AMUSEMENTS

Grey River Argus, 29 August 1939, Page 12

AMUSEMENTS

i Opera House FINAL SCREENINGS: ‘■TROUBLE BREWING.” Once upon a time people used to say “Never.trouble trouble till trouble troubles you.” but in these days of international troubles, taxation, traffic troubles, and imaginary troubles, life's not what it used to be, so put a laugh in life again and laugh your troubles away at George Formby in his funniest film, "Trouble Brewing,” to be finally screened at the Opera House to-day and to-night. NEXT ATTRACTION: “STRANDED IN PARIS.” The hilarious musical comedy “Stranded in Paris,” starring Jack Benny, comes to the Opera House tomorrow and Thursday. With the Paris Exposition as the background of the story a bunch of excitable theatricals are stranded in Paris, with no money, and go through the most complicated and comical manoeuvres. Spectacle gets opportunities in scenes where the troupe make an eventual exit through a window, across parapets and walls, with women and luggage going first, is an hilarious business. which lands them uninvited insde the palatal and ornate Exposition offices, where the comedy goes on unabated, and where the troupe have to impersonate models, after the manner of Madame Tussauds, something which creates keen amusement and ccstacy begotten of hilarious suspense. Jack Benny, smooth and debonair as the theatrical manager, sets the key! for gently spoofing comedy. Joan; Bennett as the “fourth richest girl in ; the world,” who joins the company. ■ enters thoroughly into the gay mood of the film and has many opportuni- 1 ties to wear some delightful frocks. > Charles Grapewin brings considerablezest in the role as Joan’s millionaire ■ father, Mary Boland contributes some, robust humour as the Western aunt. ■ who turns “socialite,” whilst the Yacht Club boys are entertaining with their daft amusement, particularly, when they sing “You’re Broke, You ( Dope,” as they swing down the streets j of Paris, in cowboy and Indian garb, much to the amusement of the Par-! isians. Other songs are “What Have You Got That Gets Me?” and “You’re lovely, Madame.” Brightened by constant hilarity, deft dialogue and characterisations, “Stranded in Paris” has a special interest to women, in which the climax provides a fashion parade, the most extraordinary ever filmed.

“THREE SMART GIRLS GROW UP" COUNTRY CIRCUIT “Three Smart Girls Grow Up” will be screened at Kumara to-night,'

Ikamatua on Friday and Moana on Sunday (September 3). This is Deanna Durbin’s latest picture and is her finest effort to date. REGENT NOW SHOWING: “BLOCKADE” AND “HIS EXCITING NIGHT.” Perhaps the timeliest of the season’s motion pictures, and certainly the one presenting the most tensely dramatic action, is “Blockade” which the film critic of Reynolds News, London, reports as “worthy of ranking among the greatest dramas that the screen has produced.” This Walter Wagner production stars Madeleine Carroll and Henry Fonda The background of this stirring photoplay is the Spanish Civil War, though the central theme df the story is the romance of Miss Carroll and Fonda, both caught in the seething maelstrom of the conflict. The events of the story lose none of their exciting quality through the fact that the production preserves a strictly neptraJ attitude and does not identify any character as a member of one faction or the other.

The story of “.Blockade” opens with Norma (Madeleine Carroll) arriving in Spain to discover her father and an associate have been active in helping to foment a civil war. War breaks out and Marco (Henry Fonda), a farmer whom the girl has met and fallen in love with, becomes a soldier, kills Norma’s father as a spy and is obliged to arrest her as a suspect. Released through a traitorous alliance between her father’s former associate and a Spanish general, she is forced to become their aide in espionage work and is sent to Castelmare as the bearer of a message to spies intent upon the destruction of a ship laden with food for the relief of the blockaded city. The trusted men are engaged in secretly selling their services to the other side. The plot is discovered by Marco as .Norma, with a sudden revulsion of feeling over the plight of the starving townspeople, . attempts to rectify the wrong she has done.

After a series of dangerous adventures, the pair confess their love when they find themselves facing death at the hands of enraged soldiers. An unexpected happening in the high command brings the story to a thrilling climax.

“Blockade” was directed by William Dieterle, who gained fame when the •Motion Picture Academy of Arts ano Sciences acclaimed his most recen* picture, “The Life of Emile Zpla” as the greatest production of 1937. The exceptional cast supporting Miss Carroll and Fonda is headed by Leo Carrillo and also includes John Halliday. Reginald Denny, Vladimir- Sokoloff, Robert Warwick and Katherine De Mille. ...

The associate feature “His Exciting Night,” features Charlie Ruggles and a cast of expert comedy players,- .

“His Exciting Night” presents Ruggles as a bridegroom, snatched froriv

the church and placed in an rassing predicament with a gorgeous blonde. His attempts to explain to his wife and her family, and the complication which arise,-, furnish a fast and laugh-filled plot. With Ruggles are seen “Slapsie” Maxie Rosenbloom, Marion Martin, Ona Munson, Stepin Fetchitt, Benny Baker, Georgie Caine, Frances Robinson, Raymond Parker, Regis Toomey and Stanley Hughes. Patrons are advised to make early booking for this excellent programme. GREY LABOUR PARTY’S EUCHRE TOURNAMENT. All euchre players are requested to please note that during the reconstruction of the Lyceum Hall, the Greymouth Labour Party’s Euchre tournament will be held in the Druids’ Hall (opposite Overland Dairy Factory), Tainui Street. The downstairs portion of the hall has been thoroughly renovated so as to give the maximum of comfort and enjoyment to all euchre patrons.