ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 281, 26 October 1940, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

MAYFAIR THEATRE. "FLIGHT AT MIDNIGHT." A thrilling aeronautical drama, that soars to new heights of screen thrills, will be presented at the Mayfair Theatre to-night. The picture is "Flight at Midnight," a Republic production co-starring Phil Regan and Jean Parker with Colonel Roscoo Turner, America's "ace" of tho air also included in tho big cast. The story concerns tho problems of a small airport manager who is faced with tho necessity of raising £25,000 with which to bury hazardous high tension wires surrounding the aerodrome. Among those •who come to his assistance are Mail Pilot "Spinner" Magee. played by Phil Regan, Torpy his mechanic, played by Noah Beery, junr., and Roscoe Turner, played by himself. Tho airport can be mortgaged for £15,000 and another £7OOO can be raised if a new plane, tho "Scout" successfully passes the Government tests. Roscoe Turner hopes ■to win the remaining £3OOO at the' Cleveland air races. "Tho Dead End Kids" and "The Little Tough Guys" are featured in "You're Not So Tough," tho associate feature on tho Mayfair programme. Also screening is episode 7 of "Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe."

METEOR THEATRE. "THE ROARING TWENTIES." Showing at the Meteor Theatre to-<lay is "The Roaring Twenties," co-starring James Cagnoy and Priscilla Lane. The film, which deals with the turbulent and eventful decade following tho World War, is based on an original story by Mark Hellinger, aco columnist. "The Roaring Twenties" is the autobiography of a nation on a spree. The day of the flapper and the speakeasy, of mob rule, of fantastic prosperity—-in short, the most glittering gaudy and fantastic age in history, is recreated on the screen as tho background for a vivid and compelling story of a man who rises to the heights of power only to bo smashed into the oblivion when tho era comes to an end. In France, as the war ends, three soldiers (played by Cagney, Jeifroy Lyon and Humphrey Bogart) made joyful plans for their return to America. One plans to go back to his job as garage mechanic, another is going to start his law practice, tho third, scoffing at talk of Prohibition, intends to go back to saloon-keeping. Cagney is also looking fforward to meeting the girl who has been writing him cheery letters throughout Hie war. But in the world- to which they return their "plans are no longer feasible. Cagney, whose job has long since been filled, has to drive a cab, and this soon puts him on to the boot-legging racket. Meanwhile ho has met his unknown sweetheart. He has also made contact with his wartime buddies and Bogart, who lias been working with a rival boot-legging gang, joins up with him. He retains Lynn to handle the somewhat shady legal end of his transactions.