ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 209, 2 August 1935, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. “JANE EYRE.” The tender romance, the heartbreak, the poignant drama of “Jane Eyre,” the lonely girl who was soul-starved for human love, and finally found happiness after a scries of tragic events, will be dually screened to-night at the Regent Theatre. "WEST POINT OF TIIE AIR.” The “iiclL Divers” are in the Army now. Wallace Beery as the gruff, suithoarted "non-com.” of Uncle Sam s Hying lorccs in “West Point of tile Air,” tile new Alctro-Uoldwyn-Alayer hit, opening at the Regent Theatre to-mcrrow, brings to the screen the same brand oi (linns that shattered box oilice records throughout the country in “Hell Divers.” 't his Uirillcr of the skies was made to order tor Beery, giving him one of the best and most lovable loics ho has ever portrayed. Not only is the picture packed with thrills, but it boasts one of tlio most delightful romances on record us well as one of tlie most touching fatlier-and-son dramas the screen has ever seen. ' Such scones as 100 daring flyers leaping from ’planes in parachutes simultaneously, Beery changing from one ’plane to another to save his son from a certain crash, hundreds of ’planes in unique formation and other such thrills among the clouds liavo had all who have seen the picture sitting on the edge of their seats. Coining as it does at the time Beery is riding his highest wave of popularity following his phenomenal success "of “Viva Villa!”,

“West l’oint of the Ail” bids fair to outdistance all the other Beery specials in public favour. The supporting cast, too, wins its shine of praise. Maureen O'Sullivan, fresh from' a distinct personal triumph in “David Copperfield,” again gives a sterling performance that lifts her to the edge of stardom. Robert Young, after a year of exceptionally successful attractions, tops all his previous performances in (be romantic lead opposite the eliarming Irish actress. James Gleason, as the hard-boiled pal of Beery, gives the kind of performance that first made him a star of the New York stage in “Is Zait Ho?” Lewis Stone, Rosilaml Russell, Russell Hardic, Henry Wadsworth, Robert Taylor, Robert Livingstone, Prank Conroy and others in the supporting east ure equally effective in their respective roles. Beery is a grizzled old sergeant instructor at the immense Rnmlolps Field (the groat. Army aviation school where 80 per cent, of the picture was filmed), while Y’oung is his debonair, 100 flippant son. Young's flippancy leads him to tho point whoro his nerve breaks; where he commits the unpardonable milisary sin, and is saved only when his father sacrifices his whole career for the honour of his son.

STATE THEATRE. “LET’S LIVE TO-NIGHT.” ‘Tool’s Live To-night,” starring Tullio Carminati and Lilian Harvey, and “It’s a Small World,” starring Spencer Tracey, will conclude, at.' the State to-day. “TEN MINUTE ALIBI.”

No play since the War has caused more world-wide excitement or met with more universal enthusiasm than Anthony Armstrong’s famous “Ten Minute Alibi.” In Great Britain alone over 1,000,000 people have seen the stage version. This unique thriller has now been brought to the screen, and comes to the State Theatre to-morrow. The story, though simple dramatically, is .mathematically ingenious and intensely thrilling. It tells of a broken romance between Colin and Betty when the latter falls prey to the suave charm of Philip Sevilla. Betty and Sevilla plan to leave for Paris, hut Colin is determined to stop them. He dreams of an amazing plan to murder Sevilla, in which he has an absolutely watertight alibi. Just as Sevilla and Betty are about to leave he carries the murder out in reality. The contrast with the dream is a strong one, for litllo unforsocn flaws in his alibi crop up; but, finally—rwell, that is something you must see for yourself, for the scenes between Colin and the detectives, during the cross-examina-tion, are so full of thrills and suspense that it would be unfair to the audience to leveal them. Even after the denouemorit there is a subtle final twist to the story which provides vet, another thrill. The role of Colin is played by Phillips Holmes, tho talented American juvenile who lias lived in England but lias never previously been seen in a British picture. Betty is played by the rising young English dramatic actress, Ailecn Marson. The performance of Theo Shall, a Continental favourite, who plays Sevilla, is one of tho surprises of the picture. The supporting east includes Morton Seltcn, that grand old man of tho English screen, as well as George Merritt and Charles Hickman rc-cuacting tho parts of the two detectives which they played on the stage. “Ten Minuto Alibi,” after just over two years at tho Embassy Haymarkct and Phoenix Theatre, finally came to the Comedy Theatre in January, 1935, for the conclusion of an amazingly successful run of about 900 performances. Now it lias readied the screen and cinema-goers will have an .attractive opportunity to investigate the intricacies of the subtle and ingenious alibi around which the story revolves.

KOSY THEATRE. “A NOTORIOUS GENTLEMAN.” “A Notorious Gentleman,” a Universal drama, featuring Charles Bickford, will be finally screened to-night, at the Kosy Theatre. “TIMES SQUARE LADY.” Tense drama and sparkling comedy, deftly blended and portrayed by a brilliant cast of new stars, makes the showing of Metro-Goidwyin-M nyer's “Times Square Lady’’ a distinct event in local theatrical circles. The photoplay opens to-morrow at the Kosy Theatre. Although Virginia Bruce, lovely heroine of “Shadow of Doubt” and “Society Doctor,” and Robert Taylor; who rose to fame with his brilliant portrayal of the young interne in “Society Doctor,” share the top featured roles, their honours are seriously menaced by a brand new screen figure. This figure is the gangling form of Pinky Tomlin, who was driving a gravel truck in Oklahoma three months ago. He wrote two song hits in rapid succession. One was “The Object of My Affection” and the other “What’s the Reason I’m Not Pleasin’ You?” and on tltcir wave rode into Hollywood and a screen contract, lie is by far the inost sensational new film personality of the year. Don’t by all means, tniss hearing him sing his two songs —to a cow. The story of “Times Square Lady” moves with express train speed. It, tells of the adventures of an lowa girl who, upon the sudden death of her father, tries to take over his bigtime sporting interests in the night life of New York. How she matches wits with her father’s rebellious henchmen makes a fast and fascinating hour of entertainment. Besides those mentioned, special acting honours go to Helen Twelvetrccs, Isabel Jewell and Nat Pen dleton. “FRA DIAVOLO,” Garbed in outlandish wigs, plumed hats unci costumes of tho Robin Hood era. Laurel and Hardy make their latest appearance in “Fra Diavolo,” a full-length production in which the comedians are seen as a pair of daring brigands whose adventures must certainly l>o the funniest in which these inimitable wits have vet been seen on the talking screen. In “Fra Diavolo,” which opens at the Kosy Theatre to-morrow, they run the gamut of tomfoolery from flirting with milkmaids and being pursued by an unexpected bull to making an narrow escape front the hangman’s noose and being engulfed in a I variety of hazardous occurences out of nil of which they invariably come out on top, slightly bruised-but smiling.