ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 258, 29 September 1936, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

STATE THEATRE. “POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL.” Shirley Temple is in town in a new Fox hit that is by fat- and away the grfeatcet film 6he has ever made. Beforo a packed audience of the little star’s admirers (and who isn’t?) “The Poor Little Rich Girl” flaahod across tho screen in a blazo pf moiodv, laughter and romance and. left the cheering throng delighted with tho knowledge that Shirley nad topped even the greatest of her past hits. Shirley has no mother, but her father lias provided .a veritable regiment of aides-de-camp whoee solo duties aro to look after hex. If Shirley dares to sneeze —off she must go to bed while a doctor is called to proscribe for her “alarming cold.” Shirley, as you can imagine, is none too pleased with this state of affairs and persuades her father to send her to a boarding school. Whilo waiting for tho train, Shirley slips away from her nurse, Sara Hoden, and wan* dor6 along tho street playing a game of muke-bolieve. Miss Haden, in the meantime, is the victim of an accident, and during tho following days in which Shirley seeks adventure, tho little girl is not missed by her father. A touching series of events finally culminates in Shirley being adopted by a pair of aspiring radio entertainers, Alice Faye and Jack Haley. Mies Faye realises that Shirley is no “orphan” as she has told them, but Haley recognises Shirley’s talents as just what the act needs. The team is a knock-out in ita audition and is hired by Claude Gillingwatcr—the strongest business rival of Shirley’s father! How Shirley brings success to Haley and Miss Fayce, romance to her daddy and Gloria Stuart and happiness to Claude Gillingwatcr makes her most human and heart-warming story. Five melodious new eong hits —and really hits!—aro featured in tho production. Tho numbers, all authored by those famous Hollywood songwriters, Mack Gordon and Harry Revel, aro “When I’m With You,’ “But Definitely,” “You’ve Gotta Eat Your Spinach, Baby,” “Oh, My Goodness” and “Military Man.”

REGENT THEATRE. “WIFE VERSUS SECRETARY.” The “Perfect Triangle” has been found at last. It is made up of Clark Gable, the husband; Myrna Loy, the wife; and Jean Harlow, the secretary. Apparently Metro-Gold wyn-M ayer spared no expense to bring these three great stars together to form the “perfect triangle’’- in this brilliant filmisation of Faith Baldwin s best-seller novel, “Wife Versus Secretary,” which screens finally to-day. h lawless in story, flawless in performance, master! ui in direction, uazziingly beautiful in setting and smart in dialogue, the new picture is the latest artistic triumph for the producers of such all-star hits as “Mutiny on the Bounty, “China Seas” and “A Tale of Two Cities. Gable has never been better than in his perfect role as Van Sanford, millionaire publisher. Jean llarlow is the secretary who indirectly starts but ultimately pie vents a serious rift in tile publisher s family, and Myrna Loy is lovelier than ever as Gable’s misunderstanding wife. The theme is ultra-modern and the stunning settings designed by Cedric Gibbons give the .action its proper background. The huge penthouse apartment of the publisher, where much of the story takes place, is probably one of tho most beautilul interiors ever created on the screen. Tho supporting cast in every way measures up to the high standard set by the picture’s trio of stars, with excellent performances turned in by May Rob.xui, Hobart Cavanaugh, James Stewart and George B&rbier, among others. Clarence Brown’s direction is comparable to his recent achievements with tne poignant “Ah Wilderness 1” and the memorable Garbo production “Anna Karenina. 1 ’ To-morrow “Riffroff” with Jean Harlow’ and Spencer Trucy will be screened at tho Regent.