ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 204, 29 July 1939, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

STATE THEATRE. “KEEP SMILING.” From Iho first riotous moment, when \ye moot her as a burlesque “ l ominy” having difficulty with her umiorm, lo the last; triumphant scene at a luxury beach pavilion, Gracio Fields is the life and soul of “Keep Smiling.” The story of “Keep Smiting” provides a refreshing find happy tonic, a riotous show is being staged in a provincial theatre by a touring music-hall troupe, with Grocie Fields as their star. Their manager, played by Joe iMott, has agreed to give charily the proceeds, but is discovered attempting to keep most of the money himself. Gracie leads the troupe in rebellion and they walk out on IMott. Penniless, they determine to start their own company. Gracio takes them all to her grandfather’s farm. Avia (Mary Maguire) the troupe’s soubretle; Peri (Rogar Livcsoy), the pianist; Domn (Jack Donohue); and six other members of the company go with Gracio to the farm. They completely upset the routine of (lie place with their rehearsals in the open air, infuriating old ►Silas Gray (Edward Ribby). It. is a stray dog (“Skippy,” of “Thin Man” fame) who eventually helps the troupe to success at a seaside pavillion, hut only after the villainous manager has been severely dealt with. Romance lias flourished between Avia and a celebrated pianist (Peter Coke) and the love of Bert for Gracie has been declared. Gracie Fields has never been better served musically than in this film and gives a magnificent perfoimancc. Her numbers are widely varied, from “The Holy City,” which she sings in a village church, to “Mrs Birins’ Twins,” which she sings at a performance given by the “Keep Smiling” troupe in a riverside fehowboal. METEOR THEATRE. “THIS MAN IS NKWS.” A novel and exciting newspaper murder mystery with Barry K. Barnes and Valerie Hobson in the principal parts of .Paramount's new British release, “This Man Is News,’' is now showing at the Meteor Theatre. The cast also includes Ala stair Sim, John Warwick, Garry Marsh, Kdwurd I.oxy. James Pirric and Kenneth Buckley, while David MacDonald directed. T he story deals with a reporter "ho achieves notoriety as the result of a murder story he sends in to his paper before the actual crime is committed. As may be imagined, this produces uncomioiiahle consecjucuctv for him; but, fortunately, he is able to prove an alibi. The gang of crooks concerned, however, is of the opinion that either he must possess amazing foresight, or else he knows too much ; and they decide he would he better out of the way. Their attentions cause the reporter to become front-page news himself, but in the end with the help of his wife, ho is instrumental in bringing the crooks to justice.