ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 92, 18 March 1936, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. ‘MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION.”

“All my life I shall loathe Bobby Alcrrick,” says Helen Hudson (Irene Dunne) in “Magnificent Obsession,” an outstanding picture now showing in Palmerston North at the Regent Theatre. But little does Helen know that what was formerly an unreasoning; hate is later to blossom into love. The story of “.Magnificent Obsession” is one of the strangest romances ever written; yet it is a lifelike, poignantly human story, the philosophic note -of which is unselfishness. Apart from the srious theme, however, there is comic relief supplied by the inimitable Charles Biittenvorth. For instance, imagine Butlei worth, newly married, coming out of his apartment in a Paris bold in bis nigldshirt to put out, the slices for the boot-boy; along conics' Robert Taylor and places bis bat on But-tci-wortli’s bead. Taylor goes away and the door slams, so that Butterwortli is locked out, drfessed in a nightshirt and a top-hat. He lias to call bis wife to let. him in. Words can’t describe the comedy of this scene. It sounds ordinary on paper, bill; it creates more laughter than any other scene in (lie film. Also imagine Butterworth, after a rather convivial evening with Robert Taylor, stepping by accident from bis ear into an excavation made in the l-oad. Taylor advises him to- wait and keep on whittling until he gets help. Taking occasional sipe from a flask of Scotch, Butterwortli trills away, but ifi forgotten. He is awakened in the morning by a roadman. and then .immediately rewmmienccs bis trilling. Arthur Treacher, the English comedian, contributes a small amount of remedy, but of a different nature. In (bis film lie is a valet. Ralph Aforgan is one of the notable men playing a supporting role, as Randolph, the sculptor, who explains the secret, of true giving to Robert Taylor, and provides him with (he first inkling of philosophy. “The secret of life is not (o build your own personality out of other personalities, but info other personalities. From this you are able to make contact with the Supreme Personality, the source of infinite power.” How many of us think that we are not fulfilling our true destiny and arc struggling along life’s road in an aimless fashion ? This is a slorv which should appeal to all of us on these grounds; for it shows how a man who was utterly n-cle-s came to fulfil a great destiny. That in the powerful message which “Magnificent Obsession” holds in si ore for each and overv human heimr. “IE YOU COULD ONLY COOK.”

“If You Could Only Cook,” Columbia’s new romantic comedy, wliicli is scheduledto open on Friday ai (be Regent Theatre, brings to the screen a new love team, Herbert Alar.shall and Jean Arthur. And it also marks Miss Arthur's initial appeal anon as a full-fledged siar. Her name joins Marshall’s' above the title. This is Marshall's first, picture since “Dark Angel,” in which he gave a performance that wan widely hailed. Aliss Arthur has been rewarded with stanndom by, her home studio for the 1 fine work she did in “Passport to Fame.” with Edward G. Robinson, in “Public Hero No. 1,” and in “Diamond Jim.” In “If A'ou Could Only Cook,” Marshall is seen as a disgusted millionaire. Not disgusted brianse he docs not know what lb do with his money, but. heiause he is about In ni-irry a girl ho does not love and who dees not. love him. And further, because his beard of directors has been annoying him. Instead of getting drunk, he goes and sits in the park. Here he meets Miss Arthur, who is scanning the want advert is. nieiils for a job. She mistakes him for another unemployed member of society and invites him to go with her to answer an advertisement for a married couple, a butler and a maid. Marshall, on the spur of the nionnnt, accepts, and off go the millionaire and the young lady and get the job. ’J hey find themselves working for a notorious racketeer; Leo Carillo plays this role. When both Marshall and Carillo fall in lc\o with Marshall’s -wife,’ things happen. I'Np. cialiv when Marshall has a previous commitment to marry a society-girl on a fast-approach-ing date. From this point on. the tale is filled with complications that promise much in the way of merriment. William A. Suiter, a master at directing light comedy, guides “If You Gould Only. Cook” to a conclusion that proves satisfactory to all concerned. -In the supporting .cast are Lionel Slander, . brassy-voiced poet of “The Scoundrel,” Alan Edwards, Frieda. Incseourf, Gene Morgan, Half Ilarolde, Matt McHugh and Richard Powell.

