ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 305, 22 November 1934, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

KOSY THEATRE. “UNCERTAIN LADY.” Two favourite film stain, Edward Everett Horton and Genevieve Tobin, head the cast in “Uncertain Lady,” which is now screening at the Kosy Thatre. The picture reveals what happens when a modern, sophisticated business woman, loses her husband to another girl. She is quite willing to let her husband go, but expects another in return. That, at least, is what she says, and as she is too busy “to lurk and lure” a new husband she places upon her defaulting spouse the-duty of finding his successor. His efforts are not very successful, and when the lady herself takes a hand in the game the house party at which most of the action takes place assumes quite a new aspect. For the wife knows a very wealthy and very attractive shipowner (Paul Cavanagh) and when he conies to the rescue there is a change all round. In, the large cast .supporting Horton and Miss Tobin, are Renee Garld, Mary Nash, George Meeker and Dorothy Peterson. The supporting bill includes the latest newsreels, a cartoon film, “The Gingerbread Hoy,” a novelty number, a comedy, and the first pictures of the assassination of King Alexander of Yugoslavia.

STATE THEATRE. “PURSUED” AND~“JUDGE PRIEST.” Will Rogers—in the most human and lovable role he has yet played 1 That in the scicon fare promised at the State Theatre to-night and to-morrow, where Will’s latest Fox picture, “Judgo Priest” will havo its final screenings. According to advance reports, tho star has never been so well suited as by this screen character, the shrewd, kindly but strong-willed Kentucky jurist, who is already famous in the stories of Irvin SG'obb, perhaps America’s most noted humorist. With his characterisation ot the “Judge,” Rogers ifi said to add a new and original figure to his already famous gallery, wh-ch includes such memorable portraits as David Haram, Mr Skitch, Dr Bull and the Connecticut Yankee. This time he plays a wise old fellow who, following the Civil War, has settled down in his native Kentucky village with his Confederate cronies. The story opens in his court room on a lazy spring day in 1890. One does not expect drama in a village, perhaps, but in “Judge Priest” plenty of it transpires, according to advance accounts. The Judge’s nephew, a novice lawyer, and his sweetheart, a girl whoso birth is shrouded in mystery, figure importantly in tne touching and dramatic story. Always thoro, is Judge Priest, who dilutes justice with the milk of human kindness and who helps to shoulder the troubles of tho town. Tho notable cast includes Tom Brown, Anita Louise, Rochelle Hudson, Henry 13. Walthall, David Landau and Stepm Fetchit. Enacted amidst the colourful surroundings of a copra plantation in the Dutch East Indies, “Pursued,” described as a love drama of tho tropics, packed with thrills, is the second feature on tho programme. In the cast are Rosemary Ames, Victor .Jory, Pert Kelton and Russell Hardie, with George Irving and Torben Moyer in support. “STAND UP AND CHEER.” Filmdom’s most lavish contribution to the entertainment of the world comes to the State Theatre on Saturday in Fox Film’s musical extravaganza, “Stand Up and Cheer!” It is a production that supersedes anything of its kind ever produced, combining the quintessence of players, story, dialog-ue, music, sets, costumes and feminine pulchritude. With Warner Baxter heading the cast of prominent players, “Stand Up and Cheer 1” presents such outstanding performers of the screen, the stage and radio as Madge Evans, Janies Dunn, Sylvia F’roos, John Boies, Nigel Bruce, Arthur Byron, Shirley Temple, Ralph Morgan, Jimmy Dallas, “Aunt Jemima,” Mitchell and Durant, Nick .Koran and Stopin Fetchit. The film was produced for Fox by Winfield. Sheehan, in association with Lew Brown. The dances were staged by Sammy Leo. The musical numbers destined- to be the song hits of 1954 were written by Lew Brown and Jay Gorney. They are: “Our Last Night Together,” “Baby Take a Bow,” “I'm Laughing,” “Broadway’s Gone Hill Billy,” and “Out of the Red.” Five breath-taking, spectacles, to which each of these song-hits is tho musical accompaniment, are. yours as only part, of the most elaborate musical production- ever to have come out of Hollywood. It is something to see !

PALACE THEATRE. “VOLTAIRE.” “Arliss”—“Voltaire” practically, sums up the picture which is at present screening at the Palace Theatre, because Mr George Arliss is unquestionably “Voltaire” and “Voltaire” is certainly Mr George Arliss. It is a real delight to witness such character acting and it will remain a most pleasant memory in the minds of the particularly large audience present last evening. Thero are many who are prepared to say that George Arliss is at his very best in “Voltaire,” but it is difficult to make comparisons, as Arliss has so mapy big pictures to his credit that one begins to expect a masterpiece in every 1 production, and remarkable enough, Tip to the present time wo have certainly received that. As tho cunning, scheming Frenchman, who controls the destiny of the whole Empire by maintaining an illicit and unsavoury friendship with the King’s mistress, but whose whole life’s work is to lift the load from the masses and better the lot of the poorer classes —George- Arliss is in bis element. An exceptionally good cast, of characters gives the star admirable support. “Voltaire” can bo classed as one of the screen’s triumphs of that so triumphant actor, Mr George Arliss. An entirely new supporting programme includes the first and only film taken of tho assassination of King Alexander of Yugoslavia and M. Barthou at Marseilles. This is shown with alt the details and is certainly a remarkable picture of tho recent c-vcnt which stirred the whole world.

REGENT THEATRE. “WONDER BAR.” In making “Wonder Bar,” a Paris musicalc, which is now screening at the Regent Theatre, Warner Brothers-First National have made several scenes of which “stupendous spectacle” now becomes an almost inadequate description. It is not very unusual perhaps, when a large mixed chorus nimbly kicks and patters a speedy modern ballet on an ordinary stage, but when tile setting gradually changes and becomes no less than a broad plain of moving figures, Stretching as far as the eye can see, it undoubtedly has become extraordinary. When, however, the. plain has turned into a vast leafy wood, through which the dancers still move rhythmically, it really has readied the “stupendously spectacular.” Designs formed by dancers and “shot” from far above prove very effective. Some brief “glimpses” of tho Pearly Gates and of Heaven may not quite be in accord with our own ideas, but nevertheless they are most interesting. Apart from the settings, however, “Wonder Bar” has much else to offer. A plot, essentially dramatic in type, is woven through the picture, and mainly concerns Kay Francis, A 1 Jolson, and. Dolores Del Rio. A 1 Jolson has plenty to sing about and, fortunately, seems to have lost that catch ill his voice that made many of his earlier attempts almost absurd. Dick Rowell also sings The dancing of Dolores Del Rio is delightful, and she has an able partner in Ricardo Cortez. In Louise Fazenda, Ruth Donnelly, Hugh Herbert, and Guy Kibbce, there is a first-rate comedy team.