ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 123, 23 April 1940, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

MAYFAIR THEATRE. “THE BrG GUY.” Co-starring Victor McLaglen and Jackie* Cooper in one of the most dramatic stories (o come out of Hollywood in recent months, New Universal’s "The Big Guy screens to-day at the Mayfair Theatre. McLaglen, whose rugged performances have won him the screen’s highest acting honour, the Academy’s Award, portrays a prison warden who is trapped by the same motives he condemns in the convicts under his care. Cooper has a new and different type screen role ns the youth entangled in a web of circumstantial c\ 1dence which loads him into disaster. Heading the supporting east is Ona Munson, who played Belle Malting in “Gone with the Wind,” Peggy Moran, youthful screen beauty in the romantic lead opposite Cooper, Edward Brophy, the comedymenace, and Alan Davis, Jonathan llalo, Russell Hicks and Milton Kihbe “Code of the Secret Service,” the second in the Warner Bros.’ series of pictures depicting tlie exploits of the United States Secret Service, showing to-day at the Mayfair Theatre, with Ronald Reagan again in tlie starring role, as in the first nim of the series, “Secret Service of tho Air.” Reagan bass been assigned tile dangerous job of breaking up a band of counterfeiters operating across the Mexican border. In the course of his assignment lie narrowly escapes execution by Mexican authorities, for llie supposed murder of one of his own puls. and twice escapes death lay a hair’s breadth when lie falls into the hands of the gang. Daring secret service agents rout enemy spies, a phantom man steals the meteorite box and the hero crashes into a speeding train in “Thundering Rails,” the fifth exciting episode of “The Phantom Creeps, 12-cliaplcr Universal serial showing to-day. at tho Mavfair Theatre with Bela Lugosi, Robert Kent, Dorothy Arnold and Regis Toomcy in the starring roles. KOSY THEATRE. “CHARLIE CHAX OX BROADWAY.” You’ve seen him, solve murders in distant lands! Now lie’s home again, and the most baffling case of ail confronts him 1 Peel your nerves tingle with suspense as grim death lurks behind Ihe gaiety of a Broadway night chib while lovely girls dauco to syncopating rhythm! Grip your scats as Chan follows the clue oi the candid camera along Ihe Great White May 10 trap the killer! You’ll experience your greatest thrill —satisfied that: you’ve noon the greatest (.’hail picture oyer made! “Charlie Chan on Broadway.” starring Maimer Gland. J. Edward Bromberg, Joan Marsh. Louise Henry, Joan Woodbury and Donald M oods. “Break The News." produced arid direcied by Rene Clair and starring Jack Buchanan and .Maurice Chevalier, is to lie presented at the Kosy Theatre 10-dav. -\ Jack Buchanan Productions’ picture, “Break The News” presents these . two famous stars of stage and screen in. i. Gory which affords them exceptional scope for their combined brilliant talenr. as well as providing excellent material I’m* the well-known genius of Kent* Clair. This eminent director says that this story is the only one lie lias found in the past Uvo years that lias really appealed to him. Jack Buchanan and Maurice Chevalier ap[Ktar as two chorus hoys who arc suddenly given a chance to do a double act in a spectacular show* produced by a woman actor-manager —portrayed by June Knight. At the last moment, however, their act is cut out and, in desperation, they decide ihat tiie only way they can reach the top is to do something sensational to break into the news. How they set out to do this is the point of tlie story. The ensuing complications range from conviction ior a non-existent murder to the bulletriilden throes of a Ruritanian; revolution, while (lie inteni-oly dramatic climax shows how the two Gars attain the very heights of their ambition in the most unexpected manner. '