ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 111, 12 April 1937, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. “DISHONOUR BRIGHT.” Is screen glamour fading away ? The query is now being raised by the entire company of players in the Capitol film, “Dishonour Bright,” screening; to-night at the Regent Theatre, starring Tom Walls (who also directed the production), and written by that prince of comedy authors Ben Travers. For a heavy blow was struck at the popular conception of glamour by the fact that the heroine gets her man in the face of competition and in spite of a cold in the head during all the emotional crises. The situation is a delightful one. and indeed worthy of rank among the best creations of Ben Travers’s fertile mind. Tom Walls plays the role of a highly sophisticatcd man about town with a reputation which makes jealous husbands shut their doom to him, and romantic wives open them again. Yet be finally destroys the illusion he lias built around himself hv not being able to resist his own charming, vague, cold-in-thc-“dosc” wife. Betty Stoekfield takes tho part of the girl who very nearly conies between the happy pair, while Diana Churchill is Tom's better (if sniffing) half. Eugene Pallelte plays the part of a crook whose zeal just fails lo make up for bis natural .stupidity. Authur Wontncr. Cecil Parker and Henry Oscar are among others to whom important roles are allotted. “Dishonour Bright” (than which Beil Travers bad surely never coin posed a better title) is a merry tale of muddled marriages and a captivating co-re. who won women even from the witness box in the divorce court. The whole production fairly sparkles with priceless situations, crammed with white-hot wit that will makes you blush with laughter. STATE THEATRE. “MAKE WAY FOR A LADY.” The activities of a self-appointed Cupid, in tlie person of a romantic high school girl who believes it her duty to find a wife for her widowed father, furnished _ the comedy situations in the refreshingly different R.K.O. comedy, “Make Way For a Lady.” which screens at tl e State Theatre to-night with Ilci Licit Marshall and .Mine Shirley .costarred. Introducing the llame-huired Anne in an up-to-date role, and teaming her with The popular Marshall in a sympathetic falher-and-duugliter combination, tlie new offering provides a sparkling typo of entertainment.. Marshall portrays a wealthy publisher devoted to liis motherless daughter and living coin fortably in a New York suburb. When Anne overbears a couple of lowii gossips discussing her father’s presumably lonely life, she is convinced that it is up to hoi to select- a suitable bride for him. Through an error she is led to believe lit is in love with a successful novelist, played by Margot Graliume, whereas lie is attiaetrv to Anne's school teacher, portray to ly Gertrude Michael. On th basis r>! misunderstanding and Anne’s romantic blindness to the facts in the ca.-e, the story progresses from one hilarious situation to another as the girl blissfully tries to bring her father and Iho novelist together and ho tries just as earnestly to avoid her. Matters finally arc straightened out in a surprise climax. The supporting east includes Clara Blandiek, Mary Jo Ellis, Frank Coghlan, junr., Taylor Holmes,. Murray Kinnell. Maxine Jennings, Helen Parrish, Willie Best and others. The screen piny of “Make Way For a Lady” was written by Gertrude Purcell, one of Hollywood’s best known scenarists, from the novel, “Daddy and , I,” liv Eliza belli Jordan. David Burton directed under the production guidance of Zion Myers.