AMUSEMENTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20492, 28 February 1941, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS

REGENT THEATRE i “ANDY HARDY MEETS DEBUTANTE” Against a glamorous Manhattan 'background, the Hardy Family has .once again vvoven a tale of hilarious comedy and poignant human drama in “Andy Hardy Meets Debutante,” which began to-day at the Regent Theatre. In this latest episode of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s saga of a typical American family, the Hardys take a trip to New York where Lewis ■Stone, as Judge Hardy, must fight a dramatic battle against the best legal brains in the metropolis or see the Carvel orphanage, refuge of the little town’s parentless youngsters, be closed for lack of funds. How he manages to win the battle furnishes one of the best court-room scenes of the year. In the meanwhile Mickey Rooney, as Andy, has enmeshed himself in a -situation from which he can see no 'escape. Infatuated with pictures of a '.■jew York glamour girl, he has boasted to his- .sweetheart, Ann •autherford, and to Carvel chums that he knows the debutante. Taken to New York with the family, he must viake good on his boast or never .hear the last of it. Comedy highlights growing out of his predicament include/. his being thrown out of the debutante’s home when he tries to present a self-written letter of introduction, and a night club scene in .which Mickey unwittingly runs up an £8 bill on a £1 10s bankroll. Mickey ’plays the comedy scenes with a deft, (touch and has never turned in a better performance as Andy Hardy. Judy ■Garland, teamed with Mickey for the ’third time in their film careers, sings two numbers, “I’m Nobody’s Baby” and “Alone.” She is a charming subdeb, who aids Mickey in finally meeting the glamour girl, the latter played by Diana Lewis. A wide range ol topics is covered in the associate programme. which includes a coloured cartoon. “Tom .Turkey and his Harmonic Humdingers”; Pete Smith ■novelty. “Quicker,’n a Wink”: “Our Gang” in “Bubbling Troubles”: and the .(latest in newsreels showing- H.M.A.S. :Sydney returning home, Nazi fire raids on London, Canadian troops Guarding Iceland, the Coastal Command on patrol. American volunteers, and South African tanks.