ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 258, 28 September 1935, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. “GOLD DIGGERS OF 1935.” It lias boon two years in the making, but if advance reports prove true the First National picture “Gold Diggers of 1935,” at the Regent Theatre tonight, was well worth waiting for. First National, always »famed for magnificent niusical spectacles, lias outdone itself in this picture, which marks the advent of Busby Berkeley as the director of a complete production. Berkeley, it is claimed, lias taken a funny, clever story, gathered together a cast of film favourites that includes Warner Bros.’ outstanding stars, and, with the assistance of more than 300 of the prettiest dancing girls in Hollywood, has assembled the whole into a tuneful comedy in which his talent for spectacular screen innovations has been given full sway. Tho director was the musical comedy genius responsible for the spectacles in “42nd Street,” “Wonder Bar,” “Gold Diggers of 1933,” “Footlight Parade,” and other musicals. In “Gold Diggers of 1935” ho is said to have created the most gorgeous and unique danoo numbers of his career. There are three outstanding specialities including a dance in which 90 snow-white grand pianos actually cavort on tho stage. Tho dance team of Ramon and Rosila is also featured. In the cast arc Dick Powell, Adolphe Mcnjou, Gloria Stuart, Alico Brady, Glenda Farrell, Frank McHugh, Hugh Herbert, Joseph Gawthorn, Grant Mitchell, Dorothy Dare and Winifred Shaw. The story is by Robert Lord and Peter Milne. It is a catchy romance with a fashionable summer hotel as the sotting. A wealthy widow, who is essentially penurious, is the target of tho golddigging propensities of a trio of schemers enacted by Monjou, Cowthorn and Mitchell. The widow, which is tho funniest role ever essayed by Alice Brady, has two children. She is trying to marry off her daughter, Gloria Stuart, to Hugh Herbert, also a. millionaire, but who is more interested in writing articles on snuff than on love. Her son, Frank McHugh, four times married and divorced, falls for tho hotel hostess, and tho daughter falls in love with the room clerk in the person of Dick Powell. Glenda Farrell does a little gold digging on her own at the expense of Hugh Herbert, but it all ends happily in one of tho.most amusing climaxes ever filmed. There _ are three remarkable song numbers written by Harry Warren and A 1 Dubin. KOSY THEATRE. “MARK OF THE VAMPIRE.” Director Tod Browning shocked tho screen world with his hair-raising “Dracula” and kept audiences cn the edges of their seats with the Lon Chaney thrillers; Guy Endoro stunned lovers of shocking mystery with “Werewolf of Paris” and “Babouk” ; Bola Lugosi _ lias chilled audiences with many shivery scenes, and Lionel Barrymore has gripped the imaginations of millions with his amazing characterisations. They all conic together in “Mark of the Vampire,” sensational detective mystery which _ each hopes is to ‘‘lop” anything elso in his career. Tho new Motro-Goldwyn-Maycr picture comes to-night to the Rosy Theatre. An original story by Guy Endure and Bernard Schubert, tho picture tells the talc of a ghastly crime, laid ill the midst of a strange vampire cult. Strange “undead” things that roam in the night, a /haunted castle that is the centro of tho gruesome cult, a dctcctivo who pits his wits against supernatural horrors, figuro in the hair-raising story. E. J. Mannix, its producer, gave every role a “name” player, even the briefest flash on the screen. Lionel Barrymore, Bela Lugosi, Jean Hersholt, who scored in “Men in White”; Lionel Atwill, of “Murders in tho Wax Museum”; Elizabeth Allan of “David Gdpperfield”; Jessie Ralph, who played Peggotty in that production; Henry Stephenson of “The Night is Young”; Leila Bennett, New York stage star; Ivan Simpson, Donald Meek, Michael Visarotf, and many others are among its principals. Opposite Lugosi is Carol Boland, the long-hunted “Vampire Woman,” found in the person of a dramatic student at the University of California playing her first role in the picture. The thrills include the mysterious murder blamed on vampires, tho appearance of tho vampire horde, the reincarnation of the heroine’s father as one of, the “Un-Dcad,” the bat that turns into a woman, Lugosi’s weird attacks upon Elizabeth Allan, and tho amazing denouement in which the detective ■ in the ca.~.e brings the weird hidden criminals to the light of day. Replicas ' of old deserted castles, weird churchyards, tho den of ttio “Witch Woman,” are among tlio sinister settings.

STATE THEATRE. “OUR LITTLE GIRL.” Glorious Shirley Temple, whose natural art is second to none, and who has, in the words of Irvin S. Cobb, “made more people happy and more children laugh than any child your age in the history of the world,” is boro again. Hei new Fox Film picture, “Our Little Girl,” starts its engagement to-night at the Stato Theatre. It is called her greatest 1 This is said to be Shirley’s most touching picture. She plunges into an emotional adventure that sings in the heart as she bravely meets a bewildering crisis while thoso who are nearest and dearest to her grope in the shadows of misunderstanding. Shirley’s brave smile revives a waning love, when she pleads for her mother to return, and runs away from homo to reunite her parents. In addition to acting the child wonder sings. This powderful story again brings to the screen beloved Shirley Temple. Again she is said to prove herself a dramatic star second to none. And at no time does she stop being a real child dear to the hearts of millions. Shirley plays almost every scene in this picture. “Our Little Girl” is said to have appeal for young and old. For the young in heart as well as in years, there is a thrilling circus sequence. Producer Edward _ Butcher spared no expense in bringing a complete circus, big tent, wild animals, elephants, and all. “Poodles” Hanneford, world-famed clown and rider, has an exciting act, clowning, riding, falling, thrilling. Other circus eclebrites seen here are “The Clarkonians” in a swinging act and the clowns Hambone, Dumbell, Smiling Sambo. A fitting cast has been _ assembled around tho screen sensation. Rosemary Ames plays the mother, and Joel McCroa, the father. Others. are Lyle Talbot as “the other man,” Erin O’BrienMoore, Jack Donohue, Poodles Hanneford, Gus Van, Margaret Armstrong, Rita’ Owin, Leonard Carey, J. Farrell Macdonald and Jack Baxley. The direction is by John Robertson. There is an excellent supporting programme which includes comedy, scenic, cartoons and newsreel and, at tho day sessions, the latest chapter of the thrilling serial, “Rustlers of Red Dog.”