ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 51, 30 January 1937, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. “THE GENERAL DIED AT DAWN.” “The General Died at Dawn,” In this very sentence there is a sort of suppressed drama, an earnest of exciting 1 incidents to happen. It is the title of the picture which will screen to-night at the Regent Theatre. The film is the best of its kind since “Shanghai Express.” It is the story of the light of a Chinese w'fti lord to steal a large sum of money, the piojicrty of those trying to free the pro-, vinep which groaned under his tyranny, and to buy arms with it. The money is entrusted to an American, O’Hara (Gary Cooper), to take to certain people in Shanghai. The plot centres round his eventful journey to that city. It tells how he fell to the charms of another American, tin's time a beautiful girl, Judy Perrie (Madeleine Carroll), who was a party, however unwittingly, to delivering him to the war lord, General YAng (Akin 1 annroff). . O’Hara, Judy, Mr Wu, the agont in Shanghai, who was working for an oppressed people (Dudley Digges), Yang and others find themselves on Yang’s junk, where the story works up to a powerful climax. Eventually O’Hara finds that Judy has been true to him all the time and tlie picture ends on that note. llie strength of tho picture is in the intense drama which begins the moment tho fihn begins and does not ease in tension until tho final blnckout. This drama throbs against a background which powerfully portrays the mystery of the East. On the one hand you have a train hold-up, where O’Hara is captured. Then you are taken to Shanghai, the superimposition of the West on tho unchanging- East, to a European hotel, where men are murdered and extraordinary incidents happen. You have the mysterious junk in the harbour, mysterious in shape, sinister in intention, mysterious in its approach up a harbour itself one of the most sinister in the world. It is the scene on that junk, where the “general died at dawn" which the actors give the host of their talent, in fact, have most scope to do so. It is a moving and fascinating picture in which the noting is tar above the average. Cooper is at his best, while the audience will want to see more of the beautiful Madeleine Carroll. Tanuroff does wonderful work as Yang.

STATE THEATRE. “LADIES IN LOVE.” “Men ? Never let them know you love them—keep laughing at them and they can’t hurt.you! While it.lasts —swell! But no tears when it’s ended!” That’s what four lonesome, lovely ladies say in “Ladies in Love.” But what they do makes the new Twentieth Ceiitury-F'ox picture that screens to-night at the State Theatre. “Ladies in Love” tells a brilliantly unusual story, with each ot the lour feminine players thrilling you in her own way. Janet, who, incredibly, feeds rabbits lor a living; Lorette, a chorus girl in a musical show,, and Constance, a mannequin who wants a millionaire, pool their resources and took a small compartment. Excitedly happy in their new home, tho girls eagerly plan for the romances they intend to have, and dream ol the men . they love. Janet adores Don Amechc, a young doFtor who occasionally employs her. Loretta has fallen in love with a wealthy young man, who, however, is already engaged. Constance' is 1 enjoying a gay round of pleasure and excitement with Paul Lukas, a mining engineer on vacation from South America. When a. opportunity for a better job presents itscli Janet leaves her doctor and takes; a j , as valet to Alan Mowbray, a fainoumagician. Loretta, in the meantime, finds out that her beloved is to marry his fiancee in the very near future, and Constance, wi. has told Lukas that she does hot believ.’ in.love, except for the momont, finds thatin him she has found a love 'beyond her greatest dreams. Between Constance and Lukas, however, comes Simone Simon, an appealing and entraycingly beautiful young girl who knows, what she wants and is out to get it —a husband. These four girls, all “ladies ill love,” so startingly , different, so brilliantly exciting, move through a story as fascinating and entrancing as their own personalities. Janet, who wants to get married because she’s heard so much about it; Loretta, who wants all men to leave her alone except the one who does, Constance, who longs for love and gets a millionaire, and Simone who knows the best way to get a man is to ask him, excitingly present a bitter-sweet romance of the adventures and disillusions of four little maids in search of love.