PALMERSTON PICTURE PROGRAMMES

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6918, 23 July 1932, Page 8

PALMERSTON PICTURE PROGRAMMES

REGENT THEATRE BIG CAST OF FAVOURITES IN "THE EASIEST WAY" When a famous stage play is turned into a talking picturo producers are wont to be exceedingly careful in their casting, for devotees of tho stage, now picture fans, remember the players who originally created the stage roles. "The Easiest Way,’’ for years a classic discussion for tho single standard in the lives of men and women, has at last been bought for the talkies, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer present it at tho Regent theatre with Constance Bennett in the stellar role of Laura Murdock. Jack Conway picked the characters to support Miss Bennett with exceeding care, and the cast bristles with “big names.” Adolphe Menjou plays the suave Brockton. Laura’s affair with the wealthy advertising agency head precipitates the tense drama when the girl comes to a realisation of her mistake through her new-found love for Robert Montgomery. Neither of these gentlemen needs introduction. Menjou has been an outstanding star in “men of the world” parts for years, while Montgomery, of “The Divorcee-,” Greta Garbo's “Inspiration,” and other hits, is one of the fastest-rising luminaries the screen has known. “Fa” and “Ala” Murdock, two great character parts, are done respectively by J. Farrell Alacdonakl veteran of four score pictures, and Clara Blaudick. Anita Pago lias a splendid role as Peg, Laura’s sister. Clark Gable plays her sweetheart, while Alnrjorie Rambeau is Elfic. “The Easiest Way,” when introduced on the stage in 1909, created an international sensation because it was the first play to hint even remotely that a man could forgivo a woman under such circumstances as these. It was tho first move for the abolition of tho single standard in favour of the double standard of morality. It also did away with the starkly black villain of the old-time theatre. Brockton, played by Adolphe Alcnjou, is no saint, but likewise he doesn’t cat children alive. He is a very modern, very successful man. His villainy consists of tempting the beautiful Laura Murdock, played by Aliss Bennett, with jewels, motor cars, etc. And then along comes Madison, played by Robert Montgomery. Ho, too, has things in his life lie wants to forget. Tho struggle of Laura and Aladison for- their happiness provides the dramatic motivation.

KOSY THEATRE THRILLS AND COAIEDY Priceless emeralds, covetous international crooks, daring thefts and even moro daring rescues, tho catapulting of an aeroplane front the deck, of a liner in mid-ocean, a bold kidnapping, and other ingredients of a similarly exciting nature provide a host of thrills for the audience, of “Cheaters at Play” at the Kosy theatre premiere to-day. With Thomas Mcighan, Charlotte Grcc” rood, William Bake well, Barbara Locks, Linda Watkins, James Kirkwood and Ralph Alorgan heading the notable east, “Cheaters at Play” is expertly acted, and with the deft direction of Hamilton AlcFadden it is as interesting a picture as has been shown here in a long, long time. Tho story deals with Atiss Greenwood’s efforts to smuggle a priceless string of emeralds into the country. Various international crooks have evil designs on these same jewels, which do, in fact,'vanish on three occasions, thus giving the redoubtable Air. Mciighan plenty of cxcrciso and trouble in recovering them. Air. Mcighan j it seems, was once a master crook himself, and his knowledge of the tricks of tho trade comes in handily as he disappoints the various malefactors.

TALACE THEATRE “SCANDAL FOR SALE" The virile Charles Bickford is magnificent as the scandal-seeking ciity editor and does the best work of his career. Rose Hobart is pleasing and capable as his wife, and Pat O’Brien is a star reporter to the life in “ScaxdaJ for Sale,” the Universal drama which commences a season at the Palace theatre to-day. Though it docs not pretend to present a picture of typical newspaper life, the story deals with the stormy career of one man who finds himself directing the destinies of a New York newspaper, and who embarks on a reckless course of sensationalism for the avowed purpose of adding to the circulation of tho daily. He becomes a ruthless scandalmonger w'ho will go tc any lengths to secure or manufacture a sensational “story” for his paper, and even his own associates turn away from him before a terrible tragedy brings him to his senses. Others in the cast arc Claudia Dell, Burton Churchill, J. Farrell Macdonald, Glenda Farrell, 'fully Marshall, ■ Lew Kelly and two delightful children, Buster Phelps and Betty Jane Graham. The “city room” of a metropolitan newspaper forms a background for much of the action of tho story, and there are many impressive scenes aboard an aeroplane on a trans-Atlan-tic flight from New York to Europe, with O’Brien accompanying the pilot in the capacity of reporter.