ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 219, 14 August 1940, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

’ STATE THEATRE. “THE CROWD LOOKS ON.”, Strong novelty “who-done it” football murder mystery built round interest-com-pelling Arsenal- football favourites. Vivid, candid, behind-the-scenes ' sequences of First Division team, and vigorous shots of match play reveal popular idols and managerial notabilities in piquant newlight as ideal screen actors involved in mystery of player’s death on the field. Leslie Banks scores in forceful comedy bid as light-hearted sleuth. It reveals nation-wide favourites, the Arsenal First Division team, ns actors, reconstructing their real-lifo role? in a story revolvinground the murder of an opposing star player. Not only do the idols, Drake, Basiin, Male, Leslie Jones, Crayston, Swindin, Bremner, Bernard Joy and Kirchen, figure as featured players, but also the genial secretary-manager of the team, George Allison, Tom Whittaker, the English trainer, and, above all, Bryn-Jones, England’s highest-priced soccer star. “Free, Blonde and 21” shows to-morrow at the Stale Theatre and (bis absorbing 20th Century-Fox drama of the lives and loves of the exciting new lovelies at the Sherrington, swank metropolitan hotel for women, is brimful of love, laughter and excitement. At the hotel reside such eyefilling beauties as Lynn Bari, Mary Beth Hughes, Katharine Aldridge, Helen Ericson and many more. With such pert, pretty and provocative girls around things are bound to happen, and happen they do with an explosive rapidity that spells entertainment with a capital E. Lanky Joan Davis adds her very special brand of- comedy as the hotel maid and Chick Chandler is her taxi-driver boy friend. KOSY THEATRE. “LITTLE TOUGH GUY.” Drama from newspaper headlines! Right off the front page of a daily paper came the elements for one of the most important sequences in the Universal picture, “Little Tough Guy,” showing to-day at the Kosy Theatre. The unusual screen-mg-play presents the powerful story of a youth's struggle against the oppressive influence of life in a big city. The famous “Dead End” kids are featured in the cast with Robert Wilcox and Helen Parrish. In the role of a newsboy, Billy II a lop stops to read the headlines of a newspaper he is selling. Across the front page in bold type is the story that his father has -been sentenced to the bleotrie chair for murder. Tho boy goes to the judge, and, in an emotionally charged, scene, pleads for a new trial for his father. Two thousand newspapers, bearing the fatal headline were specially* printed up for use ir the film. They provided the fuse that touches off one of the most powerful dramatic sequences ever attempted by any young screen player. Tho associate feature at the Kosy is no less a hit than the “Merry-Go-Round oi 1938.” The cast includes such favourites us Mischa Auer. Louise Fazenda. Bert Lahr, Alice Brady and Dave Apollon and his orchestra. There are plenty of tuneful songs and lots of fun for everyone. But he to sec this picture right from the start so you will catch every laugh.