ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 267, 9 October 1940, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

MAYFAIR THEATRE. “THE PRISONER OF ZENDA.”.' Ronald Colraan comes to the Mayfair Theatre to-night in David 0. Selznick’s production of “The Prisoner of Zenda,” tlic famous Anthony Hope romance of love and intrigue in the royal courts of Europe. Madeleine Carroll and Douglas Fairbanks, Junf., head the imposing supporting cast, which includes Mary Astor, C. Aubrey Smith, Raymond Massey, David Niven and others. Colman plays a dual role in this colourful tale, appearing both as the adventurous Rudolph Rassendyll and its King Rudolph Y, the monarch he impersonates. Miss Carroll appears opposite Colman as the lovely Princess Fla via, \while young Fairbanks is cast as the dashing Rupert of- Hcntzau. Sixty-two. sets, ranging in size from a sentry-box- no larger than a telephone booth, to a huge cat,he-" dral and two castles, were constructed for this picture. The largest set was in the grand ballroom of Strelsau Ca6lle, while rivalling it in pretentiousness were the Strelsau Cathedral, and the great stone hall of Zenda Castle. Other -massive or impressive sets included the Zenda royal fainting lodge, the dungeons and tunnels of Zenda Castle, the drawbridge, portcullis and moat of Zenda Castle, the royal gardens . of Strelsau 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 he 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 own Coronation by drugging his drinks. Colonel Zapt (C. Aubrey Smith) and young Captain von Tarlenheim (David Niven) enlist Rassendyll to impersonate the King at the Coronation.

REGENT THEATRE. “DR KILDARE’S STRANGE CASE.” The screen's favourite doc-tor-horo, Dr James Kildare, again holds forth in M.-G.-M.’s latest “Dr Kildare” film, “Dr Kildare’s Strange Case.” With I.ew Ayres portraying the title role and Lionel Barrymore as his mentor, Dr Leonard Gillespie, tlio fourth in the series of medical-detce-tivo stor.es provides a dramatic glimpse of what goes on when a young interne takes matters into his own hands, acting solely cn a hunch. After refusing a wellpaying position in a private sanitorium, Ayres returns to his hospital to learn that his friend, Shcppord Strudwick, has performed what appears to have been bungled surgery. Putting facts logethei and acting on the theory that the patient might have been insane before the operation was performed, Ayres, by the 11=0 01 insulin shock to restore insane people (0 normalcy, succeeds in vindicating his friend and showing his superiors that his judgment was correct. Based upon the original story by Max Brand and Willis Goldbeck, tho drama introduces the screen’s first presentation of tho actual treatment of insane people by use of insulin to cause shock. Prominent in the cast of “Dr Kildare’s Strangest Case” are I.ara ine Day, Sheppcrd Strudwick, Samuel S. Hinds, Emma Dunn, A.al Pendleton Walter Kingstord and Alina Kruger.