ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 97, 24 March 1941, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

Regent Theatre.—Hollywood has hit on another happy romantic teaming with Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier perfectly cast as the spirited lovers in tho picturisation of Jane Austen's amusing comedy "Pride and

Prejudice." Two brilliant star's, both winners last year of Academy Award nominations, Miss Garson for her memorable "Mrs Crips" and Olivier for his Heathcliffo in "WutJiering Heights," reveal new talents for comedy in the hilarious story of pride, prejudice and romance in early nineteenth century England. Tbc story centres around the Bennct .family, handicapped by five unwedded daughters. Miss Garson makes a lovely and intelligent Elizabeth, the eldest daughter. Olivier is Darcy, a

proud and wealthy young aristocrat who visits the village where they live. Despite his pride in family and distaste for the Bonnets as a group, Darcy falls in love with Elizabeth who is prejudiced against his arrogance from the first. The various romances of the Bonnet girls are interwoven with the love affair of Elizabeth and Darcy. It is not until he has almost lost Elizabeth

that Darcy realises family pride cannot hold a candle to tho charming Elizabeth. A chance to redeem himself comes when Lydia, least conventional of the sisters, creates a by running off with an adventurer. Darcy saves her honour and also the Bonnet family pride and Elizabeth gives in.

Kosy Theatre.—Once upon a time, and it was not' so long ago either, ' George Formby was apprenticed to a racing stable and could go to scale at the midget weight of 6st 71b. Later, when George forsook the saddle for tho stage, he still retained his great affection for horses and to-day the world's fun favourite asks no greater pleasure than a day's outing in tho country with a good horse under him. This love of horses accounts for the fact that every time George has been asked for a suggestion for the subject of his next film, ho has always replied, "a horse racing comedy." And therein lies another story. In England, charity race meetings are often held, and of course George, being such a national favourite as well as a celebrated amateur rider, is always one of the first invited to compete. Naturally, George never requires any persuasion, much to the sorrow of his terrified studio executives. Of course, the presence of ' such a universal favourite as George riding at the meeting means much to the promoters and naturally George receives many invitations, and when the appeals to refuse begin, as they always do, one can well imagine George, with a merry twinkle in his eyes, saying to those same executives, "Ah, well, let's compromise; let's combine work with pleasure and make a horse-racing comedy." How George finally got his own way is not revealed, but the fact remains that "Come On, George" is a horse racing comedy, and the jockey who turned joker is a jockey again, in the film he has always wanted to make. "Come On, George" is now screening at the Kosy Theatre. Also on tho samo bill is Hugh Herbert and Baby Sandy in "Little Accident." Meteor Theatre.—Marlcne Dietrich follows up her success in "Dcstry Rides Again" with a somewhat similar "presentation in this picture, fast-moving, exciting and amusing, which should prove exceedingly popular with a public that likes to

be thrilled and made to laugh. An excellent plot is enhanced by fine production values and first-rate acting, not only by the star, but the unusually well selected cast of good names. Marlene l*-oks lovely and is brilliantly dashing in her interpretation, singing three songs in excellent fashion. She is presented as an alluring cafe singer, causing in spite of herself more trouble than enough with the susceptible male customers. So she is always moving

on, at last reaching a South Sea Island accompanied by her two loyal henchmen, Brodcrick Crawford, who would die for her, and Mischa Auer, magician, with an itching hand for other people's goods. Marlene finds work as entertainer in Billy Gilbert's cafe—"Tho Seven Sinners," and it is here the main action takes place, and where she meets her Waterloo, in the shape of John Wayne, fine, manly U.S. naval officer, who falls in love with her, too. Oscar Hpmolka, rich and repelling, worries her, biit she refuses both, and it finalises in a great and glorious free-for-all in the cafe.