ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 196, 18 July 1935, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. "BELLA DONNA.” There is no doubt about “Bella Donna,” which is at present screening at the Regent Theatre, being ono of the most popular stories written. Although this is her first screen role, Mary Ellis gives a splendid performance as “Bella Donna.” This fino stage actress had definite idons as to how the part should bo played. She determined to rouse sympathy for the character and not to make her merely a “wicked vamp,” as the part had previously been, played. She succeeds. As Mahmoud Baroudi, the evil Egyptian who fascinates the white woman, Conrad Vcidt Is a striking and sinister figure. The story of “Bella Donna” is ono of romanco, black treachery and tragedy. A woman with a riot-so-good reputation in England is loved by a young man with expectations. He disregards the warnings of his sister-in-law and devoted friends, marries the woman and takes hor to Egypt. On the voyago she becomes infatuated with Mahmoud Baroudi, a wealthy Egyptian, and is so carried away by the glamour of the situation that she still further besmirches her reputation, deceiving her husband righj and left. In her trickery she is aided by Ibrahim, an Egyptian in tho pay and confidence of Baroudi. To hold the Egyptian and at his instigation, she endeavours to poison her husband. When Dr Isaacson, alarmed at the reports of Nigel’s state of health, visits him in Egypt, she tries to prevent him examining the sick man. The doctor diagnoses poison and suspects the wife, reveals the truth to Nigel who at first refuses to bolieve that his wife can act so vilely. Eventually he challenges hor; she admits the truth, is oast away by Baroudi, who dreads scandal, and is loft alone—deservedly outcast. "CLIVE OF INDIA.”

Tho overworked superlatives seem futile indeed when one comes to estimating tho merits of “Clive of India,” which commences at the Regent Theatre on Saturday, Darryl F. Zanuck’s first million dollar production for 20th Century Pictures, which brings the personable and popular Ronald Colinan to the screen. But until a hetetr term is coined we mu t be content to tag it “great,” “magnificent” and “stirring” entertainment. It is a new Column —a star of. _ unsuspected power, whom you will sec in this Josiph M. Schonek presentation, based on the London stage hit of the same name whose authors, \V. P. Lipscomb and R. J. Minney, were brought to Hollywood by the producers to assure a true and accurate adaptation of their play to the screen. Tho true story of Clive, who conquered an empire At 2b—who ro.se, by his own iaith and genius and daring, from a poor clerk in the East India Company to become England's greatest hero, tits Column like mo proverbial glove, and lie takes full advantage of every opportunity to Lie more dashing, more spirited and more effective than ever —in a word, to give the greatest performance of his career. Loretta Young, too, evidences new powers and gives an unforgettable portrayal of the lovely English girl to whom Clive wrote proposing marriage after scoing her picture in her brother’s locket —the girl who arrived in India to accept him, only to find her poor clerk magically l'i cn to heroic heights through having boldly taken charge of the army and quelled a rebellion. The love story of the heroic pair is one of the most beautiful and moving tho screen has ever shown —a romance in true proportion to tho magnificent production 20th Century has given this colourful dramatic biography for release through United Artists. the woman’s loyalty to the man she loves and her sac-’ rificcs to his career —until, in a desperate effort to check his craving for power, she refuses to go oil with him, only to return to him in his bitterest hour of need —are as great and stirring as the brav est deeds of the man. Richard Boloslawski’s masterly direction makes every scone memorable. The reproduction of the battle of Plassey, Clivs’s aiid England’s most brilliant victory—Clive’s trial in tho House of (.'ominous—tho horror of tho Black Hole of Calcutta —are stunning in their realism and iinurcssivoncss, and too much credit cannot be given to Richard Day who designed the sets. The huge cast of piincipals, including Colin Clive, Francis Lister, C. Aubrey Smith and Cesar Romero, turns in performances of uniform excellence. KOSY THEATRE. “CASINO MURDER CASE.” In “The Casino Murder Case,” at tho ICosy Theatre to-itight. Paul Lukas, featured player of such successes as “Little 'Women” and “The Fountain,” brings to the screen a third distinctive portrayal of Philo Vance, S. S. Van Dine’s famous fictional dctcctivo. Rather than present a purely dramatic mystery, Producer Lucien Hubbard has chosen to make tho newest Vuncc thriller an unusually humorous yet mystifying story, with rapid-fire action and sparkling dialogue, suggestive of the tempo of “The Thin Man,” one of the year’s outstanding pictures. That the new picture has its funny moments is assured by the fact that tho inimitable Alison Skjpworth, who scored in “Six of a Kind,” is prominently cast as the domineering “Mrs Llewllyn” around whom much of tho action circles. Others who have prominent roles in tho production include Donald Cook Rosalind Russell, Arthur Byron, Ted Mealy, Eric Blore, Isabel JJwell and Louiso Fuzcnda. The new Van Dine baffler concerns