Palmerston Picture Programmes

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 65, 18 March 1936, Page 6

Palmerston Picture Programmes

REGENT THEATRE TO-DAY “MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION” “All my life I shall loathe Bobby Merrick,” says Helen Hudson (Irene Dunne) in “Magnificent Obsession,” an outstanding ■ picture now showing in Palmerston North at the Regent Theatre. But little does Helen know that what was formerly an unreasoning hate is later to blossom into love. The story of "Magnificent Obsession” is one of the strangest romances ever written; yet it is a lifelike, poignantly human story, the philosophic note of which is unselfishness. Apart from the serious theme, however, there is comic relief supplied by the inimitable Charles Butterworth. For instance, imagine Butterworth, newly married, coming out of his apartment in a Paris hotel in his nigntsliirt to put out the shoes for the boot-boy; along comes Robert Taylor and places his hat on Butterworth’s head. Taylor goes away and the door slams, so that Butterwortn is locked out, dressed in a nightshirt and a top-hut. He has to call his wife to let him in. Words can’t describe the comedy of this scene. It sounds ordinary on paper, but it creates more laughter than any other scene in the film. Also imagine Butterworth, after a rather convivial evening with Robert Taylor, stepping by accident from Jiis car into an excavation made in the road. Taylor advises him to wait and keep on whistling until he gets help. Taking occasional sips from a tlasK of Scotch, Butterworth trills away, but is forgotten. Ho is awakened in the morning by a roadman, and then immediately recommences his trilling. Arthur Treacher, the English comedian, contributes a small amount of comedy, but of a different nature. In this film he is a valet. Ralph Morgan is one of tho notable men playing a supporting role, as Randolph, the sculptor, wno explains the secret of true giving to Robert Taylor, and provides him with the first inkling of philosophy. “The secret of life is not to build your own personality out of other personalities, but into other personalities. From this you are able to make contact with the Supreme Personality, the source of infinite power," liow many of us think that we are not fulfilling our true destiny and are struggling along life’s road in an aimless lashion? This is a story which should appeal to all of us on these grounds; for it shows how a man who was utterly useless came to fulfil a great destiny. That Is the powerful message which "Magnificent Obsession” holds in store for each and every human being. “IF YOU COULD ONLY COOK.” REGENT FRIDAY. “If You Could Only Cook,” Columbia’s new romantic comeay, wmen is schedule i to open on Friday at tho Regent Theatre, brings to the screen a new love team, Herbert Marshall and Jean Arthur. And it also marks Miss Arthur’s initial appearance as a fuil-iledged star. Her name joins Marshall’s above the title. This is Marshall's lirst picture since “Hark Angel," in which lie gave a performance that was wiaeiy hailed. Miss Aruiur has been rewarded witn stardom by her home studio lor the line work she did in “Passport To Fame," with Edward G. Robinson, in “Public Hero No. 1,” and in “Diamond Jim.” In “If You Could Only Cook, ’ Marshall is seen as a disgusted millionaire. Not disgusted because he does not know what to do with his money, but because he is about to marry a girl he does not love and who does not love him. And further, because his board of directors has been annoying him. Instead of getting drunk, he goes and sits in the park. Here he meets Miss Arthur, who j is scanning the want ads. for a job. She mistakes him for another unemploy- i ed member of society and invites him to ! go with her to answer an ad. for a mar- | lied couple, a butler and a maid. Marshall, on the spur of the moment, accepts, and off go the millionaire and the young lady and get the job. They find themselves working for a notorious racketeer; Leo Carrillo plays this role. When both Marshall and Carrillo fall in love with Marshall’s ‘wife,’ things happen. Especially when Marshall has a previous commitment to marry a society girl on a fast-approaching date. From this point on, the tale is filled with complications that promise much in the way of merriment. William A. Seiter, a master at directing light comedy, guides “If You Could Only Cook” to a conclusion that proves satisfactory to all concerned, ’in the supporting cast are Lionel Standt-r, brassy-voiced poet of “The Scoundrel,” Alan. Edwards, Frieda Inescour.t, Gene Morgan, Rail' Harolde, Matt McHugh and ■Richard Bnwult

