ENTERTAINMENTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 January 1941, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS

OPERA HOUSE—Now Showing: “NAUGHTY BUT NICE” and “WOMEN IN THE WIND.” Humour, melody and rhythm are skilfully, blended in “Naughty But Nice,” which is now showing at the Opera House. A hilariously satirical disclosure of some of the: skeletons in the closets of the denizens of Tin Pan Alley-(a name given to New York’s song writing community),, both the composers and the publishers. Two of the best of them, Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer, have supplied it with five new tunes. Sharing almost equally in the acting and singing are Ann Sheridan, Dick Powell and Gale Page. The comedy is mainly entrusted to as impressive a cast of actors and fun-makers as has ever been assembled in Hollywood, numbering such favourites as Helen Broderick, Zasu Pitts, Allen Jenkins, Maxie Rosenbloom, Ronald Reagan, Jerry Colonna and Luis Alberni. In addition, the National Jitterbug Champions, a crew of swinghappy youngsters, do their stuff in a big dance scene. With side excursions it tells how, without intending to do so, a professor of classical music becomes the nation’s foremost composer of hot swing tunes.

“WOMEN IN THE WIND.” The thrills, romances, ■ sorrows and joys of those intrepid girls who have made aviation their career, are graphically related in “Women of the Wind,” starring Kay Francis and William Gargan, which is also showing at the Opera House. The story is concerned with the winning of a transcontinental air derby for women by Kay Francis, portraying a girl who had retired from flying in ordei’ to devote her life to the care of her crippled brother and then entered the derby only to get the first prize money of £3OOO and thus retain the services of a high-priced specialist to cure her brother’s paralysis. In achieving her goal, she is aided by Gargan in the role of a famous aviator who has just broken the record for a round-the-world flight, and by Eddie Foy, Jr., who has displaced Gargan from the front pages by breaking the trans-Atlantic flight record. Others in the large and expert cast include Victor Jory, Maxie Rosenbloom, Sheila Bromley, Eve Arden, Rosella Towne, Ila Rhodes, Frankie Burke.

REGENT—Finally To-night; “SOUTH OF SAMOA.” Commencing Friday: “EDISON, THE MAN,” starring Spencer Tracy.

“Edison, the. Man,” is. the fourth picture in which Spencer Tracy has starred in a real-life role. In none of them did the star use make-up until, in “Edison, the Man,” he put on a white wig and facial make-up to play the inventor at the age of 82. “Edison, the Man,” picks up the great

inventor’s life at the age of twentytwo when, unknown and almost penniless, he arrives in New York City. The story follows his career and courtship through the arduous years in which he fights ridicule and failure until his invention of the phonograph and electric light. Rita Johnson heads the supporting cast as Tracy’s wife and other featured pldyers include Lynne Overman, Charles Coburn, Gene Lockhart, Henry Travers and Felix Bressart. The picture was directed by Clarence Brown. Patrons intending to see this picture are advised to make their reservations now.