Palmerston Picture Programmes

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 289, 7 December 1936, Page 12

Palmerston Picture Programmes

THE REGENT TO-DAY. ■ Jean I-larlow, at one time in her career, expressed the fear that she had been typed. She was the “platinum blonde” and it was her conviction that when her hair was snow white with the years she would still be remembered as the platinum blonde. Miss Harlow appears now in “Suzy,” which opens at the Regent Theatre to-morrow and her fears are dispelled. Her hair is the spun-honey tone chat is her own and the role she plays is nothing like any that has gone before. With Francliot Tone and Cary Grant as war time aviators, both of whom, incidently, she marries, Miss Harlow plays the part of an American chorus girl who; is stranded in London just before the war! breaks out. The two marriages present: a problem which frequently affords con- j jecture among women. The girl marries the first man and in the intrigue of prewar days lie is mysteriously shot under circumstances which indicate her guilt. Relieving him to be dead, the terrified girl runs away to Laris, and there, after a respectable lapse of time, remarries. Her second husoand. also a combat pilot, is unfaithful and she is correspondingly unhappy. Then the first man reappears. The girl learns from him that spies shot him and that her -present husband is involved with them. Together, the pair go to warn him, but they are too late. The spies already have killed him, fearing that he will tell what he knows. The matter is adjusted eventually, in a feat of spectacular heroism that not only buries the unfaithful husband with honours, but brings the original lovers together in lasting peace. Miss Harlow is superb and the supporting players are highly satisfactory. The picture has been cleverly directed by George Fitzmaurice. There is an excellent supporting programme which comprises a cartoon, news and a Pete Smith novelty entitled “Dare Deviltry.” Box plans are now open at Collinson and Cunninghame’s. KOSY THEATRE TO-DAY. “BOULDER DAM” “Boulder Dam,” a Warner Bros, production heralded as a drama of thrilling action, heroic deeds and glamorous romance, is scheduled as the feature attraction at the Rosy Theatre to-day. The picture is based on Don. M. Templin’s story of the building of this mighty project, and the lives of the daredevil workmen who blasted their way through solid rock and scaled the walls hundteds of feet amove the river is painted in the picture in colourful detail. Death faced these dynamic workers at every turn, and many of their deeds of heroism, depicted in this film will go down in the history of this great undertaking. The picture is enlivened by song numbers written by the famous team of Mort Dixon and Allie Wrubel and sung by Patricia Ellis. Ross Alexander portrays a shirking, disgruntled mechanic in a mid-West garage, in a fist fight with his boss, the latter is killed by a fall, and the mechanic flees. He lands at Las Vegas, where the dam was being built. In a dance hall and cafe he is about to be ejected as a tramp when Patricia Ellis, in the role of a singer at the club, intervenes, buys him food and takes him to her home where he is welcomed by her kindly father. The mechanic goes to work and saves the lives of many of his fellows at the risk of his own. Lyle Talbot, in the “heavy” role, is in love with the girl and also knows of his successful rival's past. He gives Ross 24 hours to quit the town, but on that last day an incident-occurs which changes the whole aspect of the situation and brings the picture to a close in a smashing climax. There is a strong supporting cast which includes Eddie Acuff, Henry O’Neill, Egon Brecher, Eleanor Wesselhoeft, Joseph Crehan, Olin Howland, William Pawley, Ronnie Corby and George Breakston.

“Fighting Shadows.” - In New York he played in many a drawing room drama on the stage appearing opposite Broadway stars; now he is in Hollywood transformed into a hardriding, Western cowboy. That is the story of Robert Allen, Dartmouth College man, who went to Hollywood via the New York stage. A casting director, William Perlberg, saw in Allen the making of a Western hero, because he could ride, shoot, and use his fists to good advantage, having been a boxer in college. Handsome, having been chosen by many artists, Allen has a frank manner and versality which may mean he will be Hollywood’s newest .Western hero, He is

to be seen with Tim McCoy in “Fighting Shadows,” which comes to the Kosy Theatre to-morrow.

