FILMS AND STAGE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 126, 30 April 1941, Page 10

FILMS AND STAGE

R.A.F. Exploits Shown. Included in the entertaining selection of short films which comprises the supporting programme at the Regent Theatre on Friday, is another of the popular “March of Time” series which brings an exclusive story of the Royal Air Force, showing how it lias been built up within the past year and how it is to-day the first line of defence in the Battle of Britain. With actual scenes of battle, it show-3 how the Spitfires and Hurricanes of the R.A.F. are daily fighting off the massed fleets of attacking Nazi bombers, and how Britain’s own bombers are carrying the air-war back to the Nazi “invasion” ba=os on the French and Belgian Channel coasts, and into the heart of Germany itself. Although Britain has long been “mistress of the seas,” “The March of Time” points out, the island kingdom found it necessary also to be “mistress of the air” to combat Hitler’s larger air force. Tho film shows how 500,000 men and women are now working in aircraft factories to bring the numerical strength of the R.A.F. up to that of the German Luftwaffe and how air training schools

in Canada arc rapidly providing pilots, mechanics, gunners and technicians to man these new craft. It also shows the huge flying-boats of the Coastal ' Command on patrol, the swift pursuit planes of the Fighter Command in action, anci the operations of the Bomber Command, which is. responsible solely for carrying out attacks on enemy objectives. Jack Holt in “Fugitive.” Framed by a woman ho had never seen —for a crime he had never committed; 20 years on the chain gang—until fury made him a “Fugitive At Large!’’; the flaming drama of a man who came back—for revenge. There is a double-barrelled blast of thrills from fighting Jack Holt in “Fugitive At Large,” opening cn Friday at the Mayfair Theatre. The star pl"''s a dual role in tho new melodrama with the main emphasis on his portrayal or an engineer whose resemblance to a gangster chieftain makes him the victim of a frameup. Patricia Eliis. Stanley Fields and Quinn (Big Boy) Williams all play prominent roles as the embattled engineer smashes the conspiracy' in a sories of sensational screen sequences. Chester Morris adds another feather to his cap by his characterisation of twin brothers, one of them honourable and upright and the other a fanatical enemy of society in “Wagons Westward,”, opening to-morrow at the Mayfair 'i heatre. Qua »

Munson delivers a sympathetic and penetrating performance as Julie, the dance hail girl, whose duty to her wayward younger sister, portrayed by Anita Louise, stands in the way of her own love and happiness. George “Gabby” Hayes will add new friends through his portrayal of “Hardtack, the crusty old pioneer who tries to direct the perplexing destinies of his twin nephews. Among the other supporting players arc Buck Jones, Guinn Williams, Douglas Fowley and Charles Stevens. "Duley” a LaugOr. Riot. That oustandihg® screen favourite, Ann Sothern, brings new laughs to audiences in her latest comedy, “Duley,” which opens on Friday at the Regent Theatre for an engagement of three days. Duley outlines the exploits of a modern young woman who lias good but vvhose faculty for running other people’s affairs get them as well as herself into hilarious difficulties Miss Sothern has never turned m a more finished performance. Her scenes are perfectly timed. She is given an oppot tunity to wear a wardrobe of smart, Adrian-designed clothes, some trick hairdrosses, and to adopt a new type of wisecrack which varies from the "Maisic characterisations for which she has become famous. A fine cast of comedians supports Miss Sothern. As her leading man is lan Hunter, who adds another to Ins long list of dependable performances. As tile nervous aeroplane magnate, Roland jfoung leaves nothing to be desired in his interpretation. Billie Burke is excellent . as usual, and Reginald Gardiner plays a slightly unbalanced gentleman with gusto.

“Saint’s” Life Threatened. An unusual inheritance would never have reached a beautiful girl except for the efforts of a debonair but deadly. gunman in “ r l ho Saint in Palm Springs, opening on Friday at the State Theatre. Latest in this thriller series featuring George Sanders in the title role, the current offering chronicles further amazing exploits of Simon Templar, “The Saint ” who wars on the crime barons of the world. This time Templar is recruited by Inspector Fernack to see unofficially that a beauliful young lady in California receives three valuable foreign stamps left her by her deceased father. His efforts to fulfil the dangerous mission and the romantic entanglements which result when an alluring foreign agent tries to frustrate his plans, are said to make this current “Saint” offering one of the most exciting in the popular group. Wendy Barrie, Paul Guilfoylc, Jonathan Halo and Linda Hayes arc cast in the supporting roles in the film, which is laid principally in the famous California resort. New Stars. Four debuts by five players will be marked in colourful romantic comedy, “One Night in the Tropics.” which _ will also introduce five new Jerome Kern songs -when it opens on Saturday at tho Meteor

[Theatre. Most important debut is that of Bud Abbott and Lbu Costello, noted stage and radio comedy team sought by many studios since they first scored as network and Broadway stars. Another outstanding Broadway performer, Nina Orla, tiny 18-vear-old Mexican songstress and dancer, makes her film debut. Nancy Kelly makes her initial appearance as a dancer in the huge “Farandola” production number, and she also sings for the first time in “Your Dream.-’ Peggy Moran, young loading lady who has her most important role, also makes a vocal debut when she sings “Remind Me.” The film presents a fastmoving story of a young insurance salesman sale of a. million-doUai* i Jove insurance” policy leads to romantic plications for two couples. _ Locale is divided between New York City and a Caribbean island .

A Star’s Biography Nc. 93. At last Judy Garland's long-cherished dream of playing a “grown-up” role lias come true. She does it in “Iscll of IScw Rorhclle,” a musical travesty on old-time stage melodramas in “Strike Lp the Band.” Judy was horn with the theatre in her veins. Her parents were professionals—vaudeville folk. singers. She was born in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, and has been in almost every city of size in the United States with her parents “on the road.” But she calls Bos Angelos “home.” Most of her education was acquired in that

city. Her early ambition was lo be an attorney rather than an actress. But, instead, she became a member of a singing trio composed of herself and her two elder sisters. The act worked at tho World’s Fair in Chicago and in several big theatres in tho Mid-West. One sister married and that broke up the act. July made her screen debut in the short, “Every Sunday,” which also featured Deanna Durbin. This was followed by “Pigskin Parade,” “Broadway Melody of 1938,” “Thoroughbreds Don’t Cry,” “Everybody Sing,” “Love Finds Andy Hardy” and “Listen, Darling.” Sho then portrayed Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz,” which marked her elevation to stardom. New triumph came for her early in 1940 when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voted her a special award for her outstanding performance as a screen juvenile during the past year. Iler most recent pictures include “Babes in Arms” and “Andy Hardy Meets Debutante.” The late Tom Mix joins the long and tragic list of big money film star-s who died comparatively pool*. Mix, who was believed to he a multi-millionaire, left £19,000. Law suits and taxes are said to have swallowed a large part of the estate. At the height of his fame he was earning £250,000 a year. He admitted that he had made well over £1,000,000 in tho course of his screen career. The three leading players of horror roles, Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff and Peter Lorre, will he in “You’ll Find Out,” to be screened in New Zealand soon.