THE MAYFAIR THEATRE

Kaikoura Star, Volume LIX, Issue 37, 8 May 1939, Page 2

THE MAYFAIR THEATRE

“WEST OF SHANGHAI.” Deep in China’s wild interior proceeds the thrilling action of “West of Shanghai,” the Warner Bros’ melodrama starring Boris Karloff, which opens at the Mayfair Theatre on Tuesday and will also be screened on Wednesday. It is a tale of the race for ownership of some oilfields, by three Americans, and their adventures with the native bandit general who controls the territory—this being that master of make-up and character acting, Boris Karloff. Contrary to his usual custom of portraying il scary” characters, Karloff this time .is a good-natured rascal whom audiences can’t help liking even though he is a villain who doesn’t hesitate to get his foes out of the way by the quickest methods possible. The play revolves around the possession and ownership of an oil concession. Jim Hallet has discovered the field, borrowed money to develop it, but it is about to be foreclosed on him because ho hasn’t enough money. The three American characters are Gordon Oliver, Ricardo Cortez and Douglas AVood, while the feminine romantic interest is sustained by Beverl,v Roberts and Sheila Bromley. There are a number of noted Chinese actors in the cast, too. ” MINSTREL BOY.” Alike and his Minstrel Band are engaged to play at a ball in honour of the .engagement of Austin Raven sbouTnc to his cousin Angela. The girl, pining for romance, runs away from her prosaic fiance and marries the hand leader. The marriage is not congenial owing to the two young people’s opposite temperaments, Alike being of Irish peasant stock and Angela coming of country folk. Deo Dawn, a vamp out of Alike’s past, tries to rekindle the old passion, and arouses Angela’s jealousy. Thon Alike lots himself drift, loses his contracts, and trios to commit suicide, but Angola arrives in the nick of time to save him and take him back in her affection.

Fred Convngham puts over the classic song which gives the picture its name in rousing style, and scores with another tried favourite, ”T Love the AToon.” Tn more modern vein he makes ”AVhon Loves are so ATany. ” and 11 ATcDougall, ATeNab and McKav, ” register to the full. This picture will also be screened on Tuesday and Wednesday. ” IT’S IN THE AIR.” This is George Formhy’s best—there can he no doubt about that, and the screening will take place at the Alayfair on Friday and Saturdav. Tying in with the A.R.P. (Air Raid Precautions') vogue in England, ho has produced a story that is full of excellent comedy, excitement and melody. He gets himself into the air force by accident, falls foul of the beefy ser-geant-major, and in love with this officer’s daughter, and generallv has the whole aerodrome in a state of complete chaos before ho finishes. There is some tremendously thrilling and amusing stuff from Fnrmby, who has never been in an aeroplane in his life, finds himself living a huge bomber which, of course, performs every imaginable hair raising stunt before ho gets it down to earth again. This sort of thing has been done before, but never with the same thrills and hilarity as in this production. There are some excellent song numbers sung by George Formby to his own inimitable accompaniments on his banjo-uke. The theme song “It’s in the Air,” is a beauty, and at one

stage is sung with rollicking effect oy Formby and a full chorus. Other songs are “Our Sorgcant-Alajor” and “You Can’t Fool Ale.”