ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 200, 14 July 1936, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. “I FOUND STELLA PARISH.” Kay Francis, with all her protean skili. her emotional force, and feminine allure, is back again in 1 lie gripping drama of modern tneatre life, “1 Found Stella Parish,” a Warner Bros.’ special, screening to-night at tlie Rogint. This is the story of a brave woman's fight to live down an ugly episode in the past. Stella Parish, under another mime, • i= an American “actress on the. road.” When her drunken, jealous husband discovers her in the room of another man, this 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 linds her way on the stage iii England and wins siardeni under Stephen Norman's management. Her life elf the singe is private, and she is a recluse —for the sake of her child who was born in prison. On liie night of her greatest triumph, her 'husband turns up. Dreading blackmail and worse, Sielia, with her mother anti child, disappears. Here enters Keith Lockbridge, journalist, friend of ihe manager. Noting how genuinely distressed Norman is at the disappearance of his “star." Lockbridge traces her to an American liner, and on board worms himself iu.u tier friendship and even alfection through tlie child. On leaching Niw A’ork he wires a story to his paper in London. Then Stella de cities that site must tell Lockbridge her pitiful story, as the strain of deceiving him becomes too great. - She begins by telling him that she lows him—then the pitiful story follows. Realising that lie lias done the woman a great injustice he ’phonos London lo stop the story, but it. is too late. That day it is repeated in (lie Now York papers. Stella Parish is found again. After the publicity hu- only thought is to save the knowledge from her child, so she gives her up to her mother-'s keeping, and slarts in to exploit her notoriety. How she returns to tlie English stage, to Gloria, and Lockbridge, manes a moving story. .Miss Kay Frances shares tlie 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 Jan Hunter and Raul Lukas. There. is an excellent supporting programme.

STATE THEATRE

‘COME OUT OF THE I’ANTRY.’

Packed with surprises, comedy and music, Jack Buchanan's ‘Come Out of the Pantry,” screening to-night at tlio Stale Theatre, is entertainment, of scintillating kind. Action is swift, laughter tonics spontaneously, the singing is bright and the lor e theme romantic, Buchanan plays an aristocratic lootman tremendously; us niece of the wealthy Now Yorkers, Pay Wray is her most winsome; a strong cast supports every situation, from comedy to action. The story suits tlie stars and the times. It ts catchy, with amusing comers to it. Stranded penniless in New "York, Buchanan, as the son of a peer, meets an old retainer, played by Ronald Squire. On me of his delightful impulses, Buchanan secures a position at the wealthy New York household whole “Eccles” is butler. What a furore Buchanan causes below—and above —stairs. The maids go off their heads, tlie cook yea. iis for romance, while "Hilda” (P'ay Wray) linds much lo speculate upon in the person of the handsome now footinm. Complications coiiie swiftly. The aiistocrut’s beastly brother arrives on tlio scene, seeking not tlie errant Buchanan, but the hand of Hilda. Whereupon action follows, with nil tlie '••gradients of comedy-romance skilfully treated to lead up to tlie dramatic fintile. 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 nicco and takes the place of. the ousted brother at the festive board. One of the high spots of the show is the chiming sequence in t lie kitchen when Buchanan sings the hit, “Everything Slops for Tea.” Produced by B. and D. Films, “Come Out of tlie Pantry” is one of the notables of the year. The supportng programme is one of outstanding brilliance and includes the latest poxAussie and International News, comedy travelogue and a special short entitled “Kicking,” dealing with assoicution football. Plans are on view at the theatre and are filling - rapidly.

MAYFAIR. “STREET SINGER’S SERENADE.” “Street Singer’s Serenade,” Ihe first of the Herbert Wilcox “World Standard” production**, co-starring Arthur f lracy, the wonder-voiced “Street Singer,” and Anna N eagle, which will bo presented at the Mayfair Theatre to-night, has been right!v acclaimed “The Happiness Picture cl' 1926.” During the latter days of production, director. Herbert \\ ilcox had bis company working spells of 16 and 18 boars on die complex and spectacular stage scenes which play an important part in the development of ibis delightful dory the first of its kind—of London’s real theatreland. These scenes were filmed not as production numbers in the musical extracagariza style, but as real stage scenes in order to preserve the actuality which is the keynote of the film, and to bring home to lilmgoers the thrill and glamour of London's West End as intimately as American films have done with Broadway. Not criiv were the* scenes shot in the historic Lyceum Theatre; they were filmed with the Hippodrome chorus, under Ralph Reader, playing in his real life role ol a dance director, and with frank Boor, the Hippodrome manager, appearing iii llis cun capacity, in addition to a number ot other West End eolebrius. Above all there is lovely Anna Neagic re-enacting the comliiencenienr ot iicr own career as a chorus girl, and throwing herself with tremendous 1 zest into a role which means even more' to her than any of her past successes, and displaying her versatility as an actress, as a singer, and as a dancer, while Arthur Tracy co-stars with her in h.s own world-famous character of the

“Street Singer.” ‘Tracy sings seven numbers in the nhri, one the well-known aria •'La Donna e Mobile” from “Kigoletto,” and others specially • written for him by Barry \\ oods who wrote the music for “Evergreen,” Hoffman, Sigler and Goodliurdt.