ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 190, 13 July 1936, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

STATE THEATRE. “COME OUT OF THE PANTRY.” Packed with surprises, comedy and nit sic, Jack Buchanan’s ‘Corue Out of the Pantry,” screening to-night at the State Theatre, is entertainment of scintillating kind. Action is swift/ laughter conies spontaneously, the sing: ikig is bright and the love theme romantic. 1 Buchanan plays an aristocratic lootman | tremendously; as niece of the wealthy New Yorkers, hay Wray is her most win- ' some; a strong cast supports every situ- | ation, from comedy to action. The story suits the stars and the times. It is catchy, with amusing cottiers to it. Stranded penniless in New York, Buchanan, as the son of a peer, meets an old retainer, played by Ronald Squire. On <«»£• of his delightful impulses, Buchanan secures a position at the wealthy New York household where “Eccles” is butler. What a furore Buchanan causes below — and above —stairs. The maids go off their heads, the cook yen.ns for romance, while “Hilda” (Fay Wray) finds much to speculate upon in the person of the handsome new fuotimn. Complications come swiftly. The aristocrat’s beastly brother arrives on the scene, seeking not the errant Buchanan, but llie hand of Hilda. Whereupon action follows, with all the 'iigrcdienia of comedy-romance skilfully treated to lead up to tlie dramatic finale. Proposing to Hilda between the first- and third courses as he waits at table, Buchanan suddenly .releases the bombshell of his identity, claims the willing nieco and take* the place of the ousted brother at the festive board. One of the high spots of the show is the di« icing sequence in the kitchen when Buchanan sings the hit, “Everything Stops for Tea.” Produced by B. and D. Films, “Come Out of the Pantry” is one of the notables of the year. The support vig piogramme is one of outstanding brilliance and includes the latest FoxAussie and International News, comedy travelogue and a special short entitled “Kicking,” dealing with football. plans arc on view at the theatre and are tilling rapidly. s MAYFAIR. “STREET SINGER’S SERENADE.” “Street Singer's Serenade,” Ihe fh‘*t of the Herbert "Wilcox “World Standard” productions, co-starring Arthur I racy, the wonder-voiced “Street Singer,” and Anna Neagle, which will be presented at the Mayfair- Theatre to-night, has been rightlv acclaimed “The Happiness Picture cf 1936.” During the latter days of production, director Herbert Wilcox bad bis company working spells ot 16 and 18 hours on the compiex and spectacular stage scenes which play an important part in the development of thin delightful story the first of its kind—of Loudon'* real theatrelaud. Those scenes wore filmed not as production numbers in the musical extravaganza style, but as real stage scenes in order to preserve the actuality which is the kevnoto oi the film, and to bring home to lilmgoore the thrill and glamour ot Loudon'* West End as intimately as American films have done with Broadway. Not only were the scene* shot in the historic Lyceum Theatre; they were filmed with the Hippodrome chorus, under Ralph Reader, playing in his real life role ot a dance director, and with k rank Boor, the Hippodrome manager, . appearing in his own capacity, in addition to a number of other West End cclebriics. Above all there is lovely Anna Xcaglo re-enacting the commencement ot her own career. as a chorus girl, and throwing hcivelf with tremendous’ zest into a role which mean* even more to her than any of her past succcsac*, and displaying her versatility as an actress, as a singer, and as a dancer, while Arthur Tracy co-star* with her in hi* own world-famous character ot the “Street Singer.” Tracy sings fcoven numbers in the film, one the well-known ana “La Donna e Mobile” from “Rigolctto,” and others specially written for him bv j-ja.rrv Woods who wrote the music for “Evergreen/’ Ilotfman,' Sigler and Goodliaidt.

REGENT THEATRE. “I FOUND STELLA PARISH.” Kay Kranc-is, with all her protean skill, her emotional force, anti feminine alliH’C, is back again in the gripping drama ot modern tlicatre lile, ”1 Found Stella Parish,” a \N arner Pros.’ special, screening to-night at. the Regent. This its the story of a brave* woman's fight to live down an ugly episode in the past. Stella Parish, under another name, is an American “actress on the road.’’ \\ hen her drunken, jealous husband discovers her in the room of another man, tin’s person is shot dead, and both arc charged and convicted of murder, the husband shamelessly involving his innocent wife. In time she, and later lie, are liberated. Stella finds her way on the stage in England arid wins siardom under Stephen Norman's nianagcinent. Her life off the stage is private, and she is a recluse —for the sake of her child who was horn in prison. On the night of her greatest triumph, her husband turns up. Dreading blackmail and worse, Siella, with her mother and child, disappears. Here enters Keith Lockbridge, journalist, friend of the manager. Noting how genuinely distressed Norman is at the disappearance of - his “star,” Lockbridge traces her to an American liner, and on heard worms himself into her friendship and even alfcction through the child. On reaching New York lie wires a story to his paper in London. 'Then Stella do cides that .she must tell Lockbridge. her pitiful story, as the strain of deceiving him becomes too great. She begins by telling him that she loves him—then the pitiful story follows. Realising that he has done the woman a great injustice lie ’phones London to stop the story, but it is too late. That day it is repeated in tiie New York papers. Stella Parish is found again. After the publicity licr only thought is to save the knowledge from her child, so she gives her up to her mother’s keeping, and starts in to exploit her notoriety. How she returns to the English stage, to Gloria, and Lockbridge, makes a moving story. AJiss Kay Frances shares the honours of the picture with little Sybil Jason, a charming and talented girl born to the purple of the screen. The chief male roles are admirably sustained by lan Hunter and Paul Lukas. There is an excellent supporting programme.