Palmerston Picture Programmes

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 195, 20 August 1935, Page 5

Palmerston Picture Programmes

REGENT THEATRE BRILLIANT PERIOD DRAMA “THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL” * When any of us have done some startling and notable deed before tho eyes of our fellows, wc are aim st in honour bound to do something more of the kind lest wo become, as the Irish novelist said, "tho . . . relic of a nine days’ wonder!’’ No such fate can overtake tho maker of “The Scarlet Pimpernel.” The great director-producer who two years ago set tho world agog for historical pictures has followed up his playfully and pictorialiy splendid “Private Life of Henry VIII” with a period drama which must rival the world-famed comedy both in' popularity and artistic finish. Very few stories have had a wider public than "The Scarlet Pimpernel.” The book has been translated into most European languages, and some Asian, including Tamil and Chinese. The fact suggests—and I say this with apologies to Kipling—that in matters of vital human concern, there is neither East nor West. Yellow men and brown men can appreciate a story of the rescue of fellow mortals from the fury of the mob, even as we can at times appreciate Eastern philosophies. It would be very interesting to know how these Eastern enthusiasts have visualised the fashionable Sir Percy Blakeney with his foppish, lazy, meandering outward life, and his inward daring spirit, and how they would reckon tip his secret hand of gallants in every kind of disguise, helping their leader to snatch the doomed nobles of old Franco from the guillotine. Would they regard him, or do any of us regard him as merely fiction? Tho Baroness Orczy lias made him so believable, and lias so filled his story with the spirit of high adventure, that we can never quite feel he is a character of fiction. We feel he must indeed havo plied lii.s strange craft between Boulogne and Dover, have changed from one or other of his numerous disguises, and reappeared to drawl his_ faint witticisms among the admiring ladies oi the court and the infuriated gentlemen of the clubs. Wc cannot believe that the Prince of Wales ol' "Tho Regency” had no such adviser on iho cut of his collar and the length of his sleeve ruffles. ( The impression of reality is immeasurably deepened by the presentation in flic screen version of this famous character of fiction. My enthusiasm for the performance runs so high that I have visions of our handing down pictures of “Leslie Howard as tho Scarlet Pimpernel” even as an earlier generation handed down to us recollections of Sir Henry Irving as Hamlet. Leslie Howard is already a. notable figure of the London stage and in any screen play in which he chooses to accept a part, but his presentation of Sir Percy Blakeney must surely top the best ot his stage performances even as it outruns his uncannily brilliant interpretation in his picturo “Berkeley Square.” In "The Scarlet Pimpernel” wo cannot analyse his play—we can just admire it. He glides from the engagingly fatuous to the quietly dramatic and the finely subtle, so that the character of the Pimpernel, with ail its facets invisibly welded, stands before us. Opposed to him in all tho sinister grimness of the part ; s Chauvelin “tho Butcher” of the Revolution. Massey Raymond Massey is just the perfect villain. His face is his fortune! Dark distinguished and intensely mobile as to features he makes it grimlj menacing at will. In the duel of wits severally between the Pimpernel and himself and the resourceful Lady Blakeney, the sinister presence sends shivers down the spine. These men are actors! Of the rest of the long and finely chosen cast Nigel Bruce as the Prince of Wales and Anthony Bushel as the Pimpernel’s lieutenant both excel themselves. Then lastmentioned but srst among them all is Merle Oberon as Lady Blakeney! Reigning queen of London society, and wife of the Prince’s favourite, the lovely Merle does a wonderful piece of acting and seems fairly to stand shoulder to shoulder with Leslio Howard. The lovely, young wife, under a cloud of suspicion, she lias or immediate sy-mpathy and holds our intense interest, not alone with her unusual grace and beauty and her perfect diction, but witli her real dramatic power. And when tiro mystery is ail cleared up she makes a wholly satisfying affair of the happy ending. Exquisite outdoor scenes characterise the picturo and Vincent Korda “lets himself go” on the settings for the brilliant interiors at the court of the Regency in London. With all these elements mingled Alexander Korda has made one of tho great pictures of tho year. No one chooses his network of incident more delicately and deliberately than he. It is this gift of discrimination that lias made half his fame but there are other things besides his discerning choice of incidents and players. Look deeply into every one of his pictures, satire, drama or comedy. Thero is always something to think about. It is this faculty of screening thought that gives him the reputation of “gathering in both tho highbrows and the lowbrows.”

The screen version is now showing at tho Regent.

STATE THEATRE "FIGHTING STOCK” Tom Walls, Ralph Lynn and Robertson Hare score their greatest triumph in “Fighting Stock.” This rollicking comedy farce, which again drew huge crowds last night, will ho finally screened at the Stato Theatre to-day. To-morrow —Excellent Double-Feature Bill "The Cowboy Millionaire.” What is tho rival of a first-rate Western picture? This question pops up as a result of tho grand entertainment given by “Tho Cowboy Millionaire,” starring George O'Brien, which opens to-morrow at tlie Stato Theatre, and ranks as lire finest Westei-n that ever graced town. All tho characters are red-blooded anil the scenes have breath-taking beauty. Action is plausible and makes 'one want to climb into a saddle and head for tho land of adventure and unexpected romance. George Obrien, one of tho best loved of tho Western film stars, gives a splendid portrayal of the cowboy guide, rough-mannered but with a fino character, who falls in rove with an English heiress, at a swanky dude ranch in Arizona. He and his pal jointly own a mining claim, and while George O’Brien is called to the mino hurriedly, the girl returns to England. Ho returns excitedly with tho great news that the mine has clicked and is worth a fortune, to find not only that the girl has left for England, but also that his pal and partner has gone too, having had an offer to sell the claim for 25,000 dollars. Thereupon starts the quest for the partner, to prevent him from soiling the mine, and lor the girl lie loves. From the sandswept desert of Arizona, across the United States to England goes the hero, surmounting many obst.)cle.s. How he achieves nis goal is told, under the expert direction or Director Edward F. Cline, in this swiftly moving beautifully mounted film.

