AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 246, 18 October 1939, Page 12

AMUSEMENTS.

HIDE, RANGER, RIDE." KOXY—TIVOLI.

'■'•ne <;oni> Autry '' r "- Smiley Kurnctte "ixif Kn.v Hushes I iivihi) Monte Blue ( a ineron George Lewis Hut" Mux Terhune I'irectoi•: Joseph Kane. Republic. Also: "ARIZONA DAYS," starring Trx Hitter.

The histoiical era in the United States when Texas Rangers and blue-coated cavalrymen were struggling to pacify the Indian savages who tor so long had hindeied the westward tick of the pionecis, is revived in the outstanding musical drama of the West, "Ride, Ranger, Ride.'' which to-day began its Auckland season at the Roxy and Tivoli I hen t res.

•Most popular Western star of them all, and the biggest money-maker of the year in the I'iiitcd States, Gene Autry has what is probably the best role of his

spectacular career. His role as an officer ot the rangers and lieutenant in the I nited States cavalry provides Gene with opportunities for riding, fighting, singing and drama.

Nine songs with accompanying music by the noted radio sextet, the Tennessee Ramblers, provide" the musical entertainment. in which Gene's star shines as brightly as ever. N'o Autry film would be complete without Smiley Burnette. and lie is there again. Also in the cast are Kay Hughes, Max Terhunp, veteran Monte Blue, Chief Thundercloud and (ieorge Lewis.

In the development of the plot Autry receives a commission and is ordered to Fort Adobe. He wins the warm glances of the Colonel's daughter, but soon finds an enraged rival, and there is a thrilling fight between the two. However, the love interest is incidental to the real story of excitement and drama, with the cavalryman and the Indians both fighting and riding hard.

The second fiim is also a musical Western. "Arizona Days." featuring everpopular Tex Ritter in a typical role. With hitn are associated such well-known players as the comedian Ny<l Savior, Ethelind Ferry, William Fa versham and the glamorous Eleanor Stewart. The story deals with the mishaps and adventures of an old-time minstrel show which gets stranded in an Arizona cow town and falls foul of a gang of rustlers. The picture is musical, as well as exciting, with some novelty numbers that intrigue, played by Salty Holmes, who has the distinction of being able to play two mouth-organs at the same time—one with his mouth and the other with his nose! PLAZA THEATRE.

Sonja Heme makes a co-starring appearance with Tyrone Power in the brilliant "Second Fiddle," which on Friday will have its premiere performances in' Auckland at the Pla/.a Theatre. Xor are they the only outstanding players in the film— there is also famous crooner-band leader Rudy Vallee, and others present are Edna May Oliver, Mary'Healy, L.yle Talbot, Alan Dineliart, Minna (lombeli and Spencer Charters. This film is billed, for a very good reason, as Irving Berlin's "Second Fiddle." Six new hits from the fertile brain of the music maestro are featured in the show. Darryl F. Zanuck made this spectacular ice-skating musical, which presents a highly realistic tale of a long search by the film moguls for a girl to Play the part of the heroine in a bestselling novel. Mary Healy is stated to make a good impression in her first big production, while Sonja has a new skating partner in Stewart Reburn. a presentable young man wth twinkling feet and tons of personality. This film is right in line with the new trend, set by Zanuck in "Alexander's Ragtime Band," of combining outstanding music with a story of real dramatic worth.

CIVIC THEATRE. The stirring story of an Empire in the making, the screen version of the A. E. W. Mason classic "Four Feathers" in receiving well-merited support in its local season at the Civic Theatre. It stands among tlie finest films to come out of the British studioe, and is certainly among the finest made by Alexander Korda and hie brother Zoltan, the big names in England's motion picture industry. Leading role is handled by youne John Clements, and by reason of liin performance in the [film he has ensured himself of a high place in pictures. He brings great? dramatic force into the role of the lad who is branded a coward and seeks to rehabilitate himself. Ralph Richardson also has an important role, and others in the cant are C. Aubrey Smith and .Tune Duprez. Richardson is a player all too rarely seen in New Zealand. He showed his worth in "South Riding" and "The Citadel," and he enhances his reputation even more in "Four Feathers" with the role of John T>urrance, the officer who goes blind in the desert. Camera work in trtie film is flawless, and the settings are spectacular. Tt is a great screen document that all should see.

