ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 183, 6 July 1936, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

STATE THEATRE.

“MR DEEDS GOES TO TOWN.” Once again tho matchless genius of Frank Capra has asserted (itself and brought lo the screen a triumph of the highest calibre. To his last three films “Lady For a Day,” “It Happened One Night” and “Broadway Bill,” each of them line enough to warm the heart of an ordinary director for the duration ot his prolcssional lile—is added now “Air Deeds Coes io Town,” showing tonight at the State , Theatre with Cary Cooper and Jean Arthur in the important roles It is an enchanting film, merry, 1 111111 an, romantic, inteligent, in the inimitable Capra manner. It brings a new and charming Cary Cooper to his innumerable fans, and it finds in Jean Arthur a star of the first magnitude, lovely,) clever and sparkling. "Air Deeds Coes to Town" tells the fascinating story, ot a young man in a small town —Mandrake Falls, if you’re curious—who falls heir to 20,000,000 ” dollars left by an eccentric uncle. Longfelloiv Deeds, the hick, decs not gb e a hoot about the money; _ lie wants to be left alone ill<Alandrake Falls, where he is having a good time playing the tuba in the village band and serving as a volunteer fireman. However, he is

brought to New York by liis late uncle's attorney and dropped in the midst of a bunch "of grafters—the attorney among them—who are due to leave Deeds as little of the fortune as possible. Of course, his advent into the metropolis is a field day for the newspapers. One clever editor assigns Babe Bennett, a sob sister, the task of getitng the story on Longfellow; she docs, but she also succeeds in tailing ill ioio with him and allowing him to fall for her. Her stories bring Deeds such unhappiness that he decides to give the 20.000,000 dollars away to needy folk. Immediately the attorney, who sees visions of the money getting away from him altogether, has Deeds arrested for insanity, and then the fur flies with a vengeance. REGENT THEATRE. “THE STORY OF LOUIS PASTEUR.“

Brilliant biographical drama, rich in human interest, intelligently and rcalistieally based cn the career of Louis 1 astour, ’ France’s famous chemist and bacteriologist, arc the elements of the longheralded film “The Story cf Louis Pasteur,” screening to-night at the Regent Theatre. Spectacular emotional highlights are cleverly worked into the theme, thereby reducing scientific _ technicalities to a comprehensive perspective, while there is a tender conventional interest further to engender appeal. The star, like tiie character lie is called upon to portray, lias been long in finding the recognition genius deserves, but such is the high quality of the entertainment wrapped up in tiiis picture tiiat there is now no doubt that bis artistry will receive full acknowledgment. If a finer and more significant picture than “Tho Story of Louis Pasteur” lias been made, it is dillicult to recall. Much could bo written about tho dramatic power, absorbing situations and masterly direction and magnificent acting of this film, but the impression it makes on those who have seen it tells a much more vivid story. The picture lias received the kind of tribute — applause from deeply-affected audiences—that would surely gladden the hearts of its producers even if it bad not been flic great success that it is proving at the box office. Paul Muni's picture of Pasteur should win for him a special and exclusive award for cinematographic art. His eves and Ins lips; bis 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 Ins age. Forget ill's “Chain Clung”; forget his other fine portrayals; it. is Ins future triumphs that audiences will bo looking for. Humanity can never pay the debt it owes to Pasteur, for on iiis shoulders rests the responsibility of having saved millions born after lie liimself was dead. Pasteur's life and work, his triumphs in the face of petty jealousy, prejudice, and, above all, ignorance, pos- | ses-s drama the most inspired cf scenarists i generally concoct from the imagination, it give Pierre Golfings and Sheridan Gibncy tho thing for which all scenarists search—natural drama based on facts. This story of tho life and work of a fine man can bring a tear to a man’s eyes,'and be is unashamed. Yet no dramatic story for years lias been less sordid or harrowing. Josephine Hutchinson is tender and understanding as his loyal wife; Anita Louise and Donald Woods create conventional lore interest unobtrusively as Annette and Jean Martel; and Fritz Leiber is excellent as the sceptical, vindictive Cliarbonnet.