FILM AND STACIE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 64, 13 February 1936, Page 10

FILM AND STACIE

Suspenae and Humour. Swift as h . speedboat,. novel as a circus, and packer! with laughtay, “ r lho Rainmakers,”,' kh'ieli conies ;to'JrlierStato Theatre on Saturday night,,- deserves rating among'the-best comedy features given to the ■ screen by Beit Wheeler and Robert Woolse.v. J’lacing Wheeler and Woolsey in the roles of scientific “rainmakers,” , “The Rainmakers” offers unlimited opportunity for suspense and humour. Starting with a recital of tiie woes of the bean-growing farmers of “Lima Junction” in California, the picture cuts , back, to a. wild scene showing “Roscoe the Rainmaker (Bob Woolsey) riding to the rescue through a terrific dust storm. En route lie picks up. Bert Wheeler as ins assistant. Arriving in Lima Junction, the two .scientists run afoul of trouble in the persons of the town’s “leading citizen” and his son. To complicate matters further, Bert falls in love with the local banker’s daughter. Through the hilarious use of their raiiiniaking machine, Bert and Bob overcome all obstacles, however, and the piotura races swiftly to an uproarious climax. [Wheeler and Woolsey patrons also will

welcome back in “The , Rainmakers” I that sparkling little comedienne, Dorothy Lee. She gives a splendid performance as the banker’s daughter. Also prominent in the supporting cast are such finished players as Bcrton Churchill, George Meeker, and Fredric Roland. Based on Stage Hit. “The Bishop Misbehaves,” the ne\V production coming to the Regent Theatre on Wednesday next, is an adaptation from one of the year’s brightest comedy stage hits, written by Frederick Jackson and adapted to the screen by Leon Gordon. On the stage it was the starring vehicle for Walter Connelly, on the screen for Edmund Gwenn. The story concerns the amusing mishaps of the kindly old Bishop who becomes involved in a

crime. Maureen O’Sullivan and; Norman Foster are featured in the romantic leads. The cast also includes Lucile Watson, Reginald Owen, Dudley Digges, Lillian Uoud and others.

The New Zealand girl, Elaine Hamill is now back in Melbourne after having been in Sydney playing the part of the other woman to Helen Twelvctrees in “Thoroughbred.” J. C. Williamson have engaged her again to play lead in “Night Must Fall,” and she is busy at present, rehearsing- at the Comedy Theatre, Mplbdtirne. A block on Alpine JJrive, Beverley Hills, Hollywood, is called “singers’ row” because Gladys Swartliout, star of “Hose of the Rancho,” Lawrence • .Tibbett and Nelson Eddy, occupy adjoining houses.

Thrilling Sea Story. “China Seas” is the title the stirring drama winch opens oil Saturday, February 22, at the Regent Theatre, with Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, and Wallace Beery in the principal roles. As its title implies, the story deals with the adventures of a group of white people oil a stormwrecked ship off the south-eastern coast of Asia. Perilled by typhoons and pirate raids, they work out a strange destiny in the “last irontier” of the sea. With the stars in this Irving G. Thallierg production is a notable cast that includes Lewis Stone, Rosalind Russell, Dudley Digges, C. Aubrey Smith, Robert Benchley, William Henry, Lillian Bond,'and many others. Tay Garnett directed.

Fun In Rainmaking. Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey create a rain storm and a brain storm, combined, in their new comedy feature “The Rainmakers,” coming to the State Theatre on Saturday. The story centres upon an impending crop failure in a bean-growing community, on which the heavens smile too much and cry too little. Into the sorry scene steps Woolsey in the role of “Roscoe, the Rainmaker,” a pseudo scientist ready at the drop of a hat to bring drops of moisture. With him comes Wheeler, the awkward assistant who falls in love with the banker’s daughter, a featured role for Dorothy Lee. Retween them, after successive scenes packed with suspense, thrills, tomfoolery, horseplay and wit, they outdo Mother Nature in the business of rainmaking. Ably supporting Wheeler and

Woolsey are Berton Churchill, George Meeker.- and Fredric Roland.' “The Rainmakers” was produced by • Lee Marcus. Fred Guiol directed, and Grant Garrett and Leslie Goodyrins are coauthors of the picture.