STATE THEATRE TO-DAY. “SWING TIME,” NEW ASTAIREROGERS MUSICAL. With New York as its principal setting and a distinctive double-triangle type oi theme, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers introduce a wealth of novelty In tneir newest KKU Radio venicie, “Swing Time, which opened to record crowds at the State Theatre on Saturday. Unlike their former ortenngs, the new picture has au intricately romantic story, witn both stars pursuing Uie course of true love through the ■ obstacles offered by a ■ pair of rivais. Astaire is a cheerful ' gambler, seeking his fortune in Man- • hattan so he can go back to his home i town and marry his childhood sweetheart. 1 Miss Rogers is a dancing ■ academy instructress who takes Astaire as a pupil, despite the glowering of an orchestra leader who intends to marry the luscious lady. Complications come thick and last, especially when Astaire's lianceo shows up to, find out what lie’s doing, and the band leaner makes irantic efforts to break up the growing romance between Astaire and Miss Rogers. All this is interwoven , with some of the catchiest song numbers 'and dances the famous pair have yet pre--1 seated, and the hilarious counterplay of a ; new screen comedy team in the persons of Victor Moore and Helen Broderick, a (combination that gives “Swing Time” top 'honours in originality and entertainment value. Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields , wrote the music and lyrics of the "Swing Time” numbers, respectively. Six songs, ! “The Way Vou Look To-night," “A Fine Romance, ’ “Pick Yourself Up,” the elecI trifying “hot” "Bojangles of Harlem,” I “Never Gonna Dance,” and a unique dance tune, ‘The Waltz in Swing Time,” ar3 included in what is easily the greatest of the Astuire-Rogers pictures. As record bookings have been pouring in to jthe State Theatre since the first announcement of tho opening of the plans, patrons who have not yet reserved are advised to do so without delay. MAYFAIR THEATRE TO-DAY. “ACCUSED” IS MYSTERY WITH PARISIAN BACKGROUND

“Accused” is the second picture to be produced by the new Criterion Company following their successful film, “The Amateur Gentleman.” The stars are Dolores Dei Ri'o and Douglas Fairbanks, junr., who have the support of Florence Desmond and Basil Sydney. "Accused” is a murder mystery drama set in scintillating Parisian atmosphere. This screen play is strengthened with versatile byplay and a tender marital sentiment that keep the entertainment very much alive until the stage is set for a most impressive culminating court scene in which the accused is being tried for murder. Drama, stark and powerful, rides to terrific heights in this climax in which it is impossible not to be thrilled or to stem the tide of emotion the scene produces. Gaby, played by Dolores Del Rio, and Tony, played by Douglas Fairbanks, junr., husband and wife in a dance set, are booked to appear in a revue at the Alhambra Theatre, Paris, by Morel, a famous impresario. Yvette Delange, the leading lady, Morel’s mistress, falls for Tony, but when he rejects her advances she deliberately ruins their act during rehearsals. Morel implores Tony to play up to Yvette for the sake of the good will of the cmpany as a whle, and he reluctantly agrees to visit her fiat. His decision provokes the jealousy of Gaby, and she threatens to kill Yvette. On leaving the theatre Tony directs a shabbily-dressed man to Yvette’s dressing room and then makes for her apartment. She does not turn up, however, and later it is announced that she has been murdered. Gaby is arrested, and Tony hunts feverishly for the shabby man, the only person whose testimony is likely to save her. Just as Gaby’s trial is about to draw to a. painful conclusion he is found, and his evidence enables Goby’s counsel to reconstruct the crime swiftly and denounce the real murderer. Gaby is released and all ends well. The preliminaries in the film are devoted to musical spectacle. The. actual crime is perpetrated in circumstance's that keep one guessing, and the mystery is carefully preserved in an atmosphere of tense suspense until the conclusion of the spectacular court sesuence.