Entertainments

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 45, 23 February 1938, Page 7

Entertainments

REGENT THEATRE—TO-DAY '* MAYTIME ” Splendid In every sense of the word Is Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s first lavish musical offering of 1938, "May time,” with Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy In the starring roles, which is now screening at the Regent Theatre. A description of the original theme would bo superfluous to veterans of the theatre, but it may be written her© without fear of contradiction that the studio has gone far and beyond any beauty which the stage attained. "Maytime” was a musical piece of gorgeous proportions when Rida Johnson Young's play was on the boards and it closely approaches the status of a musical masterpiece on the screen. The skilful adaptation was made by Noel Langley. The songs were written by Sigmund Romberg, composer of the original Broadway score, and also by Herbert Stothart, who has composed the first film operetta, “Czaritza,” which provides a lovely sequence in the picture. Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy have not been seen together on the screen for £t year. They rose to a unique dual stardom in ‘‘Naughty Marietta” and then in ‘‘Rose Marie.” In the supporting cast of ‘‘Maytime,” John Barrymore plays a picturesque role as the temperamental impressario. his first since the memorable “Romeo and Juliet,” which was one of the sensational pictures of 1&36. There is a newcomer in the cast Lynne Carver, a delicately beautiful young singer from the Kentucky Blue Grass regions who sings and acts unusually well. She and Tom Brown provide the juvenile romance in the story. In love with Nelson Eddy, a young singer, Jeanette MacDonald, an opera star, actuated by a mistaken sense of duty, marries John Barrymore, the impressario, to whom she owes her career. When circumstances bring her and the singer together again, they realise that their love is stronger than before. Mad with insane jealousy, the husband kills the singer. The tragedy answers the problem of the younger girl who is drawn between a choice of love and a career. MAYFAIR THEATRE " THE TRAIL OF THE LONESOME PINES.” The first all-colour picture of the outdoors, “The Trail of the Lonesome Pines,” screens at the Mayfair Theatre to-day. Sylvia Sidney, Fred Mac Murray and Henry Fonda are starred, and Henry Hatha-way,-who directed “The Lives of a Bengal Lancer,” megaphoned the Technicolour production. Natural colour and natural backgrounds are used exclusively in this picturisation of the John Fox, jur., novel. It. is a story of “feuding” in the Cumberland mountains, where family battles family for reasons long since forgotten. Mac Murray is a young engineer who Is assigned to build a railway through the hills. Miss Sidney and Fonda are members of the same clan, and Fonda is in love with the girl. She is fascinated by a stranger from the outside world, and Fonda’s jealousy is aroused. He sets out to “get” Mac Murra y—but simultaneously the rival clan sets out to “get” him. A battle royal ensues when they all get together, bringing the film to a stirring climax. Walter Wanger produced the film for Paramount. METEOR THEATRE. " GIRLS’ DORMITORY.”

One of the most important cinema; events In years will take place, beginning today at the Meteor Theatre when an exciting new personality, Simone Simon (pronounced See-Moan See-Moan), makes her debut in the Twentieth Century-Fox production, “Girls’ Dormitory.” Warm, young, refreshing and vital, with distinct magnetic appeal and rare, strange beauty, Miss Simon is being acclaimed the most important discovery in recent screen history. Herbert Marshall and Ruth Chatterton are starred with her. in an exceptional cast that features Constance Collier, J. Edward Broomberg. Dixie Dunbar, John Qualen and Shirley Deane. The film opens in an exclusive boarding school. Herbert Marshall is the director of the school, Ruth Chatterton, Constance Collier, J. Edward Bromberg are important members of the faculty. The students are all young girls in their late ‘teens, and all are daughters of wealthy families, sent to the school to complete their education. Beyond walls barred to men. the girls are taught and schooled in everything except what the ruies forbid—life and love. It is but a short time before graduation. Simone, a remarkably beautiful girl, is about to leave the surroundings she has known for years—and the man she has youthfully loved almost as long, Herbert Marshall. On a dare, Simone asks Marshall to dance with her at a school social event. He refuses the girl and, ashamed at the rebuff, she runs off. to return just as a searching party is setting out to look for her. Ruth Chatterton is also in love with Marshall, but she conceals her affection behind an appearance of friendly cooperation. One of the teachers discovers ! a romantic note, evidently written by one of the girls. She brings the note to Marshall, demanding that the girl be reprimanded at once. Behind the words of the letter, Marshall sees that the girl was evidently creating a fictitious character iu her mind. Simone is discovered to be the author of the note. Hailed before the faculty, she admits writing it. but denies that the contents of the note are true. Ruth Chatterton takes her aside, and Simone reveals that she wrote the note, in a girlish mood, to Marshall, and that she is in love with the teacher. When Marshall is informed of Simone’s statement, he realises that he, too, loves the young girl. In their romance, they find temporary happiness, but Simone overhears a conversation that makes her believe Marshall is really in love with Miss Chatterton. From this foundation, the film moves swiftly, strongly, to its climax, replete with drama and suspense. “Girls’ Dormitory” was especially chosen for Simone’s first Hollywood picture. Irving Cummings directed the production, with Raymond Griffith associate producer.

