Entertainments

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 308, 29 December 1938, Page 9

Entertainments

STATE THEATRE-TO-MORROW “CREAKING THE ICE” Boasting a story genuinely human in theme, richly enhanced by homely humour, with scenes laid in the contrasting backgrounds of a quaintly rustic section of Fennyslvania and the entertainment world of Chicago, and with an elaborate and beautiful sequence of an ice-skating carnival as ils show-piece is Bobby Breen’s latest and by far most pretentious picture, “Breaking the Ice." Featuring tho world’s youngest Ico skater, Irene Dare, and Charlie Ruggles and Dolores Costello, at tho head of a supporting cast of brilliant names, the film takes rank easily as Bobby Breen’s most important vehicle. Bobby himself, whose glorious singing voice has enriched four previous pictures, emerges in “Breaking the Ice" as an entirely different screen personality. The boy is strangely revitalised. Many tff the mannerisms which he had been taught to adopt in his previous work are gone, and ho stands out as a dominant character, a scrappy, happy-go-lucky youth who lights adversity with a song on his lips and dynamite in his fists. It is interesting to observe that Victor Young, the noted orchestra leader, Is responsible for the musical setting, and that Frank Churchill, in collaboration with Paul Webster, wrote three of the five songs Bobby sings. Churchill is the man who composed those unforgettable numbers in Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” “Breaking the Ice" is little Miss Dare’s debut in motion pictures, and it is fortunate that she found a picture and a producer worthy of her unique talents. This child is a marvel at skuting. With the least amount of effort she somersaults on Ice, whirls, spins and dances to tho accompaniment of a full orchestra of forty pieces. KOSY THEATRE—TO-MORROW “SPRINGTIME IN THE ROCKIES" “Springtime in the Rockies," the first of tho world-popular Gene Autry productions to be released In Australia, is unique, in that it features a bevy of beautiful cowgirls who play a prominent part in developing the plot. The girls, under the leadersnip of Sandra (played by Polly Rowles). graduate from an agricultural college thinking thCy cun go out west and manage Sandra’s ranch much better than Foreman Gene Autry. One can readily imagine the fireworks which ensue when tho girls arrive at their destination, try to re-arrange the ranch routine, bring a herd of sheep into the heart of the cattle country, and otherwise make themselves thoroughly obnoxious to such tried-and-irue cowboys as Gene and Smiley Brunette. The climax is reached when Sandra becomes the innocent victim ot a conspiracy, and it is then that Gene discovers that she means much more to him than a mere nuisance, and instead of reselling her presence, he undertakes protec tins her from the unscrupulous ranchers who would cheat her out of her holdings. Ride the danger trail with Gene Autry for it’s thrill-time, sing-time, ad-venture-time, when.it’s “Springtime in tho Rockies.” . „ „ “The Invisible Menace." For a long and profitable period on New York's Broadway, a mystery-melodrama called “Without Warning" ran as a stage play. Now “Tho Invisible Menace, a Warner Bros, picture production, with Boris Karloff as its star, based upon the play is scheduled to open with “Springtime in the Rockies" at the Kosy Theatre. Tho name Karloff must not conjure up tho idea that this is a horror show of the type that Boris so frequently makes. It is not. He wears no outlandish make-up, and appears not as a monster of any son, but as a civil engineer of middle age. The picture is described as far superior to the stage play, successful as the latter was Besides being a mystery, it Is also a comedy, with tho humorous and romantic atmosphere carried by Eddie Craven, who plays the same part, that no did on Broadway, and long-lashed Marie Wilson, porlrayer of "dumb blondes. ’ The story begins on an eastern island used by the army as an ordnance arsenal. An officer has been slain. Several are suspected, including the mild-mannered Karloff, inis is because he has had trouble, years previously, in Haiti, with the murdered man. There are a number of cut-back scenes at this point, illustrating what happened between the two men in Haiti. These scenes include a negro revolution and some weird, mystic voodoo rites. Not until the very end of tho picture is the real murderer discovered and dealt Witn in a smashing and surprising climax.