tho latest adventure of Philo Vaneo and his unusual solution of a series of poisoning mysteries that envelop the wealthy and eccentric Llewllyn family. Vance receives an anonymous letter directing him to watch young Lynn Llewllyn, whoso life is in danger, at a notorious gambling casino. After drinking water supplied by his uncle, Kinttaid. the casino owner, Lynn collapses. At the same hour Lynn's wife dies ot poisoning in Mrs Llewllyn’s home. Vance discounts a suicide note found at her side. A little later Doris Reed, tho old lady’s secretary-companion, becomes unconscious after drinking water from a earafo intended for the elderly Mrs Llewllyn. Because the victims were made violently ill after drinking water, Vance perceives a water motif running through the case. lie learns Kiukaid and Dr Kane, fiance of Lynn’s sister, are experimenting with “heavy water,’’ belioved to bo poisonous.. With Doris, who has recovered, Vance is trapped in Kinkaid’s secret laboratory but is later released by Kinkaid. Lynn’s mother, found dead with a gunshot wound, has left a note admitting she had engineered the poison plot. Vance also discredits this “confession,” declaring the old lady was trying to conceal her son. Lynn traps Vaticc and Doris in the deserted Casino planning to tell them because they know too much. He boastfully tells everything. From thence to the final scene. ' “Tho Casino Murder Case” races to an exciting climax with lightning rapidity—with Philo Vance adding another startling crime solution to his amazing record. A Pete Smith oddity. Rugby, depicts our national game, every phase being shown in slow motion, “Free Voyage,” a Thelma Todd comedy, which, by the way, is a scream, and the latest newsreel. STATE THEATRE “THE PHANTOM LIGHT.” The novel properties of the story of “Tho Phantom Light,” a Gaumont-British thriller now screening at tho State Theatre, are finely supported by tho convincing atmosphere tho picture presents of a lonely lighthouse on the rugged coast of Wales —an unusual setting at which most of the action takes place. It is this eerie remoteness, the cry of the gulls, the sigh of the wind, the fog wraiths drifting, the tiny, winking lights on distant cliffs, the something seemingly alive in the whispering wash of tho sea that spurs imagination to liveliest anticipation of tragic happenings. The_ plot is cleverly unfolded. No hint is given of what is actually to come, but, moment by moment, the mind leaps to possible denouements —and the picture as steadily eliminates them all as being far from the ingenious form of villainy disclosed. with the climax. Gordon Harker is in- his clement as tho chief lighthouse-keeper, newly

sent from London headquarters to take over duty. His first scorn of the superstitious tales of the Welsh villagers gradually giving place to half-credence, he works himself into a state of nerves, but, when the real machinery of the villainy at work begins to disclose itself he becomes a vigorous and effective man of action. Not only the greater part of the comedy falls upon Gordon Harkcr, but also a share of the drama, throwing a strong light upon the versatility of this remarkably fine character actor. The atmosphere of mystery and suspense is importantly contributed to by the strong work of Herbert Lomas in the part of tho sinister ClatF Owen. Donald Calthrop is again outstanding for a sharply etched characterisation, that of tho harbour master, who might or might not be in the plot to lure ships to destruction. Also lending excellent support are fan Hunter as a naval officer masquerading as a journalist, who i 3 mainly instrumental in unearthing the mystery, and Binnic Halo as an attractive pseudo-chorine who is ultimately disclosed as a female detective. “LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE.” As the fastest, merriost farco in many a moon, with laughs galore, “Lightning Strikes Twice,” also showing at tho State Theatre, proves to be a peak Hollywood comedy of the year. Given stellar treatment by RKO-Radio, this picture keeps tho audience royally entertained from start to finish, 'lhe story is an unusual combination of the comic and melodramatic. It deals with the day’s experiences of a wealthy chap, having one last Hing with a pal before his fiancee and his aunt arrive on the scene, and whose butler has a horror of cats. To this last point is keyed the laughingly exciting “murder mystery” interwoven with the main thome. When the butler, unnerved by the meowing of a cat—black at that —shoots into the darkness, tilings begin to happen. Police arrive, and another bullet accidentally knocks the cap from an officer, who drops through a manhole cover. Between this episode and its consequence, plus tho fact that the butler disappears, giving rise to the conviction that he, too has been slain, a.rid tho complications when aunt and fiancee arrive—separately “Lightning Strikes Twice” develops an exciting twist of plot and sub-plot. A fan. dancer and her "male accomplice get tangled in the skein of happenings, and are mistaken by the aunt for tho financeo and her father. As the aunt, Laura Hope Crows turns in a splendid fcharacterisation. Thelma Todd is fine as the sweetheart, with “Sheets” Gallagher scoring as the hero’s pal, and Ben Lyon shining as the hero hiinself. Walter Catlett and Pert Kolton, as the “mistaken . identities,” furnish some grand fun.