One of the most interesting productions for 1936 will be the picture, “I Give My Heart.” Adapted from the opera “The Dubarry,” it ha 6 as its star the original Dubarrv for whom the play was written, Miss Gitta Alpar, the glamorous Hungarian gipsy soprano. Miss Alpar’s singing is unforgettable, and renderings of such well known songs as “I Give My Heart,” and the lovely, duet “Until • You Came,” which she sings with Patrick' Waddington, are the highlights of the picture.

A Popular Drama. A drama which, more than forty vears ago, first portrayed the triumph of young love over merciless self-righte-ousness aiul bigotry, again holds tho attention of audiences in the pieturisation of America’s greatest melodrama, “Way Down East.” now showing at the State Theatre. Featuring Henry Fonda, star of “The Farmer Takes a Wife,” with Rochelle Hudson, the picture tells the ageless story of a woman who lias sinned, who atones for her sin and who asserts her right to love and happiness. 'Flic locale ol the drama is New England in the 1890’s, and much of its action is centred about tho farm of Russell Simpson, a stern, bigoted, righteous farmer. Unsuspecting. liis wife lias permitted Rochelle Hudson, whose past hides a tragic love episode, to work in her home, and tho girl soon attracts tile glances and the love, of their son, Henry Fonda. The parents, however. hope to seo Fonda marry Astrid Alhvyn. She is in love with Edward Trevor, who, as chance would have it, is Miss Rochelle’s betrayer. Through the seasons, the pastoral simplicity and beauty of New England life, the drama works out its course. Finally, pilloried by malicious gossip. Miss Hudson flees from the home to lose her way on the river ice, which is breaking up. In a climax which sets a high standard for suspense and sheer excitement, the girl is retrieved from death by the narrowest margin. Romance In Vienna.

■Stars, romance, music, gaiety, laughter and dranla all mingle in a new and unique blend of screen entertainment in “Escapade,” a new romance of Vienna that conies to the Regent Theatre on Saturday next. It captures Continental flavour and music, and puts them on the screen in a story with unusual dramatic twists that keep the audience in a constant state of surprises. Through the deft handling of the story every entertainment value from laughs to tears, from drama to music, is packed into a single evening’s divertissement. This picture, which •stars : William Powell and introduces Luise Rainer, brilliant Vienna" stage star, to audiences as his leading lady, has anotable cast! _ Frank Morgan of “Affairs of Cellini” and “Naughty Marietta,” plan’s the jealous doctor, and blonde Virginia Bruce of “The Mighty Barnum” and “Times Square Latlv,” his flirtatious wife who gets Powell into a multiplicity of comical complications. Mady Christians, F.upopean star of “The Waltz Dream,” is his jealous sweetheart, and Reginald Gwen plays the absentminded musician lover. Henry Travers is the comical gardener and Laura Hope Crews, stage near of “The Silver Cord,” Matliilde Comont, Lorraine Bridges, new singing discovery, are others in the east. Though not a musical picture, there are some elaborate musical sequences. Tho most important is the opera premiere in which tlie voice of Enrico Caruso, amplified from records made during the tenor’s life, with augmented orchestration, recreate his golden tones of the best actual reproduction of his voice ever achieved. Unique Love Tangle. “The Goose and the Gander,” ai comedy drama involving a unique love tangle, opens at the Kosy Theatre on Wednesday next, with Ivay Francis and George Brent in the stellar roles. The plot involves both the theft of hearts and of jewels, is set in the gayest of atmospheres and carries most exciting situations. The story revolves about the plot of a divorced wife to get even with the pretty blonde who stole her husband’s heart. She manoeuvres the second wife and her escort, with whom she is planning a' trip to the mountains while her husband is away on business, into her lodge, where they are compelled to spend the night. At the' same time she invited the ex-

husband to visit her. With all under one roof, and a robber and his wife, who have run out of petrol, thrown in for good measure, there ensue many lively, exciting, and embarrassing situations which culminate in a surprising climax. In the all star cast with Miss Francis and Brent, are Genevieve Tobin, John Eldredge, Claire Dodd, Ralph Forbes, Helen Lowell, Spencer Charters and Gordon Elliott.

