ENTERTAINMENTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 December 1940, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

OPERA HOUSE:— Now Showing: “THE REAL GLORY” starring Gary Cooper. Starring Gary Cooper, with Andrea Leeds and David Niven heading an unusually .important cast, the new adventure drama, “The Real Glory,” which is now showing at the Opera House unfolds a thrilling and exciting tale of the Philippine Scouts • and their heroic bravery at the conclusion of the Spanish-American War, when the Philippines were overrun by insurrectionists and religious fanatics. The central theme revolves around the exploits of the scouts, who became a constabulary on the island and ■rallied to their support loyal natives and peaceful Moros. The Moros, a tribe of unorthodox Mohammedans, had retreated to the hills and jungles of the Sulu Kingdom to wage a fierce religious war against the remaining American troops. The supporting cast is headed by unique players, among them Broderick Crawford, Reginald Owen, Kay Johnson, Vladimir Sokoloff, Russell Hicks and Henry Kolker. For the first time in his career, Cooper plays the role of a doctor, who comes to this distant outpost for medical experience. He remains to help the Army quell the rebellion and establish lasting peace. Miss Leeds is in the role of an American visiting her father, and also stays on—not to win the war, but to win a trip to the altar on the arm of Gary.

REGENT:— Finally To-night: “BALALAIKA.” Commencing Tuesday: “THE EARL OF CHICAGO.” Robert Montgomery, whose talents for comedy are well known, oddly enough scored two of his biggest hits in “Night Must Fall,” which won him nomination for the Academy Award, and “The Big House,” both dramatic character- studies. Now he has been given another opportunity for character portrayal, in the most unusual motion picture of the year, “The Earl of Chicago.” From the time he read Brock Williams’ original story about a Chicago gangster, Silky Gilmount, who enherits an English estate and becomes the Twelfth Earl .of Gorley, Montgomery wanted to play the role and he did not rest until he had persuaded the studio to

assign him the part. Interested in criminology, he was fascinated by Silky as a character. During a visit to Washington while preparing for the picture, Montgomery visited J. Edgar Hoover, a personal friend, and did research on the idiosyncrasies of gangsters. Among other items, he picked up one that made Silky an interesting gang character. He learned the surprising fact that there are a number of big shot gangsters who have a psychopathic fear of guns, and this queer mental quirk about guns makes Silky’s distorted personality different from any screen gangster yet pictured by Hollywood. Because the first quarter of the film moves to England for its scenes against such backgrounds as the House of Lords and the Tower of London, the picture has been brought to the screen with a true British flavour. Edward Arnold heads a distinguished supporting cast in the new picture. Others in featured roles include Reginald Owen, Edmund Gwenn, E. E. Clive, Ronald Sinclair, and Norman Varden. Patrons are advised to make reservations early by ringing The Theatre Booking Office, 601.