AMUSEMENTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20499, 8 March 1941, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS

MAJESTIC THEATRE LAST DAY: “§OUTH TO KARANGA” AND “MAN WITH NINE LIVES*’ An exciting blend of adventure, mystery, and romance, Universal's “South to ''Karangrj” concludes tonight. Enacted by a capable cast, headed b.y Charles Bickford, James Craig, Luli Deste, and John Sutton, the film depicts the harrowing events which befall a small group gf whites in the African interior. In what is said to be the most terrifying of all the Karloff films, “The Mail With Nine Lives,” Boris Karloff contributes one of his greatest characterisations as a scientist who is- brought back to life after spendirjg 10 years in a slate ol "frozen sleep.”

—Monday: “Bengal Lancer” Returns — Exciting fare is . provided by "The Lives of a Bengal Lancer," which commences on Monday. It deals with the adventures of the 4th Bengal Lancers, a regiment stationed on the North-west frontier of India. Although Gary Cooper is credited with the leading role, as Alan McGregor, hot-headed, kind-hearted Scots-Cana-dian, Franchot Tone and Richard Cromwell, as two junior officers of the regiment share the honours evenly with him. Another important characterisation is that played by Sir Guy Standing as Colonel Stone, whose son is a junior officer. He is magnificent in the role of an unrelenting old colonel who put duty before love. An excellent performance is also given by the young New Zealander, Colin Tapley. ’ One of the regiment’s tasks is to hunt down Mohammed Khan, a daring hill robber, who has defied British arms for years. The outlaw captures Cromwell and takes him to his stronghold, and the other two officers disguised as uative merchants, make their way thither in the hope of rescuing him. Recognised by the outlaw, they are imprisoned and tortured until one of them breaks down and tells Mohammed Khan the route by which a consignment of ammunition on its way to a friendly ruler, will, bp taken. His capture of the. ammunition train, however, is nullified b.Y. the self-sacrifice of the captives, who at g heavy cost to themselves, break out of prison, turn a. machine-gun on. the Khan's men and blow up the magazine. making a breach. in the wall through which the Lancers can enter. Outstanding featurett'Cs include “Meet the Maestro,” a Pope.ve comedy. Paramount Pictorial, the latest newsreel, and the serial.

KING’S THEATRE

“TIN PAN ALLEY”: MUSICAL EXTRAVAGANZA Popular songs that captivated the public in the last couple of decades are featured in 20th Century-Fox’s lavishly produced musical comedy “Tin Pan Alley,” now at the King’s Theatre. The film lakes 'he spectator down famed West 4Gth Street. New York, known in the world of the theatre as “Tin Pan Alley,” the street from which came such pooular melodies as “K-K-K-Katy,” “The Sheik of Araby,” “Alice-Blue Gown,” “Keep the Home Fires Burning’ 'and “Rose of No-Man’s Land.” With Jack Oakie and John Payne heading the cast, “Tin aPn Alley” is patterned along the same, lines as “Alexander’s Ragtime Band." which received a popular reception. Betty . Grable and Alice Faye, both of whom have appeared in a number of brilliant film revues, have the leading feminine roles, and are the principal vocalists. The highlight of an excellent supporting programme is a Fox International newsreel which depicts dramatic battle scenes in “The Fall of Tobruk.”

REGENT THEATRE

CONVOY”: MOTION PICTURE OF THE MOMENT

Few films in recent years have so gripped the imagination of the people as “Convoy,” which began at the Regent Theatre yesterday. With a canvas crammed with thrills, adventures, naval encounters, acts of individual heroism, and adorned with the blufT sardonic humour of the British, bluejacket and men of the merchant service, this largescale production fulfils every demand for a topical drama extolling Britain’s, command of the seas. Its direct, unadorned acting serves to throw into greater relief the reality of the subject matter, while a human story effectively serves to give the otherwise individual battles complete unity. The Admiralty has served the producers royally in providing facilities for filming episodes with actual North Sea convoys, and the producers took full advantage of the co-opera-tion by sending the director, Pen Tennyson, and three cameramen on actual voyages to- "get” the real thing. A flagship, expecting leave, is ordered to sea without a breathing space, to convoy a fleet of merchantmen. Among the latter is a tough old skipper who thinks he can do better away from the convoy and takes his ship, packed with refugees, on a course of his own. On the flagship, the captain (Clive Brook) is disconcerted to find the Admiralty have appointed as his lieutenant the man who ran away with his wife and loft her stranded, the girl in question is on the refugee ship, which is soon in difficulties with a U-boat. The flagship captain ignores her SOS lrist he imperil the rest of his charges, but the lieutenant dispatches a plane to its assistance, only to have it shot down. Though the captain’s wife is saved, and explains away s his bigoted misjudging of his younger colleague, the flagship has to engage single-handed the German pocket battleship, Deutschland. The whole production is alive with action from end to end, with every ingredient of. popular entertainment skilfully moulded into a film, one will really enjoy and long remember. Clive Brook as Captain Armitage literally “lives” his part, giving his best performa nee 2ine« “Cavalcade." John Clements as the unwelcome lieutenant, Judy Campbell as , the lovetroubled "wife arid Edward Chapman as the tramp skipper are others in the big cast also worthy of special mention.