ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 33, 8 January 1941, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

MAYFAIR THEATRE. "THE DRUM.” In . many ways “The Drum,” .which is to- bo screened at tho Mayfair Theatre tonight, is said to bo tho most notable British film yet produced, and a triumph for two men and a boy—the . producer and director, Alexander and Zoltan Korda, and Sabu, the little Indian boy who plays the role of an Indian prince. Sabu’s rise to fame is remarkable. A little over two years ago the boy was picked up. out of a jungle in India to play the leading role in “Elephant Boy,” a story adapted from Kipling’s “Tooinai of the Elephants.” lie instantly captured the hearts of millions of picture lovers. Afterwards lie was taken to England, where ho was placed under contract to London Films and groomed for the most important role in A. E. W. Mason!s'story “The Drum.” In that film he gives a performance that can only be described as sensational, and establishes him as one of the most natural and charming personalities even seen in .films. The story is an original one of contemporary colonial life on tho NorthWest frontier in India, and deals with insurgent tribes, the dethronging of a boy prince, the attempted massavre of the inmates of the British Residency and the sacred and mysterious drum of India, which legend says beats out strange messages by itself, but whose riddle Sabu unravels. Throughout the thrilling story ot intrigue and battle runs the thread of tho little Indian prince’s friendship for a Scottish drummer boy who teaches him a ‘‘Signature Tune” of his own. Zoltan Korda and his camera crows went through incredible hardships in the burning sun north of tho famous Khyber to photograph in tcchnieolour the settings for tho picture.

STATE THEATRE. “KIT CARSON.” Based on the rcai-lifo story o£ one of the boldest and most dashing- adventurers in American history, Edward Small’s latest production, “Kit Carson,” with Jon Hall playing the title role, screens to-night at the .State Theatre. The cast in “Kit Carson” features, in addition to Hall, Lynn Bari, Dana Andrews, Ward Bond, Harold Huber and Clayton Moore. Spot-lighting the adVenturo-filled episodes of Carson’s life . when he joined John C. Fremont of the , United States army to survey and map ' the shortest overland route to California, ’ Small’s film of “Kit Carson” abounds in , spectacular scenes involving bitter fighting „ with the Indians, dangerous treks in wagon ‘ trains, plots, and counter-plots engineered by sly and cunning Mexican schemers. Most I of the sweeping outdoor scenes for “Kit • Carson” wore photographed on location at . Kaycnta, Arizona, next dor to the Navajo , reservation, and' hundreds of the Navajos participated in filming. Small was delighted that ho won the co-operation of the Navajos. Otherwise he would have been unable to transfer to film the great scenic beauties and amazing topography of Monument Valley. This vastly picturesque section was chosen for the major location site because of its natural magnificence and complete isolation. METEOR THEATRE. “TWO GIRLS ON BROADWAY.” The screen’s newest dance team, composed of Lana Turner and George Murphy, makes its bow in ... the streaipliucd musical, “Two Girls on Broadway,” screens at the Meteor Theatre lor three days, commencing to-night. Miss Turner and Murphy, together with Joan Blondell headline the cast of this dramatic production with a musical background toiling the story Of two sisters who journeyed from a small Mid-Western town to New York City in an attempt to crash the big-time shows. The romance centres about the love of the two girls for the same boy, hoofer Eddie Kerns, portrayed by Murphy. Screen polls and'the public’s reaction have hailed Lana Turner as the j most popular and most talented of Holly- j wood’s current younger stars and her role ; in “Two Girls on Broadway” gives her ! increased opportunity to confirm this verdict-. Murphy comes to the new musical direct from his success with Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell in “Broadway Melody of 1940,” while the popular Miss _ Jllondell makes her first appearance under the M-G-M banner in the stream-lined musical. Two new song flits are heard in the production. They are “My Wonderful One Let’s Dance,” written by Nacio . Herb Brown, Arthur Freed and Roger Edens, and “Broadway’s Still Broadway,” by Harry Revel and Ted Fetter.. Kent Taylor, last seen in “I Take This Woman,” heads the supporting east in “Two Girls on Broadway.” Also in the cast- arc Richard Lane, Wallace Ford, Otlo Hahn, Lloyd I Corrigan, Don Wilson and Charles Wagonheim. S. Sylvan Simon, who directed Lana Turner in such hits as “These Glamour Girls” and “Dancing Co-Ed,” again handled the directorial assignment on the new production. It was Simon’s idea to take a dramatic story and place it against a musical background in an odort to definitely streamline this type of entertainment.