ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 45, 21 January 1939, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

STATE THEATRE. “ALF’S BUTTON AFLOAT.” A film which gives unlimited rein lo the irresistible slap-stick, gag-pulling genius for which the “Crazy Gang” is noted is “Alf’s Button Afloat,” whicn shows at the Stale Theatre to-nigh:. of Flanagan and Allen, Nervo and Knox, and Naughton and Gold, the “Crazy Gang” ensures that laughter is packed into every foot of the film. Giving them heroic support is the genie of the magic button in the person of Alastair Sim. Alf’s button is nothing less than the original Aladdin’s lamp melted down into a new shape, and when the gang realises its potentialities the fun becomes fast and furious. The film opens with the tricking of six street musicians into the Royal Marines. The battleship on which the six are serving lends itself to their particular type of humour, which is maintained at high speed after Flanagan, as the celebrated Alf, discovers the supernatural powers of the uncleanable tunic button. Wine, women, and song descend on the ship with breath-taking suddenness; an officious sergeant to put in his place once and for all, and, finally, when they have made the ship too hot to hold them, the six men are whisked away to a vast country mansion, where (he genie surrounds them with every Oriental luxury.

REGENT THEATRE. “LOVE FINDS ANDY HARDY.” “In Love Finds Andy Hardy,” screening to-night at the Regent, the Judge Hardy Family creates alternately humorous and dramatic ’episodes from the life ot a typical American family. “Love Finds Andy Hardy” has youthful charm, exuberance and scintillating moments of high comedy. The fourth episode in the lilc of the Hardy Family is by far the most amusing and entertaining to date. Once more it affords the family, consisting of Lewis Stone, Mickey Rooney, Cecilia Parker, Fay Holden and Betty Rose Clarke with every opportunity for capitalising on the homespun drama of everyday life. In addition, Judy Garland makes her appear- i ance ae one of Mickey’s throe girl friends. In one climatic ecenc, she grows up for a night, attends the big dance of the year with Mickey and takes it over with her rendition of three now songe. Mickey Rooney again proves himself one of the most versatile actors on the screen with a characterisation surpassing his best previous efforts. Lewis Stone is superb an the head of the family, handling his role adroitly and with an innate understanding of the problems of family life. The story centres around a second-hand car purchased by Mickey without his father’s knowledge. In order to pay for the ear he becomes entangled in a scries of puppy love affairs that arc at once ludicrous and tragic. W n.-i the aid of Judy, ho extricates himself from a seemingly hopeless dilemma, makes a triumphant appearance at the big dance of the year, and brings forth some of the most spontaneous laughter heard in many a moon. As usual with a Met ro-Go!dwyn-.\ layer programme, the featurettes that will be shown with this feature, are of an outstanding nature. These include a Pete Smith specialty, “Anaesthesia”; a I'itzpalriek Travel Talk in colour, “Madiera, Isle of Romance”; a cartoon, ‘“Burned Treasure”; as well as the latest world news items. Box plans now open at Collinson and Cunningnamu’s, ’phone 7178.