ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 265, 8 October 1940, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

STATE THEATRE. “TURNABOUT.” Hal Roach, who produced Thorne Smith’s “Topper” series, has now filmed this brilliant author’s original comedy “Turnabout.” In this new production, Carole Landis, a lovely newcomer to the screen, is co-starred with John Hubbard, last seen on the screen in Hal Roach’s “The Housekeeper’s Daughter.” “Turnabouts” shows at the State Theatre tonight. These stars are supported by a brilliant cast of players, which includes Adolpho Menjou, William Gargan, Alary Astor, Verree Teasdale, Donald Meek and Margaret Roach. “Turnabout” was directed fey Hal Roach personally, and its hilarious plot concerns the high jinks produced when Aliss Landis, us Airs Willows, and Hubbard, as her husband, change sexes. The svelte, shapely Miss Landis steps into her husband’s oversize shoes and experiments with the problems faced' by the male portion of humanity. Six-foot, broad-shouldered Hubbard becomes a fashionable society matron and flutters about at cocktail parties while his wife wears pants—literally. After the hero and heroine change places and sexes in “Turnabout,” i*haos and confusion en sue. Hubbard’s partners in the film, Adolphe Aienjou and William Gargan, cannot understand the sudden femininity of their associate, who manages to cause all sorts of damage to the prestige of the firm and to lose it most of its valuableclientele. Back home the samo sort of thing happens, for the somewhat mascu-line-looking lady of the house is hardly proficient with the servants and no match for the correct social life. How the picture winds up provides the story with a surprise climax full of unexpected happenings and laugh-filled incidents.

MAYFAIR THEATRE. “THE PRISONER OF ZENDA.” Ronald Colman comes to the Mayfair Theatre to-night in David 0. Selznick’s production of “The Prisoner of Zondu,” the famous Anthony Hope romance of j love and intrigue in the royal courts of I Europe. Madeleine Carroll and Douglas | Fairbanks, Junr., head the imposing supI porting cast, which includes Alary Astor, 0. Aubrey Smith, Raymond Massey, David Niven and others. Colman plays a dual role in this colourful talc, appearing botli as the adventurous Rudolph Rassendyll and as King Rudolph Y, the monarch he impersonates. Aliss Carroll appears opposite Colman as the lovely Princess Flavia, while young Fairbanks is cast as the dashing Rupert of Hentzau. Sixty-two sets, ranging in size from a sentry-box no larger than a telephone booth, to a huge cathedral and two castles, were constructed for this picture. The largest set was in the grand ballroom of Strclsau Castle, while rivalling it in pretentiousness were the Strclsau Cathedral, and the great stone hall of Zenda Castle. Other massive or impressive sets included the Zenda royal hunting lodge, the dungeons and tunnels of Zenda Castle, the drawbridge, portcullis and moat of Zenda Castle, the royal gardens of Strclsau Castle, and the king's den with its secret passageways. Colman is at his charming best in the difficult dual role of Rassendyll and the roistering King Rudolph V, whom ho resembles so closely. When the agents of the king’s brother, Black Michael (Raymond Massey), who is plotting to seize the throne, render the king incapable of attending his »wn Coronation by drugging his drinks. Colonel Zapt (C. Aubrey Smith) and young Captain von Tarlenhcim (David Niven) enlist Rassendyll to impersonate the King at the Coronation.