Palmerston Picture Programmes

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 212, 8 September 1936, Page 12

Palmerston Picture Programmes

REGENT THEATRE. , “DESIRE.” ' A brisk pace, breezy dialogue, inspired situations, llawless acting and lavish production combine to lilt tho Paramount him "Desire'' xar above the ordinary run of romantic comedies. It will show, to-day at the Regent Theatre. Exhil-, arming is tile ono »u.u in at propeny u„- I scribes the story, the acting or niariene. Dietrich and Gary Qooper, and the wort of Ernst DuDitsch, who personally super • vised the production. Once again the impish Lubitseh turns what might easily have been eensorable situations into subtly sophisticated entertainment. Call it charm, good taste, intelligence, or a blend of ail three, the famous ••Lubltsch touch” continues to be an intangible quality as difficult to describe as a shrug ot tho shoulder or a lift of the eyebrow. And so it is that “Desrire’’ stands at Miss Dietrich’s best Hollywood Mini to date. While retaining all her pristine glamour, she reveals a hitherto unsuspected sense of humour. And “Desire” also shows Gary Cooper to be an actor with as great a flair for light comedy a: he has for drama—a subtle and sure player who knows the valuo of restraint and i when to employ it “Wo have seldom. seen better acting,” comments the, British "Film Weekly.” "Technically it is flawless, Yet, like all x-eally goou acting, it is so good that it does not for t moment remind you of acting. Frankly, we would not have believed that uary Cooper had it in him.” Tho lovely Mis: Dietrich costumed in a series ot wonderful gowns, plays an adventuress who steals a pearl necklace in Paris and races oft with it to her accomplice, „omi namday, across tho border. Driving the same way, holiday bent, is Gary Cooper, as an engineer from Detroit. To escape detection from customs officials at the border, tho beautiful bandit slips the necklace into tho young man’s pocket, with the intention of getting it back later. Tho way she gets it back, the daring romance which follows between the two, and the manner ir. which tho heroine finally decides that life m Detroit is preferable to crime on tho Continent, go to make up one of tho most exhilarating stories of • this or any other season. But no detailed synopsis can convey adequately the piquant,humour and smooth polish of a film whoso director proceeded on the theory that his audience has somo imagination too. KOSY THEATRE “IN SPITE OF DANGER” . Speed! One word dominates “In Spite of Danger,” tho Columbia film that opens to-morrow at the Kosy Theatre. Speed, in ait its breath-uudng, whippet-iike form, and “In Spite of Danger” emerges as sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat entertainment of excellent rating. With a cast headed by Wallace cord and Marian Marsh, tho story unfolds tho adventures of an ex-race track driver, who goes into business as a trucking agent. Joining forces with Charley Grapewin, the father of the girl he loves, Ford competes for trade with Arthur Kohl, excellent business man wiio also loves the girl. The picture has ono of tho most amazingly thrilling shots ever shown on the screen. | The scene showing two live-ton trucks careering down a treacherous mountain, | racing to almost sure death, is as gripping as the mountains against which it is filmed are beautiful. Ford and Hohi are the drivers of the competing trucks. Through one of Kohl’s numerous tricks, Ford loses the raco and an important contract. Later, Ford is driving a monster truck loaded with dynamite to a construction camp on tho mountains. Kohl’s treachery is again apparent in the greased brakes. With the truck roaring at a breakneck speed down the dangerous road, Ford is unable to control the car, which is headed straight for the camp, threatening death to the girl he loves. Sports Celebrities in "Jealousy.” An unusual cast of screen luminaries, stage favourites and boxing champions ! will bo seen in “Jealousy,” a thrilling roj mantie drama showing to-morrow at the Kosy Theatre. Headed by red-headed Nancy Carroll, Die imposing cast includes | George Murphy and Lee Kamage, heavyweight champion and contender for the world title. The film revolves about tho

dramatic experiences of George Murphy as a boxing champion contender who enters tho ring for his most important battle distracted by an argument with his fiancee a few moments before. As he turns to look for the girl at the ringside, a well-placed hook floors him for the count. He revives in his dressing room to find himself a defeated man. He becomes reconciled with his sweetheart, marries her, and again quarrels when he thinks she is untrue to him. In a jealous rage he kills tho suspected man. His wife takes the blame, Is placed on trial for her life, and is about to be convicted when the conscious-smitten fighter confesses. But see the climax.