Palmerston Picture Programmes

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 290, 8 December 1936, Page 12

Palmerston Picture Programmes

THE REGENT TO-DAY. Jean ITarlow, at ono 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 he remembered as tho platinum. blonde. iUiss Harlow appears now in "Susy,” which opens at the Regent Theatre to-morrow and her fears are dispelled. Her hair is the spun-honey tone that is her own and the role she plays is nothing like any that has gone before. With ii'ranchot 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 warbreaks out. The two marriages present a problem which frequently affords conjecture among women. The girl marries the first man and in the intrigue of pre- j war days he is mysteriously snot under circumstances which indicate her guilt. Believing him to be dead, the teriihed. girl runs away to i’aris, and there, at ter j a respectable lapse of time, remarries. ; Her second husband, also a combat phot, is unfaithful anti sho 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, ine spies already have killed him, fearing that he will tell what he knows. The matter is adjusted eventually, in a lent of spectacular heroism that not only buries the unfaithful husband with honours, but brings the original lovers. together in lasting peace. Miss Hallow fs superb and the supporting piay-eL-ss are highly satisfactory. The picture has been cleverly directed by George Fitzmaunce. There is an excellent supporting, piogramme which comprises a cartoon news and a Pete Smith novelty entitled Dare Deviltry.” Box plans are now open at Collinson and Cunninghams s. KOSY THEATRE—TO-MORROW •‘BORDER. FLIGHT” The staccato rattle of machine-gun lire, the roar and whine of speeding Planes "dog-fighting high abo\e the lacitic, and thrilling hand-to-hand battling ot guardsmen and smugglers run through Paramount’s “Border Flight,” which opens to-morrow at the Rosy Theatre. The film tells a dramatic talc ot high ad venture 'and dangerous missions of the United States Coast Guard air corps. Officers -of the air corps aided in the hlmirif. The crack-up of two planes and the pancake landing of a third which has lost its landing gear add to the thrills of the storv. Two members of the corps, John Pfoward and Grant Withers, become rivals for the attentions of the same girl, Frances Farmer. In the course of -he story ono is discharged from tho service and joins a band of fur smugglers with which it has been fighting. The dramatic finish comes in a pitched battle of the forces of the coast guard and the smugglers closing in to hand-to-hand fight. Last’ breath-taking shot is of a power dive of a plane directly on to the smugglers’ ship, bringing the wreckage of both in an explosion. “Border Fight” sustains its pace as a top bight thriller and gives an insight into a little-known branch of Government service as well. “Palm Springs.” Frances Langford portrays a pretty heiress whoso heart is won by Smith Fallow, a guitar-plucking, torch-singing cowboy, in Walter Wanger’s ‘‘Palm Springs,” produced for Paramount and opening tomorrow at tho Kosy Theatre. in the comedy Frances discovers that her once wealthy father is penniless and she is forced to give up the man she loves to marry another wealthy enough to provide both "for her and her parent. In the process of fortune hunting, she pretends to be an English noblew.oman and almost succeeds in marrying a wealthy playboy when her devoted father discovers she is sacrificing herself to save him from poverty. He denounces her as an ifn-, poster, and frustrates the marriage, leaving Frances high and dry and husbandless. . Frances Langford and Smith Baliew sing five songs written for the picture by Ralph Rainger and Leo Robin, and Mack Gordon and Harry Revel. “Palm Springs” was directed by Aubrey Scotto.

STATE THEATRE TO-DAY. “SWING TIME,” NEW ASTAIREEOUERS MUSICAL. With New York as its principal setting and a distinctive aouDic-uiangio typo ol illume, i'rea Astaire and Ginger -uugers introduce a weuicu of novelty in men newest iuvG Kauio vemcie, "swing Time, wnicn opened to record crowds at the State Tneatro on Saturday. . unlike their lormer oner mgs, uie new picture nas au intricately romantic story, wun ooih stars pursuing me course of true love mrougn mo obsiacics offered by a pair of rivals. Asuuro is a cneerfui gambler, seeking ms fortune in Mannaltan so he call go back lo his home town anu marry ms chnunood sweetheart. auss Rogers is a dancing academy instructress who takes Asutire as a pupil, uespuo Uie giowenng 01 an orchestra leaner vvno intends to marry the luscious lauy. Gompncations come tnick and last, especially wnen Astaire s lianceo shows up to lind out wnat ne’s doing, and me band leader makes irantic eitoris to break up the growing romance between Astaire and miss Rogers. All this is interwoven with some ot tne catchiest song numbers anu dances me famous pair have yet presented, and tne hilarious counterpiay of a new screen comedy team in the persons of Victor Moore and Helen Broderick, a combination that gives "iSlving 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, "Tne Way You Look To-night,” "A Fine Romance,” “Pick Y'ourself Up,” the electrifying "hot” "Bojangies of Harlem,” "Never Gonna Dance," and a unique dance tune, ‘The Waltz in Swing Time,” are included in what is easily the greatest of the Astaire-Rogers pictures. As record bookings have been pouring in to tlie Slate Theatre since tho first announcement ot the opening of the plans, patrons who have not yet reserved are advised to do so without delay. MAYFAIR TO-MORROW. “TO-DAY WE LIVE” ONE OF YEAR'S NOTABLE FILMS. The firs; joint appearance in a talking film of Joan Crawford and Gary Cooper in "To-day We Live” is a happy event for movie-goers. For here is a picture which combines romance of a stirring order with a clean-cut, forceful story of the war, with the emphasis' laid on' the part played by the commanders of the dangerous Britisli two-man torpedo boats, known as the "skeeter fleet.” M'iss Crawford, who seems to grow more exciting m appearance with each succeeeding vehicle, has a striking role as the aristocratic English girl who cannot stand remaining at home whilst her brother and the two men who love her are at the front. Franchot Tone, the brother, and Robert Young, the childhood sweetheart, are members of the torpedo squad, while Gary Cooper, who is closest to her heart, enrols in the flying forces, la order to be near these three, Miss Crawford becomes a member of a British ambulance unit. Cooper Is reported killed, and his unexpected return precipitates a stirring dramatic v climax. The picture is brought to a smashing close when two men give up their lives in the sinking of a ship in order to save Cooper for the girl whom they all love. In “Today Wo Live,” Miss Crawford offers what is probably the finest work of her entire career, and she is ably seconded by Cooper, the scenes between these two rising to a new high level in the way of fervid romance. Robert Young as the lover who loses out offers a distinctive and sympathetic portrayal, and Franchot Tone as tho brother proves to be a new talkie “find.” Excellent performances are contributed by Roscoe Karns, the inimitable Louise Glosser Hale, Rollo Lloyd and Hilda Vaughn. This is the first story to come to the screen by William Faulkner, the much discussed author of “Sanctuary" and “Light in August.” The unexpected touches of. this remarkable writer are prevalent throughout the picture. Considerable credit also must go to Howard 1 Hawks, who has given “To-day We Live” I the same intelligent, discerning direction | which marked this director’.® previous success. “Scarface.”