MAJESTIC. There Is a gay and whimsical comedy background for the romantic film, "The Girl which on Friday is scheduled to begin a local season at the Majestic Theatre. A novel co-starring pair appear in the leading roles—Franchot Tone and Franciska Gaal. After two previous American films, "The Buccaneer" and "Paris Honeymoon," Miss Gaal is given a role of the type in which she excels. The supporting cast in "The Girl Downstairs" includes Rita Johnson, Walter Connolly, Reginald Gardiner, Franklin Pangborn and Reginald Owen, and it was directed by Norman Taurog, whose Inst film was "Boy's Town." The filnp has its locale in Switzerland. The story is a gay and amusing one of the adventures in romance of a smart young man about town and a pretty scullery maid. Tone is excellent as the cosmopolitan architect. It is stated that Tone will be lost to the scrcen for a few months now, as he intends making return appearances on Broadway. Associate feature at the Majestic is a film that promises good things. It is "I Stole a Million," and stars George Raft, Claire Trevor and Dick Foran in a fine melodrama. MAYFAIR.

Sidney Tolcr, newest Charlie Chan of the screen, shows that he is move than capable of filling the plarp of the late Warner Olanfl in "Charlie Chan in Reno." which heads the outstanding doublefeature programme to be shown for the first time on Friday at the Mayfair Theaf-e. The prestige of this oldest of all series of pictures has never been higher than now; it is impossible to become tired of them. In Charlie's visit to Reno there are complications more entertaining than usual. After a murder has been committed it is found that the woman accused was the one who planned to marry the husband of the victim. Complications come thick and fast until Chan gets to work to find out the guilty party out of half a dozen or more suspects, all of whom had possible motives. Ricardo Cortez and Phyllis Brooks have important romantic roles, others present being Eddie Collins, Slim Summerville and Kay Linaker. Ever-popular English comedian Will Hay is starred in the co-feature, "Ask a Policeman." Hay is cast as a heavyhanded London policeman. In the cast are Moore Marriott and Graham Moffitt.

REGENT THEATRE. u At last Aucklanders are to fee t'lie real 'Lambeth Walk." .Starring the original dancer of that remarkable ballroom phenomenon, Lupino Lane, the tilm is a screen adaptation ot the famous stasje play that set everyone the world over dancing the popular step. The Jilm will have its finst presentations in Auckland on Friday at the Regent Theatre. Associated with Lane in the cast are beautiful Sally Gray, Seymour Hick*. Wallace Lupino, Knid Stamp-Taylor and .Mark Lester. The theme of the stage play, which was entitled "Me and My Girl." centres around the society debut of a Cockney heir, Bill Snidson. a part played superbly by Lupino Lane. The world-wide vogue of this ballroom piece is the film's major factor of appeal, but ir has more than that: it has delicious humour and a striking element of the picturesque Cockney that; is outstanding. Lane, an old trouper these many years, lives up to his great reputation, and Miss Cray again shows that she holds a place among England's finest feminine players. The "Lambeth Walk" sequence, of course, is what al Auckland will want to go along and see. ST. JAMES' THEATRE. Not for many years has .loan Crawford been seen in a better role than that she plays in "lee Follies of 1939," the spectacular production that is scheduled to begin an Auckland engagement at St. .lames' Theatre on Friday. For the first time .loan's voice is featured on the screen. She appears with an extraordinarily varied cast, which is headed by Jimmy Stewart and features such welltried players as Lew Ayres. Lewis Stone, Lionel Stander and Bess Erhardt. Some of the best songs to come out of Hollywood this season are included in "Ice Follies." The story centres around Mary McKay, a singing ice skater, who, through a series of strange twists of fate, finds herself at the top of the film ladder. Her quick ascent, however, leaves behind her husband and there is a forceful dramatic angle to the production as the two fight out their destinies. Miss Crawford has been happily cast in a role similar to that in which she first rose to stardom. Stewart, too, adds to his already formidable reputation as a dramatic star. The spectacular ice ballets are among the best ever to reach the screen. "Ice Follies" seem a sure bet.