ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 304, 21 November 1935, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. “NO MORE LADIES.” “No More Ladies,” the popular attraction, featuring Joan Crawford and Robert Montgomery, will be finally screened tonight at tho Regent Theatre. “LES MISERABLES.” Fresh laurels were heaped on the beads of Frcdrio March and Charles Laughton as eo-stars of Darryl Zan lick’s stirring production of Victor Hugo’s “Les Miserables,” commencing at the Regent Theatre to-morrow. A truly great picture, handsomely mounted and flawlessly directed by Richard Bolcslawski, the latest 20ih _ Century production follows the eventful life of Jean Valjean, who suffered five years of torture in tho galleys of a French prison ship. Ho stole a loaf of bread an 3 found his whole life darkened by the shadow of tho Law, in tho person of Javert, a fanatical detective who has dedicated himself to carry out that Law to tho letter. March does tho finest work of his career as tho unfortunate Valjean and Laughton is superb as Javert. Sir Cedric Hardwieke, the celebratod English stage and screen star, is splendid, making his American screen debut in tho role of tho kindly Bishop Bionvcnu who starts the brutalised ex-convict on the road to a noble and prosperous life. Rochelle Hudson, as Jean Valjcan’s ward, Cosotto, and John Beal, as her sweetheart, Marius, furnish the love interest which offers a counterpart to Valjean’s desperate adventures in his life-long attempts to evade the relentless Javert. Tho film is released through United Artists. “Les Miscrablcs” is magnificent entertainment, full of tho colour and passion of the novel which millions have read and will enjoy tho privilege of seeing so brilliantly transcribed to tho screen. If Hollywood actors wore rated according to the system now prevalent among t.hc country’s film critics, Frcdrio March would bo rated as a three stand-in star. A stand-in, as you probably are aware, is a person of approximately tho same height as the star who stands in front of the camera while technicians arrange lights, focus cameras and do the innumerable things that arc necessary before photographing a scene. It was necessary at one time to have three such men working on the set at tho same time. This was required because March played two different characters in the scene, but not at tho samo time, however. The third chap was accounted for by the fact that one of the scenes called for the cameras to shoot the back of one of these characters while March in tho other character faced the camera.

KOSY THEATRE. ' “THE GLASS KEY.” . Dashiell Hammett’s “The Glas’s Key,” a worthy successor to his phenomenally popular “Tho Thin Man,” is at tho Kosy Theatre, to-night. With Gcorgo Raft in the starring role and Edward Arnold, Claire Dodd, Rosalind Keith and Charles Richman featured, the picture finds an t ingenious solution to a murder that threatens to blow up the political structure of a big city. Edward Arnold, the 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'’tho boy’s sister; tho boy has jilted Arnold’s own daughter, and witnesses are ready to testify that the two were seen arguing. Only Raft, Arnold’s trusted friend and henchman, believes in the politician’s. innocence. To find the murderer, Raft pretends to co-operate with Arnold’s enemies, is caught and subjected to fiendish torture. He escapes without solving the murder. Then,- just as lie is about to give up tho pursuit as a bad job, ho stumbles on the clue that leads to the person least suspected. The climax of the film shows how Raft traps the criminal inlo 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 Alien and the young English actress, Ida Lupino, will bo 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 scieen’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 name 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 her. Then he is forced to change his attack and instead of fighting against her, lie 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 the face of trouble enables, her to come out on top. Richard Arlen is cast as the editor who makes the most of a scandal until he 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 bv Marion Gering. STATE THEATRE. “HOORAY FOR LOVE.” They sing the season’s catchiest tunes, step its gay dances, tell Broadway’s most happy-go-lucky success story in RKORadio’s tuneful, mirthful romance,, “Hooray for Love,” which opens to-night at the State Theatre for a limited season of two days. Against a background of smart cosmopolitan sets is projected a regular kaleidoscope of entertainment. Ann Sotliern and Gene Raymond play the leads in this charming story of two ambitious youngsters out to win in the. toughest game in the world —tho theatre. They try a little of everything, including night club performances and radio, before Gene finally manages to present Ann as the star of his 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 poppy girls. Backstage in a big broadcasting station, the world can see “how it’s done,” as Ann sings to a listening world tho 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. “THE 39 STEPS.” One of the greatest spy mystery stories over written was John Buchan’s “The Thirty-Nine Steps,” coming on Saturday to the State Theatre, and the author paid gracful tributes to the adapters and producers of a real masterpiece of mystery in the picture which is 60 aptly acted by Robert Donat and Madeleine Carroll in the principal parts. The story opens in a music hall where the announcer is faced by an excited audienco, which becomes so unruly that a free fight culminates in the sound of revolver shots. This is a signal for an unceremonious rush for all doors, a Canadian visitor rescues a girl from being crushed and pilots her out in safety. At her request he takes her to his flat and learns ■that she is a spy on tho truck of a certain professor with a missing finger-joint,, who plans to divulge vital secrets of Britain’s air defences, and as sho is later found stabbed to death, lie is impelled to tako up her work. Learning that the base of the professor’s operations is in Scotland, he loses no time in following up the information imparted by the girl, but as soon as he arrives at Waverley station, he finds himself deeply involved not only in tho great spv mvstery, but also in tho responsibility for the girl’s death. Quite a different Madeleine Carroll will be seen in the Gaumont.-British production of John Buchan’s “Tho Thirty Aline Steps.” In her last two films she has been a marble Venus. In “The Thirty-Nine Stops” she never gets a chance to be either a Venus or marble. Sho is dragged over rocks and under fences; and handcuffed' for a whole night to Robert Donat, whom (in the film) she hates. Others in the cast include Lucy Mannheim, Godfrey Tearlo, Peggy Ashcroft, John Laurie, Helen Haye, Frank Collier, Wylie Watson, Peggy Simpson, Kate Cutler, Hilda Trevelyan.