ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 160, 7 June 1938, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

MAYFAIR THEATRE. •' “OUR RELATIONS.” “Our Relations” opens to-morrow at the Mayfair Theatre and presents the famous laugh-making team of Laurel and Hardy in a feature comedy, rated surprisingly different, more elaborate, and fun-’ nier than their many successes which have extended over the past ten years. For the first time portraying dual roles in a lull-length 1 feature —each a twin brother —Laurel and Hardy have double the opportunity to display their screen talents. In “Our Relations,” based on W. ' W.' J a cobs’ short story, “The Bloney .Box,” Laurel and Hardy appear as sedate business men living peacefully, and harmoniously with their wives (Daphne Pollard and Betty Healy) in a quiet sea-port city. Sometime later a tramp steamer docks, and down the gangway come their twin brothers, Alf and Bert, who wore bad lads, ran away to sea, and long since had been reported hanged for joining in a mutiny. Feeling the families’ disgrace, ’Laurel and Hardy had kept secret—even from-their wives—the fact that they had twin brothers. The sailors, unaware it is their twin brothers’ home, are ashore for the purpose of delivering a fabulously valuable pearl ring for the captain of their ship (Sidney Toler). The ring attracts two girls and their gangster boy friends, and the complications result in an uproarious evening’s- entertainment. During the entire picture, Laurel and Hardy combat against mistaken identity in the dual roles. On board a weatherbeaten old vessel, in a picturesque beergarden and restaurant; in an original architectural masterpiece of a palatial pirate ship cafe; on an old dock wharf and in many other pretentious sets, the inimitable tunsters frolic through laugh-ter-providing scenes. New and. _ clover gags predominate in “Our Relations” toassure a round of mirth for old and young. The highlight and.. most fantastic action ot “Our Relations” transpires in the palatial pirate ship cafo. One hundred and fifty beautiful women, gorgeously gowned, and men in evening clothes participate in the most effective and elaborate scenes, ever filmed for Laurel and Hardy. “Our Relations” is a Stun Laurel production, “SWORN ENEBIY.”

Teeming with flesh-and-biood characters from ail walks of life, swept up from the city streets into a cauldron of dramatic circumstances —this is “Sworn Enemy,” a story of metropolitan crime . operations, the second attraction. Headlining the cast are Robert Young as a soil of the city slums endeavouring to go straight in a law career until the gang with whom lie was raised 'kills, his brother. Florence, Rico, as a surgeon’s daughter who proves the best detective on tho special force; Joseph Galicia us the sinister Joe Emerald, crippled overlord of the rackets, 'sports lover and perverse philanthropist, a killer unknown oven to his.- own lieutenants; Lewis Stone as Dr Gattlo, distinguished surgeon who spends 12 years in the penitentiary on a charge “framed by Emerald; and Nat Pendleton as Steamer Krupp, a great-hearted childminded prize-fighter, and a pivoted character in the melee.

STATE THEATRE. , “THANK YOU, BIR MOTO.” .The mystery man of the mystic Orient, “Mr Moto,” matches strength with cunning—fintrique with lightning . action—and outwits those who . would plunder the hidden tomb of Genghis Khan. It’s , the newest and most exciting adventure of tin celebrated Saturday Evening 'Post sleuth in “Thank You, - Mr -.’Motes,” T wentiet ’ Gentury-Fox picture starring Peter Lorr which ommonces to-morrow at me ,\iTheatre. 'Where “M.ito” appears so- ’ thing exciting is bound to happen. Fc b.hnid his bland, mild ’ manner is the lightning-swift cunning, j of the/ Our;*;, ace detective, portrayed with , amazing

finesse by Peter Lorre, famous lo< psychological characterisations. Fealu l ' roles in the film are played by Thom; Beck, Pauline Frederick. -T-" m r Sidney Blackmer, Sig Rumann and John C’arra ili.no. Seven scrolls when assembled provide the key to a faublous treasure. This is the motivating force of the screen play by Willis Cooper and Norman Foster. The story opens with the mysterious “Mr Moto,” disguised as a camel driver, sihuggling one of the scrolls into Peiping j Then he disappears into the Gobi’s shifting sands. Tense action ensues, marked by a series of strange ovents and violence that baffles the master-mind of the Far East in his greatest case. A Russian Colonel is discovered in his own library with a cocked pistol in his hand and a knife in his heart. A Chinese prince commits suicide, an antique dealer is murdered when machine-gun bullets riddle his, shop, and a legation attache is found dead I aboalrd an abandoned junk. Only “Mr ! Mot<}” could link these sudden deaths to | the ' seven scrolls of Genghis Khan. Executive Producer Sol. M. Wurtzel selected Norman Foster to direct the film. ,