Francliot Tone has been signed to appear apposite Grace Moore in her next picture which is tentatively titled “Cissy.” Picture-goers will remember that one of the comedy highspots of “Brewster’s Millions” was a burlesque of Bing Crosby, by Jack Buchanan. In his latest film, “Come Out of the Pantry,” which is due for early release, he follows this up with an even more delightful parody of Fred Astaire. There are many beautiful works in tho repertoire of Gilbert and Sullivan, and New Zealand theatregoers will have the privilege of hearing some of them when the Williamson Company of Savoyards will extend their Australian triumphs to New Zealand. The season will open at Auckland on February 19. The plays to he staged include: “Princess Ida,” “lolantho,” “The Mikado,” “Patience,” “Yeomen of the Guard.” “The Gondoliers,” “Pinafore” and possibly “Ruddigore” —all with full orchestral and choral effect. “The Prisoner of Shark Island, in which Warner Baxter will appear in the characterisation of Dr. Samuel Alexander Mudd, the physician who was sent to a penal colony in the Gulf of Mexico for alleged complicity in the death of Lincoln, is now in production. Tho story concerns the sending of Dr. Mudd to a. shark infested island to satisfy the national hysteria following the killing of .Lincoln. Dr. Mudd, descril>ed by historians as tho most tragic figure in American , history, was honourably pardoned when, bv a heroism that has few equals, he conquered yellow fever in the worst island prison known.

Vivid Action Film., Red-blooded action, hair-raising thrills, spectacular horsemanship and gun battles galore in the typical Western manner make the second in the series of the famous Clarence E. Mulford “Hopalong” Cassidy stories to come to the screen, “Tlie Eagle’s Brood,” ail outstanding production, which opens at the Kosy Theatre on Saturday. Measuring up to the same high standard of the first Mulford film, “Hopalong Cassidy,” “Tlie Eagle’s Brood” is a continuance of fiction’s favourite cowboy hero and his adventures as a fearless rider of tho range in the days of the old West. William Boyd is again seen in the role of “Hopalong,” the same character as he created in the first of' the series.

a fearless, admirable cowboy, quick on the trigger, straight shooting, hard riding hero of Mulfofd’s books who conies to life on the screen. In “Eagle’s . Brood” he is east as a peace officer whose duty is to bring law and order to the lawless border town of Hell Center. With him is his devoted admirer and impulsive pal, “Johnny Nelson, another of Mulford’s beloved fiction characters. j Mae AVest is learning how to speak Chinese with the aid or Soo Yung, who plays her maid in “Klondike Lou.”

The British Government are reported to be trying to persuade Hollywood film companies to move to Nassau, in the Bahamas. The climate is said to be ideal for picture production. Tilly Losch, who makes her film debut in “The Street Singer’s Serenade,” has been signed to appear in a colour film as a Russian ballet dancer. Joan Crawford and Clifton "Webb will commence production shortly on “Elegance,” with Francliot ’rone probably in the third leading role.. Production has now commenced oa ■tile film version of the igamous comedy,. “Eliza Comes to Stay,” with Betty Balfour and Seymour Hicks in tho leading roles. The cast also includes Oscar. Aschc. Winifred Lawson, the soprano of the Gilbert and Sullivan company opening at Auckland on February 19 under the Williamson banner, hails from Hampstead, England; Ivan ’Menzies, principal, comedian, also hails from England, and is the son of a doctor; Evelyn Gardiner is another well-known London Savoyard who is a qualified aviatrix as well as a brilliant contralto; Richard Watson, basso, balls from Adelaide; Bernard Manning, tenor, conies from Derbyshire, and is an ex-D’Oyly Carte performer; Gregory Stroud, baritone, js another Englishman; Godfrey Stirling, tenor, is an ex-schoolmaster, a brilliant athlete, also from England; Richard Watson, basso, is a Western Australian, formerly a college master; Eileen Kelly is a Victorian, and Helen Langton a West Australian.