ENTERTAINMENTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 April 1940, Page 12

ENTERTAINMENTS

OPERA HOUSE: Now Showing: “POISON, PEN.”

A quaint English village is the background of the powerful drama, “Poison Pen,” to be screened at the Opera House to-night, to-morrow and Thursday. Anonymous letters written with a terrible knowledge of the recipients’ private lives starts the first scandal, then a brawl, a suicide follows, and then murder. This graphic presentation of the power of the scandal writer is thrown into strong relief by its frame of village life where the least word of gossip finds a ready ear. As always, the culprit makes a mistake, and the police get a clear line of action. The revelation is amazing, the guilty party is as unsuspected as the depths that exist in all humans. The unrolling of this drama is absorbing entertainment, and gives full opportunities to Flora Robson at the head of a brilliant cast. The picture is not all sombre shadow, there is some sly comedy extracted from the foibles of the righteous dames who busy themselves with the detection of the culprit. The village pub, the post office, where the purchase of groceries and the transaction of the most of the inhabitants’ public business makes it a nerve centre of< village life, the church on Sunday morning, where a subdued buzz goes round at the entrance of a notorious character—all these have had faithful representation in “Poison Pen.” Others in the cast include Robert Newton, Ann Todd, Reginald Tate, Geoffrey Toone and Belle Chrystall.

REGENT: Finally to-night: “THE SISTERS.” Commencing Wednesday, excellent Double Feature Programme: “OLD BONES OF THE RIVER” and “MR. MOTO ON VACATION.”

A' new Will Hay. comedy is always an eagerly anticipated screen event. In “Old Bones of the River,” which is adapted from the famous Edgar Wallace West African tale, “Lieutenant Bones,” he appears as Professor Benjamin Tibbetts. The story provides some of the most unique and uproarious situations and will keep you laughing long after you have seen the film. Will Hay’s attempts to assert his pedagogic authority over the precocious native children —and their parents; his reasoning with recalcitrant taxpayers whose only assets appear to be wives and goats; his inexperienced mothering of a wide-eyed piccanniny whom he takes under his wing when he has snatched her from the jaws of a sacrificial death and the ingenious brainwaves he adopts to stall off the belligerent natives and hold the English residency until help arrives—all these highlights of comedy set up new landmarks in the history of cinematic hilarity. Supporting Will Hay are two outstanding comedians, Graham Moffatt and Moore Marriott, who are seen as captain and crew of the s.s. “Zaire.” WEIRD ADVENTURE. Getting mixed up with murderers and international jewel thieves probably wouldn’t exactly be your idea of the perfect vacation. But that’s what. Mr. Moto spends his time doing in “Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation,” the newest thriller starring Peter- Lorre as the famous detective.

The film takes Mr. Moto to the Arabian desert and he meets his most exciting adventures to date while providing a safe escort for the Queen of Sheba’s priceless crown jewels. Joseph Schildraut,’ Lionel Atwill, Virginia Field, John King and Iva Stewart head the supporting cast. Patrons are advised to book early. ’Phone 601 now.