by Mr Moore, it makes for hilarious comedy and novel entertainment.