STATE THEATRE

“WHISPERING SMITH SPEAKS. Instead of riding a loping. horse over the plains, George O’Brien is riding the iron horse over the singing rails in his new adventure picture for Fox, “Whispering Smith Speaks,” which comes tonight to the State Theatre, Swiftpaced and filled with the zest for adventure that has made O’Brien a film favourite, “Whispering Smith Speaks” pictures the adventures of a rail-road magnate’s son when he undertakes to become a rail man himself. In the course of his adventurous wandering O’Brien chances across a dilapidated old railroad , which has a beautiful girl for a general manager. Fascinated by this unusual situation, O’Brien decides to stay, although ho is only a lowly track-walker, In time, however, O’Brien gets his chance to outsmart his father. Frank gheridan. The old rail mogul is negotiating secretly to obtain control of the old road on which O’Brien works, because he knows that Miss Ware’s farm contains valuable deposits of minerals. Through the plot and counterplot, O’Brien cleverly weaves his way, until ho finally races his opponents lo Detroit in a wildly careering engine. In a showdown, he forces his father to admit that his son is a capable railroading man after all, and wins the hand of Miss Ware. Kenneth Thompson is prominently featured as O’Brien’s rival, and Spencer Charters and Vic Potel arc amusing as his two railroading companions. . Directed hy David Howard, the picture was adapted from the novel hy Frank 11. Spearman.

“NAVY WIFE.” A dramatic story, rich in romance, studded with bright comedy and revealing for the first time lire in tile medical and nursing corps 01 the United States Navy, “Navy Wife,” also open to-nigiit at the Stale Theatre. Claire Trevor heads the film cast. Ralph Bellamy, one of the screen’s most popular young actors, has the romantic lead opposite Miss ires or. Others prominently east arc Warren Hy mer, Ben Lyon, Jane Harwell, George Irving and Kathleen Burke, “Navy Wite” is the screen version of Kathleen Norris’ popular, novel, “Beauty’s Daughter,” and was directed by Allan Dwan under the supervision of Sol M. Wurtzel. Miss Trevor enacts the role of a young nurse who, against her better judgment, falls in love with Ralph Bellamy, a' physician in the naval hospital. She accepts his proposal of marriage knowing that lie is sti.l in love with the memory of his dead wife. She believes that love will come to him after marriage. Miss Trevor soon learns that the memory of a dead wife is almost too much to oxercome. Then, when she returns from a trip with the daughter, she discovers that another woman, Kathleen Burke, has come into his iite. But a surprise-filled climax serves to bring understanding, real love and happiness lo the young couple. Hynmor is east in the comedy role of a “tough” sailor with a romantic attachment lor Miss Trevor.

KOSY THEATRE

“THREE KIDS AND A QUEEN.” The luxurious New York home of the richest woman in the world is the scene of part of the action of “Three Kids and a Queen,” Universal’s lively comedydrama which comes to. the Kosy Theatre to-night, with May Robson in the starring- role. But the greater part of the story takes place in a simply furnished basement in the East Side tenement district. with an Italian barber shop in .tiic front room and a motley assortment of youngsters in the rear. It is here that Miss Robson, the wealthy, grabbed - old maid of the story,, is taken when ..she is injured in a runaway, and it is here that she determines to stay in spite of the..fact i that the ' temperamental, barber jireiersj her room to her company.: The -police are

making a frenzied search ' for the irascible old woman, and Barber Henry Armcita has no ambition to be arrested as a kidnapper, in spite of the fact that ho is as innocent as a new-born babe, so to speak. Finally the wealthy woman actually is kidnapped, and the scene is transferred to the country hideout of the gangsters who have perpetrated the crime. Exciting events in this picturesque loca lion lead up to the old woman’s eventual return to her Fifth Avenue mansion—but even this does not last. The scene changes again, and the erratic Mary Jane Baxter travels down The Avenue with her entourage, bent on life’s greatest advonture. In addition to Armetta, Miss Robson’s supporting cast in, “Three Kids and a Queen’’ includes Frankie Darro, Charlotte Henry. William Benedict, Billy Burred, John Miljan, Laurence Grant, lledda Hooper. Herman Bing, Henry Ivolker and many others, and the picture was produced under the direction of Edward Ludwig.