ENTERTAINMENTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 November 1945, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS

OPERA HOUSE—To-night, “Broadway Rhythm.” 0 Gaiety and tenderness, merry songs and sentimental ones, dances, sparkling specialty acts, plus, an inspired use of technicolour, plus a good story —that’s “Broadway. Rhythm,” showing at the Opera House. “Broadway Rhythm” has a brilliant cast, headed by George Murphy, an oft-proved * screen favourite, and Ginny Simms, lovely.lady of the airwaves. Add to that sure-fire pair of entertainers, Tommy Dorsey and his music, Charles Winninger, Lena Horne; Hazel Scott, Eddie “Rochester” Anderson, Gloria De Haven, Kenny Bowers, Ben Blue and Nancy Walker. Add six sensational newcomers from the New York stage—the Ross Sisters, three breathtaking young acrobats; Walter Long, tap dancer nonpareil; Jane Hale, golden-haired dancer, who is George Murphy’s partner in a fast-stepping interlude, and Dean Murphy, the White House’s favourit mimic, who presents a series of the laugh-provoked impersonations that made him famous. Climaxing the film is a spectacular imaginative presenation utilising almost the entire talent-studded cast dancing and singing “Who’s Who in Your Love Life?” another new song by tune-smiths Raye and De Paul. “Broadway Rhythm” is the story of a successful Broadway producer who hits a snag in his career when he decides to go “arty” and a hitch in his romantic plans when the Hollywood star, played by Ginny Simms, determines to produce a play on her. own with the, co-operation of Murphy’s father and kid sister. REGENT THEATRE—To-night: “The Way Ahead,” starring David Niven. Starring David Niven, “The Way Ahead,” showing at the Regent Theatre to-night, is a magnificent film about the British Army. It is a plain tale of typical Britons of this generation who were called from the plough, the bench and the office. It is the story of the Tommy of to-day—-the average Englishman, and concerns a group of men, civilians, who join the Duke of Glendon’s Light Infantry. They find themselves part of a regiment whose battle honours sound like a long bugle call. The old “Regulars” the D.O.G.’s as. they call themselves, have their doubts about these civilians. Who, they wonder would be able to bear the difficulty, danger, discomfort as did the men of the old D.O.G.’s? The test comes. The old men find that Tommy is the same to-day as he is in every generation. The Old Dogs salute the young D.O.G.’s and agree that the honour of the regiment is safe in the keeping of the ordinary man. He was a civilian. He became a Crusader. But that is not what he calls himself. As a Tommy we salute him in this British film. A film which though deeply moving is intensely humorous; though forceful it is never brutal. It shows with the wittiest insight the real human being behind the uniform.