ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 69, 20 February 1937, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. ‘‘TIIE GREAT ZIEGFELD.” ■ In “The Great Ziegield” motion pie- - tures have picked up the torch where tho it! late Florenz Ziegield laid it down and itilmio succeeded m out-ZiogfcJding the s great Ztegtold himself, “the Uicat Ziogf teid,” opening to night at the Regent 'lheul j tie, lias omyilung that a great musical t ; picture sliuma nave. It has, m tno tile oi - ! Ziegield, u most gripping anu perfect - I dramatic story. In its musical numbers, , never before produced on sucti a scale ol - grandeur, it lius many of the most uuzzE hug scenes ever soon m pictures. In en- , | ten tainment atone it is unexcelled. First, - | tilde are \Yiinam Powell und Ziegletd, i j Myma Loy as ojillie Burke, and juuise > Rainer as Anna ile.d. Then there aro '• Virginia Bruce as Ziegfeld’s greatest ' gtormed modern girl, Frank Morgan as i his rival producer, Nat Pendleton as Sani dovv, Reginald Owen as Ziggy’s’ manager, i Fannie Brice as herself, Ray Boiger and his amazing dancing feet, Harriot Doctor, and hordes of the most beautiful girls i ever to smile at you from the screen. T'lio story opens in Ziegield's youth in tho dazzling Chicago World's Fair of 1896. It progresses as Ziegield himself progressed, amassing fortunes, to lose them und bui-d other fortunes. But always in tho loroground are tho spectacular Ziegield productions and liis amazingly beautiiul showgirls. The dance numbers never before have been equalled. The direction of Robert Z. Leonard places him among tho kings of directors and the photography by Ol)ie Marsh and George Folsey is an historic masterpiece. STATE THEATRE. “THE TEXAS RANGERS.” Action, drama, romance, comedy and melody have been skilfully worked into a magnificent- screen achievement in King Vidor’s Pin amount inclin e. “The Texas Rangers,” opening to-night at the State Theatre. Presented by a cast headed by fled AlacAiurray and tiie wise-cracking Jack Oakie, the film lifts a page from the history of the great organisation which made Texas safe for pioneers, and combines it with a love story unusual in its charm. Jean Parker, young star who captured the movie public with her work in “Little Women” and “Sequoia,” holds the feminine lend role of the Ranger unit which AlacAiurray and Oakie join. Though almost incidental to the sweeping theme of the plot, her romance with AiacMurray is presented movingly and sincerely. The plot of “The Texas Rangers” revolves about tho adventures of AlacAiurray and Oakie after they have joined tho early Teaxs organisation of peace officers and are thrown into opposition with their friend of former outlaw days, Nolan. Battles of tho Rangers in carrying out their oath to “drive out hostile Indians, stop feuds, destroy cattle and horse thieves, gangs of stage and train robbers, kill or capture murderers,' and make Texas a reasonably safe place in which to live” urc shown in the eonrso of the story. One of the most thrilling scenes is the final war of Rangers and marauding Indians, which led to complete submission of the wild Southwestern tribes. Hundreds of “extra” actors, Rangers and Indians took part in the filming, Edward Ellis gives an outstanding performance as tho leader of the Rangers unit, and Bonnie Bartlett convinces as the orphaned son of a pioneer family slain by Indians. Elena Martinez, F’rank Shannon and a score of skilled Mayors hack up the principals.