STATE THEATRE. " THIN ICE ” Dazzling in its undreamed-of crystaltipped spectacle, snow-drenched with shimmering Alpine beauty, exhilarating in its fresh, gay out-of-doors romance that will fill your eyes with delight and open them wide in wonder, "Thin ice,” Twentieth Century-Fox gay and magnificent musical starring Sonja Henie, more radiantly exciting than over before, and Tyrone Power, handsome young screen star who soared to fame in “Lloyds of London,” shows to-day at the State Theatre. A star in her first picture, Miss Henie tops “One in a Million” with new miracles of grace never before revealed, Alpine slopes, with Tyrone Power, as she skates and skiis along the silvery romance following close behind. Arthur Treacher, Raymond Walburn and Joan Davis are featured in the notable supporting cast, which also includes Sig Rumann, Alan Hale, Leah Ray, Melville Cooper, Maurice Cass and George Givot. The story is swiftly paced, exhilaratingly exciting, and hilariously funny. It gets off to a fast start when Tyrone, a prince who has come to an Alpine winter resort to escape the bickering or two agents (Alan Hale and Maurice Cass) over a neutrality pact, accidentally meets Miss Henie while skating, and introduces himself as a newspaper reporter. A case of mistaken identity sends rumours aDout the village that Sonja is being favoured by the prince. The two agents, hearing the rumours, attempt to win her to their side in order to get close to Tyrone. When she refuses tney dangle huge offers before her worthless uncle (Raymond Walburn), who is unarne to refuse. Although Sonja is still unmindful of the rumours she continues to meet Tyrone. At the same time, the agents discover trickery on the part of Walburn, and through sympathy for each other become friends. This makes the situation more complicated than ever, until the ideal solution to the entire affair is found to be what all concerned hoped for—the marriage of Sonja and Tyrone. Interspersed throughout the romantic story are three elaborate skating numbers, which are the Prince Igor Russian ballet, a beautiful Venetian waltz, and the Foxtrot Fantasy. In these ice innovations, Miss Henie executes her most intricate ice designs. Hundreds of gorgeous girls are also in the sensational ice revels set against the dazzling and breath-taking beauty of the Swiss Alps. These innovations on ice are more elaborate and intricate than anything ever before attempted on the screen. KOSY THEATRE “EVERY NIGHT AT EIGHT” The brightest spot of light entertainment in town can be found now showing at tiie Kosy Theatre, where “Every Night At Eight” is holding merry, musical sway. Highly hilarious, with tuneful toe-tapping and an originality of story that Is refreshing as an air-cooled theatre on a sweltering summer day, “Every Night At Eight” proves to be as blues chasing, heart-warming a niece of funny business as has come along in a month of musicals. The picture opens on a gay note with Frances Langford. Alice Faye and Patsy Kelly as three factory workers I who lose their jobs through practising harmony singing in the boss’ office. Penniless, they try their luck as a singing trio on an amateUr radio hour. At the radio station they lost the prize to George Raft who appears this time in a new kind of dramatic role, that of a qonIceited band leader. Attracted to the girls and seeing their possibilities, he starts them on their career as the Swauee Sisters. He builds them uu to a trio of sweet, unsophisticated Southern girls, makes them dress alike, look alike, and in general manages their lives for them. Under Raft’s severe discipline they rise from their amateur standing to queens of the air waves. When Miss Langford believes that Raft does not return her love, she rebels with the other two girls, deserts the nightly broadcast and goes off on a yachting party. A climax, packed with thrills, romance and action, brings the trio to their senses. There are six outstanding song numbers featured in the picture, including "Then You’ve Never Been Blue,” “Take It Easy,” “I Feel a Song Coming On” and “Speaking Confidentially.” Associate Feature—" The Sky Parade." He’s thrilled you with his daring exploits—Jimmy Allen, hero of millions of radio fans and air adventures, makes his initial screen appearance in a picture packed with daring sky exploits to thrill you.