ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 163, 11 June 1936, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

MAYFAIR THEATRE. * X AUGIIT Y MA R 1 ETTA.’ ’ Produced on a spectacular scale by Mctro-Goldwyn-Maycr with Jeanette MacDonald. the Sonia of “'The Merry \\ idow” and acknowledged one of the greatest singing rstars of the screen, and Nelson | Eddy, operatic baritone, hailed as a sensational “discovery” among romantic-lead-ing men, “Naughty Marietta,” screening to-night at the Mayfair Theatre, was filmed as a iliuiuicnng uruiua ol romantic days, a vehicle that gives to the famous Victor Hubert music the importance it merits. “Naughty Marietta” i* acknowledged one of the five greatest comic operas ever competed in America. It was finst produced in -the New York Theatre on November 7, 1910, by Oscar Hammerstein, with Emma Trent ini, from grand opera, and Orville Harrold. Herbert’s music had a libretto by Rida Johnson Young. It look the country by stonn. Herbert, the great romantic composer, was born in Ireland, received hi* musical education in Germany, and then went to America where he composed his great mutdcal shows. Among them was “Naughty Marietta.” Metro-Gold wynAlayer’s screen transcription of “Naughty Marietta” takes on as much importance as its original stage premiere because of the unique handling of the story. The old comic opera libretto was laid aside, and the stirring incidents, historical facts and dramatic thrills referred to in dialogue in the istage version are actually shown. The importation of the Casquelto Girls from France to mate with the settler* in Louisiana, the New Orleans marriage auction, the battle of the Everglades, the pirate capture of the easquette ship, the Laris of- Louis XV and other authentic and dramatic detail* of the history ol the founding of one of America’s most romantic cilice* were woven into a thrilling adventure romance, directed by a master of adventure, \V. S. Van Dyke, of “Trader Horn,” vThin Alan,” “Manhattan Melodrama,” “The Ragan,” “(. üban Love Song” and other .successes. Miss .MacDonald piavs a princess who masquerades as a easquette girl, and Nelson Eddy a British oflicer in New' Orleans. Their songs are backed by huge sympathy orchestras, a chorus ol 100 voices, and many musical novelties fitted into the score by Herbert Sto.hart, famou* conipcr.er and i one-time associate of Herbert. An elaborate cast surrounds the famous singing principals.

KOSY THEATRE. “LOVE IN BLOOM.” A flock of new Gordon and Revel songs, crisp, crackling comedy and a touching love *tory of young love in Manhattan arc the ingredients which help to make the new Burns and Allen Paramount film, “Love in Bloom,” now at the Ko>> Theatre, the best that the madcap comedy team ha* turned out to date. Joe Morrison, the handsome young tenor, and Dixie Lee arc the young lover*, (struggling to get along in Manhattan. Dixie has mu away from her father’s carnival show with no intention of ever returning. But when her goofy brother- and sister-in-law, George and Gracie, turn up in the carnival calliope on their honeymoon, she knows that she cannot ciscapc them. All the young couple s savings go to hailing Dixie s father, out of gaol and retting the show back on its feet. Finally Dixie Lee run* away from Joe Morrwon at the altar because she fears that she cannot make him happy. f l he young couple are happily brought, together at the close of the film, although they are for a time hindered by Burns’ and Allen s crazy efforts to help their romance. “PICK UP.’*

Mushroom t-aucc to a Rolls Boyce! Those are the two extremes of the unusual property list compiled for use ol Sylvia Sidney and George Ratf in Vina Delinar’ts “Pick Up,” produced by B. P. Sellu!berg for Paramount, currently showing at the Kosy Theatre. The * properties include *ucli diverse items as a steak dinner, bridge table, clocks, diamond ring, flying rings, *oc-sa\v Rolls Royce, mushroom pauce, hurdy-gurdy, oid-fashioned school bell, telephone switchbord and a gun. The story tells of a romance of a couple of youngsters who meet in a manner far from formal. Sylvia is the girl, destitute in the city, after being released from prison to which site bus been sent, framed by her husband, a criminal. Penniless and cold, she take* shelter' in an empty cab on the rainy night during which the story opens. Raft, the driver, orders lior out," but genuinely sympathetic when ho hears her story, helps her. They are soon deeply in love. A flippant debutante enters the scene, however, and Baft begins to fall in lovo with her. Worried, Sylvia hastens to a lawyer and learn* that her previous marriage can easily he annulled. But the very day the papers arrive, the husband appears fresh from a gaol break in which he killed a guard, and intent on revenging himself. r J he picture reaches a breathless climax when Sylvia tries to save the lifo of the rnan she loves.