“The Daring Young Man.” Jimmy Dunn’s portrayal of tho newspaper reporter who leaves Jiis bride-to-ho waiting at the church, while lie dashes oft on a secret assignment in “Tlie Dar"io“ns Man,"’ which comes to the blaio Theatre to-morrow, is “the top" in madcap comedy. AVrittcn by Claude Bmyon and Sidney SkoisUy, of newspaper lame, The Daring Young Man” should not be missed. It is the hilarious story ot a New York newspaperman (James Dunn) who never tires of expressing his sarcastic views of marriage until no meets Mao Clarke, a reporter.on a rival paper. A rapid-fire courtship is followed oy plans for a quick marriage. On his wedding day, Jimmy Dunn is forced (o cover an assignment in a gaol .without telling’ his betrothed of the circumstances, bhe gets worried and has an appeal broadcast for him. Dunn hears it in a madcap gaol where favoured prisoners are allowed telephones, radios, cafo meals and occasional leaves. Tho reporter manages to buy a “temporary parole” but is quickly brought back ijy (wo kidnappers, when tho warden learns his true identity, -vine Clarke, about to marry another man discovers her fiance’s predicament and goes to the gaol to see him. While there she is locked in, through Dunn’s connivance. A reform committee arrives and a rib-rocking sequence winds up the film, which was directed by AViiiiam A. Seiler and produced by Robert T. Kane for Fox

KOSY THEATRE TO ."£J, GHT —" PINAIj SCREENING OF GIRL OF THE LIMBERLOST"

Concluding . its season . to-day, “A Girl of tho Limberlost” has Louiso Dresser, Marian Marsh ■ and Ralph Morgan featured. The grim determination of youth in its efforts to gain an education against almost Insurmountable , odds, forms tho stirring theme of tho Monograin photoplay. Laid against a background of the Indiana swamplands as depicted in tho famous novel by Gene btratton-Porter, tho story loses none of Its flavour when presented on the screen. The story deals with the struggles of Elnora Comstock to gain an education. Her strongest obstaqlo is- the hatred of her mother who blames her for the death of her husband in the swamp adjoining their home. Growing up in an atmosphere of hatred, the love of “Uncle” Wesley and “Aunt” Margaret Sinton, their neighbours, aids her in her efforts to gain an. education by helping her with her moth collection which sho sells for clothes and the money for tuition. Miss Marsh ms.de her debut on the screen about tiireo years ago when she portrayed Trilby opposite John Barrymore in “Svengali,” and recently returned from England where she was starred In pictures by the British International Company. Louise Dresser as Mrs. Comstock, her mother, gives one of the most stirring characterisations of her brilliant career on the stage and screen, while Ralph Morgan as “Uncle” Sinton, is splendid in his sympathetic role. Helen Jerome Eddy, Henry B. Walthall, Ed. Nugent, Robert Ellis, Barbara Bedford,

Betty Blythe- Gigi Parrish and Tommy Bupp complete the excellent supporting cast. To-morrow —Van Dine’s Latest Mystery

Thriller Baffling, Exciting. Tho strangest and most fantastic, yet the most exciting and baffling of all of S. K Van Dine’s murder mystery dramas, "The Dragon Murder Case,” comes to the Kosy Theatre to-morrow under First National's banner. Tho first murder of the series takes place at the Dragon Pool on tho vast estate of a multimillionaire scientist where guests have gathered for a week-end party. At an evening bathing party one of tho guests _ and the fiance of the sister of the scientist, a part played by George Meeker, dives into tlie natural pool of water and fails to come up. Police are secretly notified, which brings to tlie scene Sergeant Heath, District Attorney Markham and Philo Vance. Tlie pool is drained but there is no trace of the missing man, although there is seemingly no way the body could havo been washed out. On the bottom of the pool are great tracks as though made by the talons of a prehistoric monster. To add to the eerie situation, tlie half demented mother of tlie scientist tells of a tradition of a dragon occupying the pool, sucking down its victims and then flying off to some secret lair with the body. A new Philo A'ance comes to the screen in the person of AVarren William and he carries out the part of the polished and somewhat supercilious detective with an easy fortitude. Sergeant Heath is again Eugene Pallette and Robert McAA'ade lias his old role of District Attorney Markham. Eight suspects are involved in the crime including Robert Barrat, the scientist, Margaret Lindsay, his sister, Helen Lowell, his mother, and four of the guests, Lyle Talbot, Dorothy Tree, George E. Stone and William Davidson, as well as the butler, Arthur Aylesworth, although Davidson is finally eliminated by his own murder and Aylesworth when he is knocked unconscious and left for dead.