ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 200, 24 July 1936, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

KOSY THEATRE. “THE HEALER.” Authentic scenes of a large forest fire which sweeps clown into a pcaeciul valley, wiping out a palatial health resort in its fiery path of destruction, provides the background for the thrilling climax of “The Healer,” screening finally at the Kosy Theatre to-day, the Monogram photoplay based on Robert Herrick’s famous novel, with Ralph Bellamy, Karen Morlcy, and Mickey Rooney in the leading roles. The inclusion of these forest, fire scenes was the result of the opportune, though unfortunate, circumstance- that a largo fire swept over a vast area of the Sierra Madia mountains during the time the picture was in production. -Monogram executives immediately ordered the company to the scenes of the conflagration, and after the necessary scenes were secured, all members of the troupe pitched in and laboured for hours helping the fire-fighters extinguish the blaze. “GUARD THAT GIRL.” A murder mystery of quite some originality is also being screened finally at the Kosy to-day, It, is Columbia's “Guard That Girl,” a thriller in which the murderer docs his dirty work by means of a bow-and-arrow that would strike fear inlo the hearts of the sturdiest jungle animals. Roberii Allen is one of the young men who are brave enough to guard the girl in cpiestion. The girl is Florence Rice; the other protector is Ward Bond; the murderer — no, you’ll have to see the picture to find out. * “BEHIND THE EVIDENCE.” Tense, breathless drama merges with romantic situations of no little intensity throughout the unfolding of llic fustmoving plot of Columbia's “Behind the Evidence,” which opens at the Kosy Theatre to-morrow. From the very outset the picture exerts a powerful sway over the audience’s emotions. Tony Sheridan, millionaire sportsman, is suddenly impoverished by Hie collapse of a trust company. Convincing u sceptical city editor that he will make a bang-up reporter, he gets the job. Assigned to cover the engagement party of Ruth Allen, wealthy debutante and his former fiancee, Tony meets ilic man in question, Ward Cameron, broker, whose background and lile are slitoulded ill mystery. While there Tny finds a cigarette case with a paper in it marked “Aztec 10. ’ Having forgotten to return it to its owner, Cameron, Tony is ori the verge of doing so_ when a sensational storvv breaks in the city room of llic paper. The Aztec Tyre Company lias been robbed —at 10 o’clock. Recalling the paper, Tony sets oil for Cameron’s office determined to get. to tlie bottom of the mystery. “Until Allen” is Sheila Manners, relatively •"> newcomer in the featured field, hut showing promise of a speedy rise to stellar heights. Also screening “The Mounted Stranger.” MAYFAIR THEATRE. “PUBLIC NUISANCE No. 1.” A brand new comedy team lias hit. the screen for the purpose of presenting ( . M. Woolf’s latest hilarious farce entitled “Public Nuisance No. 1,” which is screening at the Mavfair Theatre finally to-day. “THE PETRIFIED FOREST.” Motion picture audiences all over the nation thought. they had seen the ultimate in screen characterisations when, for the first time Leslie Howard and Bctfe Dai is were teamed in “Of Human Bondage. Botli Mr Howard ami'Miss Davis were remarkable in, their roles in tiiat outstanding production. Botli of them have done oilier fine work in more recent, films. It is certain, however, that film fans and critics will, for once v. reo, that, in the Warner Broc. picture, “llic Petrified Forest,” which comes to the Mayfair to-morrow, Howard and Mies Davis dwarf all their previous screen accomplishments into insignificance. “The Petrified Forest” wan the Broadway stage success of last year, and Leslie Howard, the star, achieved a personal popularity unrivalled in the drainitic capital of the world. It is on this play, written by Robert FI. Sherwood, that the film version, which is declared to lie far better than the stage production, is based, '['lie vast Arizona desert, which could only bo suggested on the slago, is shown on the screen in all its desolate grandeur. Tt is at a little service station in this desert that Sherwood assembles a collection ol world misfits and outmoded personalities, ami makes them look at themselves in tlie minor of life and death. “The Petrified Mo rest” is named for that famous place of rocks which once were trees near which tlie action takes place, but the title is a symbol, for tlie forest itself does no appear in tlie play. Howard paints the character of an author who is a Failure in life and completely disillusioned with the world, now seeking a solution for the reason of living in tlie solitude of tlie desert with delicate strokes. He makes one realise that futility and defeat are more awful than the greatest physical calamity, oven than death. And lie makes one foci that tlie character lie represents really is happier in dying heroically so that the girl lid loves can enjoy life. Bette Davis’s cluuactor is a girl, a pretty, though somewhat discontented one, who reads F rancois Villon and longs for tlie beauty of Paris arid dancing in the street. Cast in tlie mould of a. daughter of a. desert, petrol station keeper, she seems lo he a paradox. But -lie is more than just a girl of tlie desert. She is the sum total of all those children horn between 1918 and 1929 when the world was mad. Miss Davis makes this girl really live oil the screen. Genevieve Tobin makes a great character out of a. lesser part, that of a society woman bored with life and its futility, who is finally awakened to its realities. Dick Foran gives a fine performance of the young college boy, maladjusted to his surroundings and with a terrific passion for tlie petrol station girl whom lie cannot understand. These people, with others, are well hold ill duress in the desert eating room by a band of bandits and killers who arc waiting a chance to (ice from tlie posse hunting them. It is in this atmosphere that the terrific drama of the piece takes place, an atmosphere surcharged with dcatli and destruction, ’llic 1-ole of llic killer is excellently portrayed by Humphrey Bogart, who had tlie same part oil the stage. His bandit gang, including Joseph Sawyer, Adrian Morris and Slim Thompson, also give strong performances, as do Porter Hall, tie llic futile father of the girl, and Charley Crapewin as tlie miserly and crabbed grandfather.