ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 224, 21 August 1935, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

KOSY THEATRE. “THE DRAGON MURDER CASE.” X'cver has that master of mystery dramas, S. S. Van Dine, woven a plot with more thrilling and hair-raising incidents set in background of eerie detail that makes eold thrills creep up and clown the spine, than in “Tho Dragon Murder Case,” the First National picture which opens at the Kosy Theatre to-night* Warren William, portraying the now internationally famous fiction detective, Philo Vance, has created a character with w'hich he undoubtedly will be forever linked, for William is Vance, and Vance is William. The story is weird enough to please the most avid collector of screen thrills. A man dives into a swimming pool from which there is no outlet except through a very fine grating, and disap pears. Even draining tho pool fails to disclose the body. But there arc found strange tracks like those that might have been made by the talons of a prehistoric monster. Surrounding tho pool is a legend that it is tho lair of a dragon which seizes and destroys unwary swimmers. Into this ■situation come the police and Philo Vance, in time to prevent a couple of other murders and eventually to solve the first. Two other great actors have previously portrayed Philo Vance. These wore William Powell and Basil Rathbonc. But William seems to he a closer embodiment of the character than either of the others. Eugene Balletic again plays tho part of Sergeant Healh with his characteristic droll humour. Robert MeWade also is once more District Attorney Markham, and Dr Doromtts returns in the person of Etienne Girardot who created the role. Margaret Lindsay is tho leading lady and a most charming and capable murder ‘suspect she proves to he. Lyle Talbot, lias tho role of a half-breed college type Indian with whom Margaret is in love. Robert Barrat, Helen Lowell, Dorothy Tree, George E. Stone, Arthur Aylcsworth and William Davidson are till noted film players, -who always may ho counted ori for finished and masterly performances. Others in the east who deserve mention are George Meeker, Robert Warwick and Chariots Wilson. 11. Bruce Himiherstone directed and sustained the suspense until the climax. The adaptation hv Rian Janies is excellent as is the screen play by F. Hugh Herbert and Robert N. Leo. “The Dragon .Murder Case” is pure melodrama, hut, so excellently handled that even the suggestion of the supernatural in plausible. It. will ho enjoyed even by those who pride themselves upon tLoir ability to solve screen mysteries at the end of the first reel. Here’s one that will fool them. The supports include a newsreel, musical revue, a Master Melody and comedy.

REGENT THEATRE. “THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL.” Made famous by the pen of Baroness Orc/.y, “The" Scanct, Pimpencl” lias at last come to the screen in the picture of that name which commences an extended season at the. Regent Theatre to-night. In it all the desperate thrills of the Trench Revolution are wrapped up in the romantic and dangerous deeds ot that prince of ad venturers, “Tho Scarlet Pimperaal.” The picture, follows closely tho spirit of the hook, and none of tho excitement is lost. The long film is an Alexander Korda production, and as such has the stamp oi excellence, surpassing even “The Private Life of Henry VIII and “Catherine tho Great.” “The Scarlet Pimpernel” also is a period film, the theme and scenes being set in tlie time of the French Revolution, and the costumes. with their old-world charm, hark hack to the days of the snuff box and silken hose, when fashion produced dandies who still were men at heart, and English gentlemen at that. As Sir Percy Blakeney and his unsuspected counterpart, the Scarlet Pimpernel, Leslie Upward gives a masterly portrayal ot foppishness, gallantry 7, charm and elusiveness. Indeed, Mr Howard is the Pimpernel come to life. In this film he lias achieved the most, outstanding performance of his | screen career, and as the Pimpernel lie | will he remembered. Merle Oberon, whose unusual type ot beauty could almost be | termed exotic, and who also had the ! femiiTinc lead in the “Folics Bergerc,” i makes a winsome Lady Blakeney. Nigel Bruce plays the role of the Prince Regent, while the fiendish Chauvelin is ini- ; personated by Raymond Massey. The 1 settings of the absorbing story have been I lavishly staged without theatrical “im-

provements,” the photography is flawless, and no effort has been • spared to produce scenes remarkable for their loveliness, and even more remarkable for their tense reality, as when tho guillotines of Paris and Boulogne are seen, reminiscent of tho dark days when annihilations were episodes and so many unoffending aristocrats fell victims of mob rule. Heads do not, of course, fail into tho basket while tho slatterns of Paris yell with glee without dropping a stitch of their knitting, but the scene is a gripping illusion.

STATE THEATRE. “THE COWBOY MILLIONAIRE.” What is the rival of a first-rate Western picture? This question pops up as a result of the grand entertainment given by “The Cowboy Millionaire,” starring George O’Brien, which opens to-night at tho State Theatre, and ranks as tho finest Western that ever graced town. All the characters are red-blooded and tho scenes have breath-taking beauty. Aotion is plausible and makes one want to climb info a saddle and head for the land of adventure and unexpected romance. George O’Brien, one of tho best, loved of the Western film stars, gives a splendid portrayal of the cowboy guide, rough-mannered but with a fine character, who falls in love with an English heiress, at a swanky dude ranch in Arizona. He and his pal jointly own a mining claim, and while George O’Brien is called to the mino hurriedly, the girl returns to England. He returns excitedly with tho great news that the mine has clicked and is worth a fortune, to find not only that the girl has loft for England, but also that his pal and partner has gone too, having had an offer to sell tho claim for 25.000 dollars. Thereupon starts the quest for tho partner, to prevent him from selling the mine, and for tho girl he loves. From the sandswept desert of Arizona, across the United St.fatcs to England goes tho hero, sur-' mounting many obstacles. How he achieves his goal is told, under the expert direction of Director Edward F. Cline, in this swiftly moving beautifully mounted film.

“THE DARING YOUNG MAN.” Jimmy Dunn’s portrayal of tho newspaper reporter who leaves his bride-to-be waiting at tho church, while ho dashes off on a secret assignment in “Tho Daring Young Man,” which comes to the State Theatre to-night, is “the top” in madcap comedy. Written by Claude Binyon and Sidney Skoiski, of newspaper fame, “’I ho Daring Young Man” should not be missed. It is the. hilarious story of a New York newspaperman (James Dunn) who never tires of expressing his sarcastic views of marriage until lie meets Mae Clarke, a reporter on a rival paper. A rapid-fire courtship is followed by plans for a quick marriage. On his wedding dky, Jimmy Dunn is forced to cover an assignment in a gaoi without telling his betrothed of the circumstances, bhc gets worried and has an appeal broadcast for him. Dunn hears it in a madcap gaol where favoured prisoners are allowed telephones, radios, cafe meals and occasional leaves. The reporter manages to buy a “temporary parole” but is quickly brought back by two kidnappers, when the warden learns his true identity. Mae Clarke, about to marry another man, discovers her fiancee’s predicament and goes to the gaol to see him. Wltiic there, she is locked in. through Dunn’s connivance. A reform committee arrives and a rib-rocking sequence winds up the film, which was directed by William A. Seiter and produced by Robert T. Kane for Fox Film.