ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 182, 3 July 1936, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

STATE THEATRE. “ICING OF THE DAMNED.” “King of the Damned,” screening finally tonight at the Stato Theatre, is a melodrama based on the convict revolt for better eondtions at the penal settlement of Santa Maria, and is considerable achievement. Hero is a story crammed with action and big humanity, portraying a man’s stern regard for duty and a girl’s unswerving love, triumphing over tlio chaos and tragedy of their environment. Conrad Veidt, playing the role of the leader of the convict rebellion, is a Continental star who lias brought much to the GaumontBritish screen. Noah Beery, as his murderous but genial companion, is a distinguished Hollywood player; Helen Vinson, another distinguished American, brings beauty and graco to the role of “Alina,’ lending touches of fcm iiino sweetness to tho otherwise stark drama. A young player is Peter Croft, an Englishman, while Cecil Humago' is his usual polished sell, adding another triumph to liis long list of character portrayals. “Mil DEEDS GOES TO TOWN.”

Frank Capra, that peer of directors, lias taken Gary Cooper, Jean Arthur, an excellent supporting cast, a line story by Clarence BuUingtoii Kcllund, end a live, intelligent screen play by Robert Uiskiu and moulded them all into a motion picture so superior that there are tew superlatives worthy of it. Its title is “Mr Deeds Goes to Town,” and it conies to the Stato Theatre to-morrow. From under Mr Capra's magic wand has sprung a new Gary Cooper, tpunorous, amiable, vibrant and winning. He seems to have been injected with the sarnie mysterious fluid that electrified Clark Gablo into giving the best performance of his hie in Mr Capra’s “It Happened One Night.” Miss Arthur, too, is lcvcalcd in all tier glory. Her performance can only he described as irresistible. This lovely blonde young lady easts a spell over the audience. She should he considered an portant star from this moment on. “Mr Deeds Goes to Town” has to do with a young man from a small town wiio falls into a fortune of 20,000,000 dollars, lie is taken to New York against his will to receive the money. Gratters buz/, around him like bees around honey.. Newspapers givo iiini the works, label him the Cinderella Man.” Tli town goes wild. One of the reporter, a sob sister, anonymously strikes up bis. acquaintance to get exclusive stories, and remains to fall in love with him and, unconsciously, causes him so much woo that lie attempts to give his fortune away. This move succeeds in getting him arrested for insanity. Superbly assisted by a cast that includes George ' Bancroft, Lionel Slander, Douglass Dumbrille, Raymond WaJhurn, Mine. Margaret Matzumuier. 11. B. Warner, Warren Hymer and many other favourites, Air Cooper and Aliss Arthur prance meirily through the film, which, in tho final analysis, .is a completely enchanting pioduction, a victory for all concerned.

REGENT THEATRE. “CAPTAIN BLOOD.” Rafael Sabatini’s immortal tale of piracy on the high seas, “Captain Blood, screening finally to-night at the Regent Theatre, is now acknowledged to tiavo taken its place among the classic stor es of adventure written in the last century. -Its thrilling action and absorbing romance ate known to all readers whose hearts respond to tho call of adventure and the lure ot excitemont. Now “Captain Blood, 1 all its colour, its vividness and its thrills intact, has been made into a talking, picture by Warner Bros., as a hirst Nationa release. In the immensity of its st-uiK drama, its tremendous sets, its b zarie and picturesque background, its thrilling action and its marvellous eharactcnsations, '“Captain Blood” stands out as one of the great film masterpieces. ~ “THE STORY OF LOUIS PAS 1 EUR. Brilliant biographical ‘drama, ncl. m human interest, intelligently and realistically based on the career of Louis 1 astern- France’s famous chemist and bacteriologist, are the elements of the longheralded film “The Story of Louis I astern-,” opening to-morrow at lie Kcgeui Theatre. Spectacular emotional highlights' are cleverly worked into the theme, tlieteby reducing scientific technicalities to a comprehensive perspective, while there is a tender conventional love interest ltirther to engender appeal. I lie star, like the character lie is called upon to portray, lias been long' in finding the iceognition genius deserves, but sucu is the high quality of the entertainment wrapped up in this picture that there is now no doubt that his artistry will receive full acknowledgment. If a finer and more significant picture than ‘ 1 lie Story ot Louis Pasteur” has been made, it is dirhcult to recall. Alttelt could be written about the dramatic power, absorbing situations and masterly direction and magnificent aiding of this him, but the impiossion it' makes on those who have seen it tells a much more vivid story. The picture has received the kind of tributeapplause from clccply-affccted audiences—that would surely gladden the hearts of its producers even if it had not been the great success that it is proving at the box oificc. Paul Muni’s picture of Pasteur should win for him a special and exclusive award for cinematographic art. His eyes and his lips; his lingers and his dragging feet; the suffering in his face and his reluctance to accept the laurels when at, last they rest upon him, stamp him as one of the master actors of lus age. Forget his “Chain Gang”; forget his other tine portrayals; it is his future triumphs that, audiences will be looking for Humanity can never pay the debt it owes to Pasteur, for. on his shoulders rests the responsibility of having saved millions born after ho himself was dead. Pasteur’s life and work, his triumphs in the face of petty jealousy, prejudice, and, above all, ignorance, possess drama the most inspired of scenarists generally concoct from the imagination, it gave Pierre Codings and Sheridan Giblicy the thing for which all scenarists search—natural drama based on facts. This story of the life and work of a tine man can'bring a tear to a man’s eyes, and he is unashamed. Yet no dramatic story for years has been less sordid or harrowing. Josephine Hutchinson is tender and understanding as his loyal wife; Anita Louise and Donald Woods create conventional love interest unobtrusively as Annette and Jean Martel; and Fritz Lciber is excellent as the sceptical, vindictive Cliarbonnet.