ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 241, 10 September 1937, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

STATE THEATRE. “QUALITY STREET.” Phoebe Tlirossol, quaint character o( Sir James M. Barrie’s “Quality Street” first brought to life by Maude Adams, has been recreated by Katharine Hepburn in her own inimitable manner for the screen version of the play which opens to-day at. the State Theatre. As co-star, Franchot Tone plans the rolo of Dr Valentine Brown. Both headliners triumph is their roles. A ten year rotnanco between the two is interrupted by the dashing young doctor’s enlistment to fight against Napoleon. The situations which ariso after Valentine's return' form the base of the story. They arc in turn quaint, humorous, appealing and strikingly dramatic. Besides Katharine Hepburn and Franchot Tone, the film also presents Fay Baintcr, noted stage star, who portrays Susan Throssel, the “old maid” sister of Phoebe. Eric Bloro. the funny butler of the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musicals, is seen as,the. bluff and hearty recruiting sergeant. Estelle Winwood and Helena Grant, stage favourites, have the roles of gossipy and curious neighbours, with Cora Witherspoon, another well-known stage actress, as the peppery maid. Florence Lake, Bonita Granville anil Joan Fontaine are also seen in prominent roles. RKO Hadio has taken extraordinary care with the sets, reproducing a street of the title’s name, and its buildings. Fifteen homes in varying types of Georgian architecture line the two sides of tho street with its brick paving . and sidewalks and ornamental iron fences.. Equal care has been taken with the interiors and lovely Sheraton and Chippendale furniture and plushy couches, spinets, old prints and watercolours typical of the era delight the eye. George Stevens _ directed the Pandro S. Berman production. A special selection of featurettes includes a magnificent scenic colour film entitled “Maori” showing the scenic beauties and attractions of New Zealand. REGENT THEATRE. “AFTER THE THIN MAN.” Tho mixtures of comedy and drama which W. S. Van Dyke unfailingly injects into a mystery picture is evident again in his latest effort, “After the Thin Man,” the Metro-Coldu'yn-Mavcr film, which opens at tho 10.3-0 p.m. session to-night at the Regent Theatre with William Powell and Myrna Loy in the starring roles. Sequel to that memorable masterpiece of cinema mystery, “The Thin Alan,” this was Written by the same author, Dashiell Hammett, and surrounds the inimitable stars with a sparkling cast of favourites, including James Stewart, Elissa Landi, Joseph C’aileia, Jessie Ralph and Asia, remarkable wire-haired terrier of “Tho Thin Man.” Returning; from their New York venture to their homo in San Francisco, Nick and Nora, of tho remembered original, crash into mad excitement in San Francisco. The story carries you into the aristocratic atmosphere of historic Nob Hill and by way of contrast the singular maelstrom of Chinatown.. There in murder, of course, and it is said that no one will be able to identify the killer until the final fadeout of the picture. William Powell, an the ace detective, Nick Charles, excels his performance in “The Thin Man,” and Myrna Loy reaches a a-new height as his worried wife. The supporting cast is excellent throughout and the story is entirely up to the standard of Danhiel Hammett who ranks among America’s foremost mystery writers. Hunt. Strotnberg was the producer, with W. S. Van Dyke directing. Van Dyke is an enthusiast for mystery fiction and accordingly has handled the story with real fooling. "Box plans arc now open at Collinson and Cunninghamc’s.