ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 257, 27 September 1940, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

STATE THEATRE

“THE GRAPES OF WRATH.”

A deep, stirring human appeal draws audiences to the very heights of film entertainment in Darryl F. Zanuck’s production of “The Grapes of Wrath,” John Steinbeck’s fearless, novel. The 20th Cen-tury-Fox film, which at its world premiere achieved the biggest op lung attendance in the entire history of New York’s 22-year-old Rivoli Theatre, shows at the State Theatre to-night. Under John Ford’s honest direction tho Joads come to life with all the warmth, vitality and rugged humour that characterised SteinbeckT widely ' acclaimed novel. Both the spirit and the letter of the book have been followed with extraordinary exactness by Associate Producer Nunnally Johnson who wrote tho screen play. The . many thousands who eagerly awaited this picture will find every iota of drive and power of the original story has been retained in the screen version. Tom Joad, who is played by Henry Fonda, remains the courageous figure Steinbeck created. To follow his adventures oil the screen is an experience no movie-goer can afford to miss. Jane Darwcll’s performance, -as Mr Joad, makes it impossible to believe that Steinbeck did not havp her in mind when he created this indomitable Oklahoma mother. Jane carries her audience in the palm of her hand while she laughs and cries, scolds her brood and defies the forces which would tear her family apLrt. What is by all odds ono of the most difficult roles in the picture, that of'Casy, the garrulous, crusading preacher, is carried off with great distinction by John L'arradine. MAYFAIR THEATRE. “GOLDEN GLOVES.” Authenticity is the keynote of Paramount’s “Golden Gloves,” the new. picture showing at tho Mayfair Theatre to-mor-row. Picturegocrs aro in for a feast of thrills. The fight sequences leave nothing to be desired in this direction, and have been acclaimed by experts as being tho best of their kind ever filmed. "Golden' Gloves” features three comparative newcomers to the screen —Richard Denning, playing his first leading role after several minor ones; Jean Cagney, sister of the famous Jimmy and making her screen debut; and Robert Paige, who although ho has previously played leading roles, gets his most important assignment to date in this picture. Others featured are J. Carrol Naish, who needs no introduction to film fans. William Frawlcy, Ed. Brophy and George Ernest. “Golden Gloves” tells of a crooked boxing racket, run by Naish, which Paige, ‘as a crusading newspaper reporter, is determined to smash. 1

The trend to simnle, homespun, down-to-earth drama, which has been forging to the lead in public iavour, is definitely icflected in “Our Neighbours—the Carters.” Paramount’s story of life in a small Ohio town, which shows to-morrow at the Mayfair Theatre with Frank Craven, Fay Bainter, Edmund Lowe and Genevieve Tobin in tho top featured roles. Not just another “family” picture, it tells the story of “Doc” and Ellen Carter, played by Craven and Miss Bainter, and their five children.

Also screening is chapter 5 of ‘Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe,” this week’s title lk'ing “Walking Bombs.”

REGENT THEATRE

“THE OLD AIAIIV

‘•‘The Old Maid,” co-starring Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins, shows at the Regent Theatre to-night. Filmed by AVarner Bros., it has been hailed by pre-view audiences as the outstanding dramatic event of the year—a rare combination of brilliant talents in the fields of acting, writing and directing. One feminine star —especially if she be that double Academy winner, Bette Davis —might be considered sufficient for a photoplay, no matter how great. But in “The Old Maid” there are two. Besides Bette Davis there is the lovely and highly capable Miriam Hopkins, who has starred in many a top-notch production on her own. The girts have equally important parts. This is the first time, since they reached stardom, that either has ever shared acting honours with another player of her own sex. “The Old Maid” was written first as a novel by Edith AA 7 harton, often called the “aristocrat of American writers.” She will be remembered as the author of “Ethan Frornc” and “The Age of Innocence,'' among many other books. Then four years ago, Zoe Akins, tho brilliant dramatist, transformed the book into a stage play which not only had a long run in New York but won the Pulitzer .Prize for that year, the highest award that can be bestowed upon a dramatic production. With Miss Davis and Miss Hopkins in the picturisalion of “The Old Maid” are such players as George Brent. Jane Bryan, Donald Crisp, Louise Fazenda, James ‘ Stephenson, Jerome Cowan, William Lundigan, Cecilia Loftus, Janet Snow, Do AA’olf Hopper and Rand Brook.