THE STATE. “WHISPERING SMITH SPEAKS” Instead of riding a loping horse over the plains, George O’Brien is riding the iron horse over the singing raiis in his new adventuro picture for Fox, “Whispering Smith Speaks,” which opens nt the State Theatre to-day. , Swiftpaced and filled witli the zest for adventure that has made O’Brien a film favourite, “Whispering Smith Speaks” pictures the adventures of a rail-road magnate’s son when he undertakes to become a rail man himself. In the course of his adventurous wandering O’Brien chances across a dilapidated old railroad which has a beautiful girl for a general manager. Fascinated by this unusual situation, O’Brien decides to stay, although he is only a lowly track-walker, in time, however, O’Brien gets his chance to ou*smart his father, Frank Sheridan. The old rail mogul is negotiating secretly to obtain control of the old road on which O’Brien works, because he knows that Miss Ware’s farm contains valuable deposits of minerals. Through the plot and counterplot, O'Brien cleverly weaves his way, until he finally races his opponents to Detroit in a wildly careering- engine. In a showdown, lie forces his father to admit that his son is a capable railroading man after all, and wins the hand of Miss Ware. Kenneth Thomson is prominently featured as O’Brien’s rival, and .Spencer Charters and Vic Potel are amusing- as his two railroading companions. Directed by David Howard, Hie picture was adapted from the novel by Frank H. Spearman. “Navy Wife.” A dramatic story, rich in romance, studded with bright comedy and revealing for the first time life in the medical and nursing corps of the United States Navy, “Navy Wife” is the second attraction now showing at the State Theatre. Claire Trevor heads the film cast. Ralph Bellamy, one of the screen’s most popular young actors, has the romantic lead opposite Alisa Trevor. Others prominently cast are Warren Hymer, Ben Lyon, Jane Danvell, George Irving and Kathleen Burke. “Navy Wife” is the screen version of Kathleen Norris’ popular novel, “Beauty’s Daughter,” and was directed by Allan Dwan under the supervision of Sol M. Wurtzel. Miss Trevor enacts the role of a young nurse who, against her better judgment, falls in love with Ralph Bellamy, a physician in the naval hospital. She accepts his proposal of marriage knowing that lie is still in love with the memory of his dead wife. She believes that love will come to him after marriage. Miss Trevor soon learns that tho memory of a dead wife is almost too much to overcome. Then, when she returns from a trip with the daughter, she discovers that another woman, Kathleen Burke, has come into his life. Blit a surprise-filled climax serves to bring understanding, real love and happiness to the young couple. Hymer is cast in the comedy role of a “tough” sailor with a romantic attachment for .Miss Trevor. KOSY THEATRE “THREE KIDS AND A QUEEN” The luxurious New York home of the richest woman in the world is the scene of part of the action of “Three Kids and a Queen,” Universal’s lively comedydrama which comes to the Kosy theatre to-day with May Robson in the starring role. But the greater part of the story takes place in a simply furnished basement in the East Side tenement district, with an Italian barber shop in the front room and a motley assortment of youngsters in the rear. It is here that Miss Robson, the wealthy, crabbed old maid of the story, is taken when she is injuied in a runaway, and it is here that she determines to stay in spite of the fact that the temperamental barber prefers her room to her company. The police are making a frenzied search for tho irascible old woman, and Barber Henry Armetta has no ambition to be arrested as a kidnapper, in spite of the fact that lie is as innocent as a new-born babe, so to speak. Finally the wealthy woman actually is kidnapped, and the scene is transferred to the country hideout of the gangsters who have perpetrated the crime. Exciting events in this picturesque location lead up to tho old woman’s eventual return to her Fifth Avenue mansion—but even this does not last. The scene changes again, and the erratic Mary Jane Baxter travels down The Avenue with her entourage, bent on life’s greatest adventure. In addition to Armetta, Miss Robson’s supporting cast in “Three Kids and a Queen” includes Frankie Darro, Charlotte Henry, William Benedict, Billy Burrud, John Miljan, Laurence Grant, Hedda Hooper, Herman Bing, Henry Kolker and many others, and the picture was produced under the direction of Edward Ludwig.