REGENT THEATRE—TO-DAY “THE CROWD ROARS" i At the Regent, as Tommy McCoy, - the boy who fought liis way from the ; slums to the heights, Robert Taylor prei sents the finest, most vigorous acting job t ho has ever essayed in "The Crowd ; 1 Roars." Here is tne answer to the plea ' I for action in pictures, with Taylor put* r ting every ounce or energy ana ability 3 into his hrst prizefight role. The picture ; Is packed with thrills, warm romance, 3 gripping suspense. A cast or champions s supports tho star: Frank Morgan as his t father, ex-vaudeville trouper; Edward i Arnold as the gambler behind the scenes t of the fight game; Maureen O’Sullivan as i his daughter, and June Wyman as her 3 school chum and rival for Taylor’s afleo- ’ lions; William Gargan as tho ex-light- - heavyweight champion killed in the ring . by Taylor, his former pupil; Lionel Stan--1 der as the star’s trainer; Nat Pendleton t us Arnold’s gambling rival; Isabel Jewell t as (jargan’s wife; Gene Reynolds as f Tommy McCoy as a boy. Every one ; makes a standout of his or her charactert isation. There are a number of very v excellent shorts with tills programme. • These include "Passing Parade No. 1," a t Pete Smith specialty, "Hat on ice," a i Fitzpatrick traveltalic in colour, “Jaipur, a tho Pink City," as well as British and i foreign news reels. Early reservations for - all holiday sessions are strongly advised, j Box plans are now open at Collinson and s Cunnlnghame’s, 'phone 7178. Be wise and - get in early. 3 r MAYFAIR TH EATRE—TO-DAY f “PROFESSOR BEWARE" t Harold Lloyd returns to the screen; his last appearance was over two years ago in “Tne Milky Way," in Paramount's now comedy whicli shows to-day at the Mayfair Theatre, "Professor Beware." He introduces a new leading lady, us has been his custom in years past with each new t film, in the person of Phyllis Welch, love ly young graduate of the legitimate stage s and radio stations. The picture, a typical ■ Lloyd story, the like of which has made t him world iamous, deals with his mad r dasn across the continent to arrive in y New York in time to catch a boat sailing .1 to Egypt. Broke, and out of a job, he 3 starts the trip with Miss Welch at his n heels, and arrives at his destination, after y a myriad of dizzy adventures, still broke, i but now pursuing Miss Welch. y "SOOlOO.” it Colin Taploy, paramount’s handsome a importation from New Zealand, heads the a cast of tne new jungle romantic drama, - "Booioo, ’ which will have its first loeui - showing with "Professor Beware." The i principal survivor of the famous "Search • ior Beauty" contest of a few seasons ago, !■ he piayeq in “Lives of a Bengal Lancer i and "The Crusades’ before undertaking i- the role in "Booioo ’ for which ne had to i* journey into the dark Malayan wilds, 4uo - miles north oi Singapore, with Clyde - Elliott’s location safari. All the weird e mystery and stark terror of the steaming - Malayan wilds, from which few white ado venturers have ever come out alive, are brought to the screen in “Booioo," Paramount’s romance of the Jungle. It is a v land where ferocious animals attack i human beings for food, voodoo-man nae lives make human sacrifices to their & tiger-god and white men battle to find the i secrets of tho jungle. e METEOR THEATRE 3 “KIDNAPPED" i i, After ten years as a highly successful , Hollywood comedian, Reginald Owen con- :. lessea ho iookod forward with relish to a his role as a villain in Robert Louis Stey r enson's “Kidnapped,” new 20th Centuryo Fox picture produced by Darryl l' 1 . Zanuck. "The rolo came as an interesting i, diversion," says Owen. "Even a comedn ian tires of comeuy and wants the oppori, tunlty to take down his hair and show y what a real blackguard ho can be!” The e rigorous part of "Capt. Hoseason" in r "Kidnapped" put Owen through an unex- , pected ordeal, however. As a cruel ships master he must cuff Freddie Bartholomew ;- mercilessly in one sequence, and Director • Alfred Werker insisted that it must be t realistic with no softened blows. "There ;- aren’t many scenes more difficult to play e than those where you hit a youngster or 1 beat a dog,’ says the erstwhile comedian, t "As soon as you lay hands on either, the 3 audience hates you deeply and bitterly. i “Kidnapped" is. now at the Meteor Theatre with Warner Baxter and Freddie Bartholomew heading the great featured cast which includes Arleen Whelan, C. Aubrey Smith, John Carradine, Nigel Bruce, Miles Mamler, Ralph Forbes and 11. B. 'Warner. i 777.77 .