Palmerston Picture Programmes

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 9, 11 January 1936, Page 12

Palmerston Picture Programmes

BROADWAY MELODY OF 1936. THE REGENT TO-DAY. Enchanting music, spectacular dance routines set in backgrounds of unprecedented splendour, a pageant of the world’s greatest entertainers headed by jack Bonny, and an intriguing story all combine to make "Broadway Melody of 1936,’’ Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s most ambitious musical extravaganza, the screen's outstanding eye and ear entertainment of the year. The Regent take pleasure in presenting this attraction to the public of Palmerston North this afternoon. So packed with entertainment is it that it at once registers its right 1o acclaim as the greatest extravaganza yet to be made by Hollywood. Stars, story, music, dancing, all are present in satisfying and often thrilling form, so splendidly elaborate is the picture and so skilfully is it fashioned. There is glorious comedy, and the story takes dramatic turns which set it above the usual vehicle of its type.* The plot is superbly woven amid the gorgeously spectacular specialties, and the many song hits fall naturally out of the steaming action of the production. The five song' hits by Nacio Herb. Brown and Arthur Freed, "Broadway Rhythm,” "I’ve got a Feelin’ You’re Foolin’,” "On a Sunday Afternoon,” "Sing Before Breakfast”, and "You Are My Lucky Star,” all were well received and seem destined to bo hits without exception. Jack Benny, recently declared the most popular of all radio stars, repeats his success on the screen as the .smart Broadway columnist. Sid Silvers, “king of the stooges.” gets many a laugh with his droll humour. Other new screen personalities ' who definitely score in this elaborate musical are Eleanor Powell, for the past five years acclaimed as “the world’s greatest tap dancer,” who plays the lead opposite Robert Taylor. The latter does his best screen work to date. Una Merkel, as a wise-cracking secretary; June Knight, as a spoiled darling of New York society, Vilma and Buddy Ebsen, famous comedians and dancers; Nick Long junr.,-noted acrobatic dancer; Frances Langford, radio's song bird, and Harry Stockwell, concert baritone, all deserve the highest praise for their amusing entertainment talent.

KOSY THEATRE. "HOP-ALONG CASSIDY.” Western stories are always so popular with a large section of the public that it is rather a matter for wonder that, up till now, no producer had thought of making talkies based on Clarence E. Mulford's celebrated character of “HopAlong Cassidy.” It has remained for Paramount to do so. Well above the averago film of its type in plot, photography and acting, “Hop-Along Cassidy,” which will start to-day at the Kosy theatre, initiates a sequence of Clarence Mulford films that should prove highly' acceptable to nearly every class of picturegoer. For the name part. Paramount have brought back to the screen Bill Boyd, who acts with a breezy bravado as the hard-riding, hard-fighting cowboy hero. The story is all about the enmity between two ranches that is deliberately fomented by a gang of rustlers, of which the chief is foreman of one of the ranches. With the aid of Johnny Nelson, a young hot-head who is more or less in love with a girl on the "enemy” ranch,

Cassidy gets to work and eventually discovers what is causing all the trouble between the ranches. Then they join forces, and in a hard-fighting climax among the rocks, they storm the rustlers' stronghold and settle accounts. The sentimental situations, comedy ones, and even the exciting exhibitions of gun-play are all played against natural backgrounds of exceptional charm. In fact, the pictorial beauty of the film is one of its most appealing features. The young actor, Jimmy Ellison, is convincing as the hotheaded Johnny, Paula Stone is intelligent as the heroine, and she quietly sustains the love interest of the story. Very good supporting character cameos come from George Hayes, Robert Warwick and Kenneth Thomson,