ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 230, 27 August 1940, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

! MAYFAIR THEATRE. . “THE MIX AEG.” The first Gilbert and Sullivan opera to be screened. The London., Symphony Orchestra and the D'Oyley Carte Chorus present the famous melodies and the firstclass singing connected with those organisations. And it is in tcchnicolour, something devoutly to bo desired for the requisite effect of the oriental colouring, the wistful romance and enthralling beauties of old Japan, (jay, sweet, and beautiful, strangely topical to remind us of the soul of the real Japan.' M-artyn Green, who played the stage part of KoKo, transplants it to the screen, and Kenny Baker, well-known young tenor of American radio, later of the Hollywood screen, plays the juvenile lead opposite Jean Colin, or Yum Yum, the fiancee of Ko-Ko. the Lord High Exeutioner. The Mikado decides that his son (Kenny Baker) shall marry the woman of the emperor’s choice, an elderly party or “old maid," without graces of any sort. Of course, the boy properly revolts against such a fate, and runs away from home, dressing as and acting the role of a wandering minstrel. He sees and falls in love with Yum-Yum, in the little town of Titi-pu, which has fallen under the displeasure, of tlie Mikado because‘no executions have occurred there for so long. KoKo pitches on the luckless Kenny as the sacrifice to the bloodthirstiness of the emperor. STATE THEATRE. “THE SAINT TAKES OVER.”

With a thrilling story, of mystery and adventure as its basis, RKO Radio’s “The Saint Takes Over” revealing itself as the best of the filmic exploits of the noted Leslie Charteris character, shows to-night at the State Theatre. As in previous offerings, George Sanders plays the suave and debonair “Saint” who=o activities baffle, both the police and the leading crooks of two continents, while Jonathan Hale again portrays Inspector Fernak of the New York Police Department, and Wendy Barrie a mystery girl. The plot of the new film, which marks the fifth time The Saint has come to the screen, deals with an ingenious “frame-up” contrived to discredit Fernak and end his embarrassing investigation of a criminal ring. The Saint learns the identity of the members of the ring, and with Fernak sets about the difficult, task of forcing a confession that will clear the police officer. Unfortunately, a mysterious killer reaches several of the crooks in turn just before The Saint and Fernak can talk to thorn. Fearing the others will also be slain before they have a chance to restore Fernak’s good name for him, The Saint tries to intercept the killer. llow he succeeds, and the dramatic outcome of his efforts, makes "Tho Saint Takes Over” a thoroughly exciting piece of film fare and one that adds new stature to its principal actors. Sanders himself does brilliantly as the resourceful Robin Hood, and Hale and Miss Barrio turn in splendid performances, as do Paul Guilfoyle, Morgan Conway, Cyrus W. Kendall. Robert Keane, Pierre Watkin and James Burke. METEOR THEATRE. “THE INVISIBLE MAN RETURNS.” A thrill for movie fans! The studio that gave you “Bracula,” “Frankenstein” and “The Invisible Man” now gives you the greatest entertainment sensation rf. all time! It’s “The Invisible Man Returns,” story of a man driven mad by a drug that made him invisible, arid who struck terror into the hearts of a panic-stricken civilisation! “Stop him!” screamed a city in frenzied terror, but the law was jiowcrIcss to stop something that could not be seen! Always amazing and at times amusing, the motion picture which shows at the Meteor Theatre to-day easily rates the recommendation as genuinely unique entertainment, 1 ' but defies adequate description. Suffice it to_ say that “The Invisible Man Returns” is definitely entertainment and that it derives most of this quality from the weirdest camera trickery over employed. Its effects leave the audience breathless at many points during the. story, which is ideally tailored as a new vehicle for the unseen screen character. The story was suggested by “The Invisible Man,” written by H. G. Wells. With Vincent Price in the title role, it is the eerie tale of a man who is condemned to die for the murder of his brother. Ho is made invisible, and thereby escapes the death cell. Price etches an unforgettable character even though he is invisible throughout the story. Sir Cedric Hardwicke shifts to a “heavy” role and gives it his qustomary polish. Nan Grey is attractive and believable as the Invisible Man’s fiancee.