REGENT THEATRE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20567, 29 May 1941, Page 5

REGENT THEATRE

“I LOVE YOU AGAIN”: LAST DAY Concluding to-day at the Regent Theatre is Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's joyous comedy. “I Love You Again,” starring William Powell and Myrna uoy. —To-morrow’s New Programme— The unchallenged drawing power of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland as co-stars in "Strike Up the Band’ promises to fill the Regent Theatre this coming week-end with exuberant capacity crowds for the inception ot a sparkling feature, the like of which has not been, excelled for many months. Whatever it is that constitutes the peculiar charm of these two talented youngsters finds fullest scope for expression in this picture, coining almost exactly a year after their outstanding joint triumph in “Babes in Arms.” The same producer, Arthur Freed, and the same director, Busby Berkeley, have excelled in launching them on a joyous adventure of riotous rhythm. Cast as a youthful adherent to the charms of a band, and most, especially of the drums, Mickey Rooney revels in what is manifestly a labour of love; for in private life bis most prized hobby is the organising, financing and conducting of his own jazz orchestra. And when it comes to rhythm, who can be a more talented and bewitching partner than Judy Garland? With them again, as in “Babes in Arms,” are June Preisser and Ann Shoemaker, while excellent performances are given also by William Trach and Larry Nunn. Romance devolves from Judy Garland’s slighted efforts in the direction of a romantic attachment with the boy, while she helps him in his endeavours to get his band to Chicago for an audition before Paul Whiteman. To the screen comes Whiteman as band leader and adviser, and finally as hero, giving Mickey’s band first place in a contest. Touches of poignancy devolve from the wish oi Mickey’s mother to launch him on a career of medicine and from the sickness of one of his young friends, while thrilling features are Unpatriotic final sequence, in which the Stars and Stripes are unfurled on the screen to the accompaniment of the title song, the work of George and Ira Gershwin; the melody and catchy, lyrics of “Our Love Affair," written by Fred and Roger ■ Edens; the mummery of a "Gay Nineties” melodrama put in by the cast to raise money for their band, and the performance given by the youthful co-stars in an exaggerated version of a La Conga dance. The excellent supports include topical scenes per the Regent news review of military and naval interest, and also an exceptionally interesting short subject, "More About Nostradamus," dealing with the prophecies of the celebrated sixteenth-century seer who predicted the rise of Hitler.