ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 99, 20 January 1939, Page 13

ENTERTAINMENTS

“The Adventures Of Robin Hood” Still At Regent

Now in its second week nt the Degen t Theatre, ‘'The Adventures ot Kobin Hood” i a the film of a well-knit story. Word comew to England that Rieliaid, on his way home from the Crusades, has been taken prisoner'in Austria. lni« gives Prince John the chance to Sjain control, with the aid of Sir Guy of Gisborne, of the nation's revenues. His overtaxed people find expression for their rebellion in the schemes of Itobin Hood, who, J “ the secret fastnesses of Sherwood I' orest, relieves the agonies of the poor with supplies obtained from robbing the rich. Ihe High Sheriff of Nottingham is, so inellectual in his hunt for the outlaw band that Prince John himself hovers nearby to direct Kobin’s capture. As the story progresses Maiil Marian realizes slowly that Kobin the Outlaw is right, and, wishing to prove her love for Kobin, becomes his spy within Prince John’s entourage. Richard’s return to England, and Ins security under Kobin's protection in the forest, sets the stage for Prince John s deserved downfall on the very day he was to have been crowned King. . Errol Flynn plays Robin; Olivia de Havilland, Maid Marian, and in complete contrast Basil Rathbone and C'laude Raines piny respectively Sir Guy and Prince John. The pageantry and romance of the time sweep one away from the complexities, of the modern age, back bOO years into a world the memory of which might have been forgotten if no one had thought of putting pen to paper to create “Robin Hood” literature and thus retain a knowledge of tlie'ciistoms and weapons of such people as appear in the picture. “The Adventures of Robin Hood” is in teehnicolour, and was produced by Warner Bros. , Four sessions will be presented today.

“It’s In The Air” Opens At St. James Theatre

With George Fonnby playing in ‘lts in the Air” which begins at the St. Janies Theatre today laughs are assured. George “accidentally” joins the Royal Air Force with the mistaken idea of saving his sister's airman sweetheart from exposure; and almost succeeds in wrecking the camp with his sublime clumsy ignorance, nearly giving the sergeant-major, apoplexy, and becoming the butt for every practical joker in the service. He continually falls foul of the sergeant-major, and finally finds himself alone at the joy-stick of a nosediving, tail-spinning, looping-the-loop bimber, miles high in the heavens. Nevertheless, the fun reaches extravagant heights when “our hero” does'duty as a dispatch rider careering madly over the countryside on a motor-cycle combination with the local O.C. as his terrified passenger. That George Forniby should be so emphatically in favour ,of comedy is not surprising. His own triumph in this realm was presaged by a family attachment which saw the name top the bills of London music halls long before the era of motion pictures. George himself was a vaudeville artist of no little note before Basil Dean, the famous English producer, witnessed his act in a Lancashire variety theatre and immediately selected him as a likely screen type. So it is that with his experience of bow the public accepts bis songs, ho manages to find time and place to sing three saucy numbers. Polly Ward, Garry Marsh, Julian Mitchell and Hal Gordon head a big supporting cast.

The Film “Marie Antoinette” At Majestic

Opening its 'Wellington season at the Majestic Theatre today, “.Marie Antoinette” is convincing in every scene. Norma Shearer resumes her brilliant career as an actress in this film, and her co-starring for the first time with Tyrone Power, is an example of; perfect teaming. Here is the Marie Antoinette, the last Queen of France and the one man whom she complete]}' loved and trusted, the handsome, gallant Count Axel de Fersen. It is because of Marie Antoinette’s determination to find happiness at any cost that she becomes the gayest, giddiest and most extravagant woman in France, seeking forgetfulness in mad pleasures till she meets Count Axel de Fersen mid falls desperately in love with him. Antoinette’s love for' Fersen and his courageous attempts to save her from the guillotine during the grim days of the French Revolution provide one of history’s tenderest romances. Through some of the most spectocular scenes ever filmed—Antoinette’s arrival at the Palace of Versailles, her marriage, the gnv gambling hall where she entertained her fair-weather friends, the Duke d'Orleans Ball, the escape of the Royal Family to Varennes when revolution threatened and mad Paris when the gullotine heralded the birth of the French Republic—is the romance woven. Even on the eve of Antoinette’s execution, Fersen risks his life to see her. His sec* ond Plan to affect her escape comes too late. Antoinette, aged by suffering, horror and despair, but still the Queen, goes to the gulilotine and to rest. An exclusive Cinesound special shows vivid scenes of the devastating bush fires in Australia.

“Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs” At King’s

“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, entering its'fifth week at the King s llieatre today has every element that makes for great entertainment— comedy gi 1° <h with the seven dwarfs and the little woodland animals responsible for most oi it; romance in the love story between Snow White and her handsome young prince; excitement find suspense, mostly accounted for by Snow Whites wicked enemy the queen and her , en<l ™ v( !’ lr £j bewieh the princess. Taking Malt Disney and his helpers three years to mlike the old Grimm story of the princess, the stepmother queen, and the dwarfs has become a delightful film in colour. -t is said that the full beauty of the scenes cannot be appreciated at the first showing.

