ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 231, 30 August 1937, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

. STATE THEATRE. “SHALL WE DANCE.” In “Shall We Dance.” latest of the As-taire-Rogers musicals which screens to-night at the State Theatre, the dancing aces echjrse their own records for gaiety and terpsichorean entertainment, and present the most engaging film of their careers —a sjiarkling, colourful story spiced with delightful comedy and decorated with songs and dance numbers in profusion. The story, which plays a more important part in this offering than in its predecessors, deals with a romance that starts in Paris and winds up in a New York roof garden. Miss Rogers portrays an international revue favourite and Astaire a famous ballet dancer named Peters, but who calls hiinseli Petroff for jirofcssiona! jrurposes. Attracted by the revue dancer’s beauty, Astaire starts a high-sjiecd courtship, but through the stujiidity of his manager,- rejiorts art circulated that the two are* already married. This makes for dismaying complications, but Astaire wins out in a hilarious ending. Tho two stars give brilliant char, acterisations, and a distinguished cast headed by Edward Everett Horton, Eric lilore, Kctti Gallian, Jerome Cowan and William Brisbane turns in noteworthy performances. The ballet dancing features of the offering constitute much of* its very real novelty. Harriet Hoctor, America’s greatest bullcrina, contributes two spectacular dances, one as a solo and the other a duct with Astaire. Several striking ensemble numbers enhance a glittering finale. Tiie dancing of the As-tairo-Rogms duo also tops their " former efforts, with three memorable duet dances, one of which, the unique roilcr-skaliiig number, is especially remarkable. A sur prise novelty is his danco with 20 chorus girls- each made to ajnicai- as Ginger Rogers. Astaire offers two solo dances 11 is sensational engine room dance, performed against the throbbing mechanisms of an ocean liner’s engines, stands out as one of the finest of his career. Tho songs ot ""Shall We Dance” are likewise notable.

REGENT THEATRE. “A STAR IS BORN.” All the thrills of a trip to Hollywood are provided in “A Star is Born,” screening lit the Regent Theatre to-night* David O Seiznick’s glorious technieolour jireduction starring Janet Gaynor and FTedric March. For this first really modern story to come to the screen ill colour is so vividly told, so convincingly played and so brilliantly directed, by William A. Wellman that you leave the theatre feeling as if you had actually jiaid a visit to filmland. Janet Gaynor and Fredrio March have written-to-order roles and have never turned in performances to match these. Janet emerges a lovely, new sophisticated personality—with a rare flair for wearing clothes—as Esther Blodgett, the little country girl who comes to Hollywood in search of stardom, faces the 100,000 to one odd as an extra, and soars ovcrifiglit to fame. And March, as Norman Maine, the hard-drinking sqreen ido. of the moment, who helps Janet get her first break, falls in love wit a her and marries her, has a grand role which offers him plenty of opportum ties for the kind of comedy at which he excels. ’the story, which dejiicls all tile thrills and gaiety and heartbreak of a climb to fame in Hollywood, was adapted by Dorothy Parker, Alan Campbell and Robert Carson from a story written by Carson in collaboration with Director Wellman. Adolphe Monjou is at his splendid best as Oliver Niles, the pro ducer, and May Robson is grand as the fiery old grandmother who urges Esthe" to go to Hollywood and realise her dream of movie tamo. Others who shine in the brilliant cast are Andy Devine as an assistant director, Lionel Stamier ns a press agent, Owen Moore, Edgar Ken nedy, J. C. Nugent, Guinn Williams, and three important new Sclznic-k . “finds. ’ 'I best are Elizabeth Jonns, an English society beauty, foveiy Margaret Tallichet, Hollywood’s newest Cinderella, who .work ed a 3 a studio secretary ■ until she was discovered and signed to a longterm con tract, and the 13-ycur-old A. W. Sweatt. All tho famous gathering places of the stars come to a very natural life on .tlie.j screen in technieolour. There is the Tioeadero, where the stars go to dance, the Brown Derby, Graumun’s Chinese Theatre, and the Santa Anita race truck.