ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 303, 20 November 1935, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

KOSY THEATRE. “THE GLASS KEY.” Dashielf Hammett’s “The Glass Key,” a worthy successor to his phenomenally popular “The Thin Man,” is at the Kosy Theatro to-night. With George Raft in the starring role and Edward Arnold, Claire Dodd, Rosalind Keith and Charles Ricbman featured, tho picture finds an ingenious solution to a murder that threatens to blow up tho political structure of a big city. Edward Arnold, tho city’s political boss, is supporting Charles Richman for a senatorial post when the latter’s son is killed. Rumour lays the responsibility for the murder at Arnold’s door. Arnold is in the throes of an autumnal love for the boy’s sister; the boy has jilted Arnold’s own daughter, and witnesses are ready to testify that tho two were soon arguing. Only Raft, I Arnold’s trusted friend and henchman, believes in the politician’s innocence. To find tho murderer, Raft pretends to co-operate with Arnold’s enemies, is caught and subjected to fiendish torture. He escapes without solving tho murder. Then, just as he is about to give up the pursuit as a bad job, he stumbles on tho clue that loads to the person least suspected. The climax of the film shows how Raft traps the criminal into a confession, clears Arnold and wins the love of his daughter. Frank Tuttle directed the picture, which also features Guinn Williams and Tammany Young. “READY FOR LOVE.” Richard Allen and the young English actress, Ida Lupino, will be seen in the new Paramount picture, “Ready for Love,” also _at the Kosy Theatre to-night. Supporting tho two young stars is Marjorie Rambeau, one of America’s stage and seieen’s best-known character actresses. “Ready for Love” tells the story of a girl who unwittingly loses her reputation. Instead of being overcome by the apparent disaster, she turns it to her advantage. She is headstrong, gay and likeable, but she refuses to allow a bad n'amc to interfere with her activities. Even the young editor of the local paper plays up the scandal in which she appears as tho central figure until ho falls in love with hftr. Then he is forced to change his attack and instead of fighting against her, ho rallies to her defence. Ida Lupino plays the girl who suffers the scorn of gossips, endures tho shame of a bad name until her ability to laugh in tho face of trouble enables her to come out on top. Richard Alien is cast as the editor who makes the most of a scandal until ho is forced to eat his. own words. In addition to Marjorie Rambeau,The supporting cast includes Beulah Bondi and Esther Howard. “Ready for Love” was directed by Marion Goring.

STATE THEATRE. “CURLY TOP.” “Curly Top,” Shirley Temple’s bright and tuneful new picture, which has boon showing to capacity houses, will be finally screened to-night at the State Theatre. “HOORAY FOR LOVE.” They sing the season’s catchiest tunes, stop ire gay dances, tell Broadway’s most happy-go-lucky success story in RKORadio’s tuneful, mirthful romance, “Hooray lor Love,” which comes lo the State Theatre for a season of two clays, to-mor-row and Friday. Against a background of smart cosmopolitan sets is projected a regular kaleidoscope of entertainment. Ann Sothcrn and Gene Raymond play the leads in this charming story of two ambitious youngsters out to win in the toughest game in the world—the theatre. They try a liltio of everything, including night club performances and radio, before Gene finally manages to present Ann as .the slar of I)is first big revue. In a great city’s smartest night club, a stunning set, featured by illumined glass panels decorated in dancing figures, a glamorously gowned Ann sings the amusing nonsense song, “Palsy Walsy,” accompanied by a chorus of 12 peppy girls. Backstage in a big broadcasting station, the world can sec “how it’s done,” as Ann sings to a listening world the romantic air, “I’m In Love All Over Again.” Most fascinating of all, four great specialty acts are staged for the pair's musical revue. Maria Gambarelli, worldfamed ballerina, leads (lie ensemble in a graceful ballet. , Bill Robinson and Joni Le Gon, against an amusing black and white Harlem background, prove—to the tune of “I’m Livin’ in a Great Big Way” tliat they’s the all-time leaders _ of flic world’s tap dancers. Ann. gowned in shimmering black, takes the stage again to sing

‘.‘You’re An Angel,” with a. two-piano accompaniment. Here the performance is swung into a smashing finale, a gay whirl of dancing, singing girls in daring gold costumes, led by Ann in a golden gown. With tho entire company they sing the theme hit, “Hooray for Love," bringing down the curtain for both revue and picture in a brilliant climax. Comedy in the story is contributed by Port Kclton, who is cast as a wise-cracking chorus girl, _ and by Thurston Hall and Georgina Caine in the roles of an old-time thespian and a wealthy widow, respectively, and by “Fats” Waller, radio favourite.

REGENT THEATRE. “NO MORE LADIES.” The season has boon extended for a further two days of “No More Ladies,” the popular attraction that is screening at the Regent Theatre. Joan Crawford and Robert Montgomery with a stellar supporting cast have been making things go with a bang much to the delight of the audiences at the theatre. Don’t forget there are only two more days. “LES MISERABLES.” All the powerful drama of Victor Hugo’s great classic sweeps across the screen as Darryl Zanuck’s magnificent 20th century production of “Les Miserables,” commencing on Friday at the Regent Theatre, unreels before audiences hold spellbound by the thrilling and timeless story of a hunted man. Fredric March is at his best as the hero, Jean Valjean, tho fresh, honest youth from the country, who stole a loaf of bread because ho was starving and for this crime was brutalised by. five years in the galleys of a French prison ship and found his whole life shadowed by tho law. As the fanatical detective, Javert, who hounds him from pillar to post, Charles Laughton offers an entirely new and great characterisation, and Sir Cedric Hardwicke, the distinguished English stage and screen star, is brilliant as the boncficent Bishop Bicnvenu. Released from tho prison ship an unfeeling beast, Yaljean is inspired to a noble and prosperous life by the Bishop Bicnvenu. But because he has broken his parole, ho remains a hunted man always, thanks to the sinister Javert. Tho love story is provided by Ccsetto, Valjean’s ward, played by Rochelle Hudson, and Marius, a young revolutionary, played by John Beal. Frances Drake, as Eponine, a co-worker of Marius; Florence Eldridgo, who is Mrs Fredric March in private life; Ferdinand Gottschalk, Jessie Ralph and little Marilynne Knowlden are also prominent in tho splendid cast. The productico has been flawjcssly directed by Richard Boleslawski from a script by W. P. Lipscombe. Tho settings and costumes are magnificent and the production, released through United Artists, emerges not only as stirring entertainment and a triumph for tho director, 20th Century, tho stars, and everyone connected with it, but as one of the really great pictures of all time.