ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 142, 18 May 1936, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

MAYFAIR THEATRE. “WHIPSAW.” Adventure and romance, drama and comedy, are deftly blended »j “Whipsaw,” which brings Myrna Loy to the screen in a new hit with Spencer Tracy , as her co-star. The picture, screening to-night at the Mayfair Theatre, takes its place among tho more important new season screen offerings. Seldom has Hollywood given American theatregoers a more t*appiiy mated team of stars than Miss Loy and Tracy. The latter has a rolo in, which his delightful brand of egotism and bombast is tempered with an entirely human romance. Miss Loy’s characterisation gives her an opportunity for the whimsical lightness she iirst displayed so fetchingly in “Tho Thin Man” and which marked her as a vivid new screen personality. “Whipsaw” is a story of “angles.” Not cidy docs the locale shift witii lightning rapid ty from London to Now York and thence throughout many mid-western cities, but the mood mil tlie direction of the story shifts almost as rapidly. Tho plot concerns itself with smuggled jewels, which Miss Loy, as a member of an international ring of jewel thieves, is presumed to have in her possession. Tracy is a secret service mill who attempts to trap her through romantic intrigue, lie manoeuvres her into a situation in which she must poso os his w fe, and the' story moves swiftly through a chain of events which keeps excitemmt and suspense at fever height. Ail excellent supposing cast appears with tho stars. It includes Harvey Stephens, William Harrigan, Robert Warwick, Irene Franklin, Lillian Leighton, Wade Botcler and Clay Clement, among others. John Qualen is a new pcrsmality who scores a distinct personal triumph as a bewildered Missouri farmer. William Ingcrsol turns in an excellmt performance as a country doctor. stlso on the same programme are Laurel and Hardy in a scream of a comedy, a Pete Smith sport thrill cud the Mayfair news service. KOSY THEATRE. “MIDSHIPMAN EASY.” There is real adventure and romance in the thrilling screen adaptation oi Captain Marrvatt’s great novel, “Midshipman Easy,” which heads the big double-star programme at the Kosy Theatre to-night. Taking the role of Jack Easy, the courageous young lad who joins the navy, young Hughic Ureen, the new variety and radio star, gives a brilliant performance. He is excited youth personified, the very incarnation of boyish adventure and tho characters gathered around him are no less interesting. A typical example is the giant negro sergeant, Alesty, who is played by W. ' It.- Adams. Basil Dean chose his convict “types” very carefully and the result is the toughest crowd it is possible to imagine. Jack Easy, when lie joined the H.M.S. Harpy looked forward to some excitement and adventure —and lie certainly got it. He got more than over he bargained for. This novel has always been a great favourite with readers of all ages, making a particular appeal to boys of school age. It is certain to prove very popular wherever it in shown. “MILLION DOLLAR RANSOM.” The second attraction is one of the most sensational hoax kidnapping cases which is pictured in Damon Runyon’s amazing story, “Million Dollar Ransom,” produced by Universal. While all persons of wealth and prominence are taking extra precautionary measures to insure themselves ami their families against the rutless means employed by racketeers to-day, here is the highly unusual instance of a young millionaire who voluntarily has himself kidnapped. What happens when this hoax is discovered by a gang of unscrupulous men and when they turn it into the real tiling, makes this film one of the outstanding ones of tho year, full of intrigue and daring. “Million Dollar Ransom” has a splendid - cast headed by Phillips Holmes, ■ Mary Carlisle, Andy" Devine, Wini Shaw, and many others. Murray Roth directed.