ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 89, 14 March 1941, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS

METEOR THEATRE. Wlmti lh‘ll 111'i'lll lull h ft dory 01- writes n liliiy or ilb'ccUt it motion picture tiio end mmll, in iiiilnrUiiiiiient of tin: highest order a ntory gripping in its iiitonsily, a play lieif(lili!inii| liy n, nnihlnrly knowledge ol (lie (Iriiiiutliul'ii cruft, n motion picture which hrili/pi In tlm' iicrncn I In: very heat of the many iiri* involved writing, acting, .photography, iMiHic, Hncli a moliVni picture ill llccfit'a “Angolii Over Broadway,” which ia allowing to-night at the Meteor 'llienl.ru. "Angela Over Broadway" i« the tenderly liinnun alory of a romance horn lie!ween dual< and dawn, helween lieartiirenlf and happinewi, on a murky, rainswept Tinieii Hipinro night. It in the strange and wonderful alory of a fahiiloua adventure in which lour unusual peop.C lake part—a cafe cnterlainer fearful of I,ho future and of tlm past; a Broadway ‘‘wine guy” who discovers he inn t so smart; a drunken playwright, trying to ro-wrilo 'lives trying to play Ood! and a wiapy, weak little man who has embezzled money in order to keep bin faithless wife in luxury. MAYFAIR THEATRE. "Down Went jMcGinty,” screening at the Mayfair Theatre to-night, was a, mystery lo J tolly wood hecaoso it wan produced in an unconventional mariner. If irsfc of all, Hlurgcs, a scenarist, was given free rein Lo write and direct Urn film in his own manner. Secondly, instead of loading Lho east with high-powered star names, J arumount selected the best actors aval able for tbe roles, on the theory that the play a the thing, not the stars. As Urn result “Down Went McGinty” has won applause from critics who have scon it ; Strugcs has won a long-term contract as a writer-di rector; Brian Donlevy, who plays the title role, has been elevated to stardom. and Muriel Angclus, Akim Tumiroff and Steffi Duria, who play other-leading ro.es, liavo all moved two'or three steps upward.KOSY THEATRE. When bathing beauties parade, anything can happen. And' it does in "last and Furious,” which screens at the Rosy Thcatro to-riiglit, to liie tune of two murders, several attempted ones, the most Startling parade of beauty seen in films for a long while; and the presentation of Franfchot "Tone and Ann Sothern as contestants for the title of "Craziest Screen j Couple.” In his first screen appearance since doing a Broadway play, 'l one plays the part of Joel Slonnc, easy-going bibliophile and amateur detective, and Ann Sothern is his devoted wife, Garda. On a supposed vacation at a seaside resort, trouble starts as soon as they arrive. iSloane finds himself, to Garda’s unconcealed fury, a judge in the beauty pageant' being staged': then his best friend is he'd fat the murder of the pageant’s promoter. STATE THEATRE. “Band Waggon,” screening at the State Theatre to-morrow night, is the most ponular feature in British broadcasting and everything that’s in the radio is in the screen version—music, gags, stars and catch phrases. Four foot odd Arthur Askcy possesses an individual brand of comedy and displays all his irresistible personality in his diminutive. dynamic, mercurial form. Six-foot-two Richard (“Stinker"! Murdoch makes an excellent debonair foil. Jack Hylton and his band

play personal roles and Patricia Kirkwood makes a charming leading lady. The centre of the theme is built around Askey’s and “Stinker’s” discovery of a television plot in a manor taken over by Nazi Each joyous sequence is a laughter-making incident: the songs, catrhv tune hits, the band numbers are just class review items. REGENT THEATRE. There is a wonderful entertainment in store for picture-goers at tlie Regent Theatre to-night. The film opens in the small town of JYlidbury, when elderly Dr. Downing, is called to attend Dr. Sebastian’s wife whom lie thought iiad recovered from a bout of pneumonia. Before the old family doctor can get to his destination his patient dies, and, though puzzled, ho accepts the death as natural and writes tiio necessary certificate. Sebastian, ostensibly because the house and its associations hold too many poignant memories, ultimately leaves the district and sobs up in Now York as a psychiatrist. Ills commanding person and assuring manner make New York society women attach great import to his pronouncements, and in time Sebastian is asked to interview beautiful Linda Booth, who is wealthy but prey to a certain melancholia which will not let her enjoy the society of her friends. Sebastian successfully inv.'y gates Linda's case and cures her of her 'fears, only to fall genuinely in love with her. He had thought at first to marry her for her money, but when he finds his feelings arc deeper and finer than they have ever been, iio determines lo put behind him the life of deceit and vengeance and start • afresh. He has, however, gone too far down the path to recover, and on his wedding day his sins begin to find him out. A reportui, in love with Linda and jealous of Sebastian’s influence over her, has started a Press campaign against imitation psychiatrists, and his work leads him down to Midbury, wherp, ho meets Dr. Downing. They compare noics, and come to the conclusion that Sebastian has been guilty of murder on more tlivm one occasion..