AMUSEMENTS

Grey River Argus, 11 February 1941, Page 10

AMUSEMENTS

Opera House

Fiinally to-night: “He Married His Wife” and “Charlie Chan in Panama. Next attraction (commencing to-morrow Wednesday,) “The Return of Dr. X” and “Man About Town.”

i Picture-goers will doubtless recall the thrills of a picture released several years ago, called “Dr. X.” It dealt with the 'infamous exploits of Dr. Maurice Xavier, who eventually got his deserts in the electric chair. Now Warner Bros, writers have brought Doctor Xavier back to life — if you can call it living when a person, brought back from the .grave, goes around ghoulishly murdering people and draining their bodies of blood in order to maintain the spark of existence, in his own being. After that little outline of the theme which motivates “The Return of Doctor X,” commencing at the Opera House tomorrow (Wednesday), it will doubtless sound paradoxical to assert that] this is not a “horror” picture—ac-j cording to the Hollywood formula. Nevertheless, it is not. Whilst we are aware of what the reincarnated Xavier is up to, it is the efforts of a

young and impetuous newspaper reporter, assisted by an equally young but not so impetuous student-doctor, to run Xavier to earth that produces thrilling screen entertainment par excellence. Warner Bros made “The Return of Doctor X” after listening to clamourings for a successor to the original for years. The story, nowever, is completely original cast in the same mould as the earlier “Doctor X” without being in the nature of a sequel to it. Wayne Morris is the reporter who starts out to conduct a harmless and not particularly interesting interxiew with Angela Merrova (Lya Lys). a Continental stage star who is finding success in New York. But he runs into a first class news sensation when he arrives at the actress’ apartment to find her lying on the floor with a stab wound in her chest. A good citizen but still a better newspaperman, he ’phones his paper and merely leaves it to the police to read about the crime. They do. The minions of the law arrive at tne flat to be confronted with Wayne, who tells them that he will be only too pleased to show them the body. To his dismay the corpse has vanished and as it’s pretty difficult to presume murder without a body the police conclude that it’s just another newspaper hoax. So does Wayne's editor —especially when a living and animated Angela Merrova shows up at the newspaper office the next day threatening a libel action. Wayne gets fired. He institutes an investigation of his own, assisted by a young doctor friend, played by Dennis Morgan. “MAN ABOUT TOWN.” With Jack Benny providing comedy, Dorothy Lamour turning on the romance, Edward Arnold in an important role, and Binnie Barnes, Phil Harris, Betty Grable, “Rochester” and Matty Malneck and his orchestra numbered among the supporting cast, Paramount’s lively comedy wnn music, “Man About Town,” commences at the Opera House to-morrow (Wednesday). Jack plays an American theatrical impressario who, while readying a show in London, showers attention on a Lady of the English nobility, in order to arouse jealousy in the heart of a member of his troupe. The English Lady encourages Jack because her husband is so involved in his business that he has little time for her. When Jack and his troupe entertain at the Lady’s house and the husband begins to suspect Jack, all sorts of hilarious complications ensue. In addition to the big cast and hilarious story, the picture offers 20—count ’em —Petty Girls, chosen by the famed artisV, George Petty, to bring, his conception of lovely feminity to the screen. ! Regent Now Showing: George Sanders and i Margaret Lindsay in “THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES.” I — Nathaniel Hawthorne’s famous ’

i novel, “The House of the Seven uauies,” nas at last reached the movI its. The screen uraniausation ot uie I umuuiiai classic was nimeu by Universal biuuius. contrary to general uJuei, tins poweriui novel ox early nineteen in century New England nas never ueiure peen liimea. Few cnaiiges nave been made in the original plot. The screenplay preserves tne mystery and menace?or the filiated, seven-gaoled structure visioned by Jtiawthorne and peopled with the r-yncneon family living under tne scaiioid-nung curse - of tne long-dead Matthew Maule, executed for practising witchcraft. Margaret Lindsay is seen in the role of Hepzibah, first as a girl of eighteen, and in the later episodes ot the story a's the stern, tight-lipped, forbidding recluse in the gioomy house while she awaits the release of her imprisoned lover, Clifford, played by Vincent Price. George Sanders is seen as Clifford's brother on whom the curse of the Maules descends, while Nan Grey portrays Phoebe who brings light and happiness to the Pyncheons and who dissolves the curse that has blighted generations of the family.'

“HIGH JINKS” REVUE.

TO-NIGHT’S PERFORMANCE.

Looked eagerly forward to by a great many of the public, the “High Jinks” Musical Revue, which opens to-night at the Greymoutn Town Ha.l, will provide more than two and a-half hours of non-stop variety ‘entertainment. Encores will be 1 completely omitted from the programme, and item follows item in rapid succession. Now a. delightful music ant* dancing, scena, then snappy comedy, a talented vocalist, dancer or instrumental.st, and then another colourful scena fol.ow one another almost without a pause. A scena which has won special comment is that entitled “Romany; Rhythm.” The setting is a gipsy encampment with valley, caravan and towering peaks in the background. The scene opens with the gipsy company singing that popular melody “Gipsy Moon,” followed by Miss Eileen Hannan in a gipsy dance. This i s well performed with dash and precision, and fits exce.lently into the atmosphere of the scena. The closing number of the scene is a very pleasing rendition of that popular number “At the Balalaika,” by Mr Tom Hatch. This solo is particularly suited to the singer’s line voice, and provides a very fitting climax to an entertaining and colourrul scene. Th £ part of “Romerla,” th e gipsy violinist, is played by Miss Rona Peilion, who by.her sympathetic and talented performance during the several numbers, adds appreciably to the succes s of th e scene. An item certain to' meet; with universal approval is the tiny tot’s operatic dance very daintily rendered by little Miss Lynetty Hopkinson, aged four years. This little dancer has a very pleasing stage manner and the perfect confidence with which the number is performed provides a very entertaining item. Bookings lor the first night are now almost full, ai‘d intending patrons of to-night’s and to-morrow night’s show, ar,e urged to reserve their seats early. Plan at Kilgour’s.