ENTERTAINMENTS

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

ENTERTAINMENTS

STATE THEATRE. “AIEET DOCTOR CHRISTIAN.” Rarely decs a film portray a true pic turo of small town life so well as does tho - new Jean Hersholfc starring film, “Meet Doctor Christian,” which shows at tho State Theatre to-day. It is a warm and human story of a small town physician who dedicates his life to the welfare of his friends and neighbours. In it, Hersholt gives one of his most convincing performances to date. He portrays Doctor Paul Christian with an ease and naturalness and kindly graciouencss that leaves tho spectator with the feeling of having known intimately the lovable medico. The story centres around tho efforts of tho doctor to wake the small town of River’s End to its need for a hospital. Balked at every hand in his treatment of sickness in the community by a lack of suitable, modern equipment, it is only with the greatest difficulty and through a near-tragedy that Hersholt succeeds in his mission. There is a romantic sido to the story, too, with Dorothy Lovett, as Nurse Judy Prico, and Robert Baldwin, as her village swain, taking tho spotlight for this side of tho proceedings. Homely comedy occupies much ot tho action and is capably bandied by tho juvenile section of tlio east, which features Marcia Mae Jones, Jackie Moran and Patsy Leo Parsons. Ollier supporting players include Enid Bennett and Paul Harvey Ii these timer of stress, “Alcet Doctor Christian” is as fresh and pleasant as n ccol spring and an entertainment to be enjoyed by the entire family-.

KOSY THEATRE. “TI-IE MYSTERIOUS RIDER.” A masked horseman who commits bold robberies and donates the proceeds to the poor, who becomes the most feared figure in the West without ever hurting an honest man and who saved the ranch of a beautiful young girl from rustlers without revealing his identity, forms the ro,mantic central character in Paramount’s

“The Mysterious Rider,” Zano Grey’s thrilling story of tho untamed cattle country, showing to-day at the Kosy Theatre. Douglas Dumbrillc plays tho strange rider who stops his wanderings long enough to secure tho happiness of a daughter who does not know him, and to avenge the 20-year-old murder of his closest friend.

A group of comedians who aro known for their brands of comedy all over the country, and a story studded with laugh ter and song! That's the new Paramount musical, “Blossoms on Broadway,” showing at the Kosy Theatre to-day. Edward Arnold, Weber and Fields, Rule Davis, William Frawley and The-Radio Rogues are the comedians, while Shirley Ross and John Trent uphold the music and romance. Kitty Kelly, Edward Brophy, John Arthur, Frank Craven, and Charles Halton are in the cast. The film was directed by Richard Wallace. METEOR THEATRE. “THE GHOST COAIES HOME." Frank Aforgan, as a smn!l-town citizen, invades high life amid varied trials and tribulations, nil iu the interest of comedy, in “The Ghost Comes Home,” which brings him to-day to the Aletc-or Theatre m a wild adventure with wealth and romance Tho new story sees him in a “straight” human characterisation. ATorgan plays a timid, henpecked pet-shop owner ill a small town who suddenly becomes a man of prominence when a boyhood friend who made a fortune promises him a million to spend improving the home town. Ifis supposed death in a shipwreck and his return apparently from the dead, complicates his hectic existence. 110 plots against his domineering wife who trios to marry their daughter off to the town banker’s son, and grief in general dogs bis path. lie exposes the crooked jiolilicians in extricating himself from his troubles and becomes the town’s hero. The cast includes Billie Burke as the domineering wife. Ann Rutherford as the romantic;. daughter, John Shelton. Reginald Owen, Donald Aleck, Nat Pendleton and Frank Albertson. Plans arc ot Alillar and , O.iorgi’s, 'phono 5182, or theatre, ’xihone 5753.