AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 111, 13 May 1938, Page 14

AMUSEMENTS.

"BEG, BORROW OR STEAL." EMBASSY. litgralinm Steward ... Prnnk Morgan ,lii.vi-i" Steward Florence Klcc jiill Cherau lolin Heal .\j.'.-ulia Sii'wnrU laiii-l Hi'wlii-r Vim <;iiTsUi>rff Her.niin King l/cffvie J-;iik Ulkhlcs Director: William Xlik-10. M.U.M. (Jay and hilarious in conception and treatment, and engaging in its delightful foolery, "Beg, Borrow or Steal" had a large, audience in constant laughter when released at the Kmbassy yesterday for an Auckland season. "Beg, Borrow or Steal' , is one of those surprise packets upon which the picture patron seldom lights —the lilmgoer comes away from the theatre with the feiiing that lie has got more than he expectf-d for his money. In its uwjn way tlw him is a tonic.

Based on a story by William White. American novelist, tin- screen play is a frothy, bubbling concoction of clever ilialngiic aud intriguing situations that is marked throughout by sparkling char-ai-tci isatiims. r'railk Morgan is cast in the principal role, if the picture can bo s;iid to have one. In fact tlw> whole cast iiiivp mull important parts and they play them so well that it is hard to discriminate. The r;i* also li.is players like Janet 8.-echer, Herman Hiiig. Krik Rhodes. (Jeorge flivot, K. K. ('live, Koglnald IVnny. "Jora Wothorspoon, Vladimir Xi.kol'..rT and IFailan Brings. The way thc\- handle tlieir lines leaves nothing to be desired.

''Jicg, Borrow or Steal," the locale of which is tli<» French Kiviora, is the tale iif a suave Ainorlvnii confidence man. It is, as the picturesque United States speech has it. tin , t;ile of a "bunco stecrer who steered himself into a mess and in the meantime, steered his daughter into romantic happiness." Morgan, playing the part of the gentle grafter, head of a trail;; who prefer to live otherwise than by working, persuades Bill Choraii f.Tohn Heal I t" loan his chateau as a wedding place for his daughter. The deception is carried out in grand style, but all goes well only for a time.

At this stnjii' Cherau falls in love with the vl'w ! liiin.-elf. Then things arc complicated when the police catch up on one of the sialics shady clpmls. Morgan confesses to (lici'jiu that lie is a crook, but the I'rince ('harming in Chrrau comes to iho fore and when the crook's daughter is ilesortod by her husband-to-be he steps into the broach and cuds tilings happily.

Humour i.j tlio koynntc nf the Embassy programme this week, ami tlic crowd was fiiit hit entertained liy several brijrht supporting films. Kii-Kt there is a coloured cartoon, thru follows a lavishly-appointed vaudeville show and a humorous sketch. Lativl (ivi'isivk spin Is newsreels complete an eiitei laming ]n o^r.minie. CITY SHOWS. Picture programmes now screening nt < itv theatres arc as follow*: St. .lames". William I'oudl mill Myriia l,oy in "Double AVoililiiiu": Majestic. '*Bi*illil(i K Di ■iMiimoiid's Kcvcir..,.." , with .Tohu HariyMiore. John Howard and Dorothy Lnmour in ••'riii ill of a Lifetime"; Kmhussy. ••]?<>■_'. '■ Hoi-row or St. ill." with Frank ' Mnrunn .Hid Klorencr. l!ice: Civic. Shirley TompleV lalcst. "Kchecca of Sun n.\ brook Farm"; Keiicut. Deaiina Durbin in "Mad About Musi,": Mayfair. Hobbv Hrepn in -Hawaii fiilU": Strand. "HiU'llJl n Xew IliL'h." stnrrinir Lily Pons, and "She's (!;it Kvi-rytliinp.' , with One Raymond; Hiixy niul Ti\oli, (lleiin Morris in "Tar/an'u Revemre." (! rnl "Tho On me That Kills." with Charles Quigley: State. Svnionds Street. Olatl.vs (t'eorce in •'Madame X," and "Mr. Dodd Takes the Air": Star. Xewfnn. Son.ia Henie in "flirl in a Million." and the Marx brothers in "A Day at the "Races": Prince F.d'.vnrd. Xrwton. Laurel and Hardv in "Way Out West" and "Hopalong Rides A^nin."