Plaza Theatre Now Screens “The Lady Vanishes” The credit titles of “The Lady Vanishes,” which begins a season at the I la-'» Theatre today, are s nP enm , p .°?, ed ins snowclad mountain view which remainWhen the titles come to an end. lh<camera then swoops down on an actio scene in a hotel lobby, a scene silent till a loud clock starts to chime; then everyone begins talking at once. This unusual opening shot in which the silent screen has been welded Io the talking screen was arranged by Alfred Hitchcock, one o Britain’s foremost directohr. The supporting programme is topical. “Room Service” Transferred To Tudor Theatre

Transferred to the Tudor Theatre, “Room Service,” with the Marx Brothers, will show today. The action of ‘ Room Service” takes place in a big Broadway hotel, with two brief sequences in an adjoining alley and a theatre. Packed with side-splitting situations and sparkling dialogue, the screen play was written by Morrie Ryskind from the play by John Murray and Allen Borctz.. The hilarious structure of the plot is built up by a series of suspense-packed highlights which keep the laughter rolling till the end. The story concerns the production of a play and the unexpected arrival of the author in search of his advance royalties, the backer who is tricked into financing the show, the hotel manager who regrets that he ever became the producer's brother-in-law. the hotel supervisor who finances the play without knowing it, the hectic ruses by which the madcap Marxes restrain all interference till the curtain goes up arc certain to provide mirthful laughter.

Two Exclusive Releases At

Paramount Theatre

A. thrilling mystery, The Case of the Stuttering Bishop,” a picture made from a novel by Erie Stanley Gardner, and a comedy-drama “Penrod and Sam,” from the famous novel of that name by Booth Tarkington, will start a season of one week only at the Paramount Theatre toPerry Mason, played by Donald Woods, is the brilliant lawyer-detective in “The Case of the Stuttering Bishop.” M “ so . n once again gets a chance to combine his legal ability with his penchant for unravelling a mass of circumstantial evidence, pointing to no less than six highly possible suspects, of whom the stuttering bishop (Edward McWade) js one. The locale of the ytory shifts interestingly from a third-class hotel, room to a mansion on Park Avenue, a pier on the river front in the dead of night, and finally to the deck of an ocean liner. Others in the cast include Helen MacKellar, Joseph Crehan, Linda Perry, Tom Kennedy, Craig Reynolds, Gordon Oliver, Gordon Hart, Anne Nagel, Veda Ann Borg and Mira McKinney. ,

Though most of the, players are youngsters, “Penrod and Sam” is not by any means a picture intended solely for juvenile audiences. There is plenty of real drama in it—enough to satisfy all the elders —and no end of hearty laughs. ■

Penrod is played by 12-year-old Billy Mauch, and his friend, Sam. hy Harry Watson, a sturdy lad who is likewise 12. Penrod's parents are the noted favourites, Frank Craven and Spring Byington (“Mrs. Jones.” of “The Jones Family”). Craig Reynolds, popular leading man, turns villain for the .first time in his film career.

Dick Foran, “The Singing Cowboy,” will be featured on a bright supporting programme. He appears in “Sunday Round-Up,” an action-filled short full of the splendid beauty of the great outdoors of Arizona. The film is in teehnicolour; and Foran sings five numbers. Also there will be “Charlie McCarthy” and Edgar Bergen in the aptly-named film “Double Talk,” Who can resist “Charlie,” so debonair, so suave, and so witty?

Another Double Feature Programme At State

“Straight, Place and Show,” which will start at the State Theatre today, is headed by the Ritz Brothers. They play a trio of down-and-out pony track operators thrust into big racing when Richard Arlen bestows a thoroughbred on them, in characteristic fashion they build the story up to a series of hilarious scenes topped by their having to ride the competing horses in a race so that their own entry can win.

As the title “Sharpshooters,” the second film, implies, the heroes are first-class newsreel photoghaphers, and that the life of a newsreel cameraman is just one exciting situation after another is discovered as the film- unfolds.

“The Vampire Bat” And “In Old

Santa Fe” At De Luxe

Starring Melvyn Douglas, “The Vampire'Bat’’ will begin today at the, De Luxe Theatyc. “The Vampire Bat” is about a scientist who becomes enmeshed in the twinkling web of his own sinister design when he probes too deeply into the mysteries of life. Others .at the head of the cast are Lionel Atwili and Fay Wray. The second feature which is “In Old Santa Fe” has the world-famous Gene Autrey, as well as “Windy” Dayes and Ken Maynard who have played together in many exciting pictures which nave had their action' on the open plains homing Indians, and putting ■wrong to right.