Entertainments

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 38, 15 February 1939, Page 7

Entertainments

REGENT THEATRE—TO-DAY "STABLEMATES ’ A new screen team Is introduced in '‘SMkblemates,” in which Wallace Beery and Mickey Rooney are co-starred. Beery is seen in the role of a once brilliant veterinarian who chanced to a race track hobo because he was framed into a murder charge. Rooney, fresh from his triumph in "Boys Town," wins more nd mirers. If possible, in his characterisation of the stable boy and Jockey who be friends Beery In order to get the latter to operate on his injured horse. The two join forces and tour the country with the racehorse, which Uooney has been given in lieu of his salary. When the horse Is in perfect condition they start for Hollywood Park to participate in the big race, one day Rooney listens to a radio broadcast an<! Icams that his travelling companion is an escaped convict. Having learned to love Beery like a father, he tries to persuade him not to come to the track without letting him know the reason. Capture is sure if he does. But Beery goes along. Thero they meet the man wno was responsible for Beery's framed charge. He is the former owner of Rooney’s horse ami takes it from the hoy because he can’t show ownership papers. Then things start to happen, with the action of the big race matching the tempo of the climax, the tempo of the climax. As usual with a Metro-Ooldwyn-Mayer programme the short subjects to be screened are outstanding. They Include the latest Metro World News, a Magic Musical, an "Our Gang’’ comedy, "practical Jokers," and a Pete Smith specialty, "Double Diving. ’ Box pla»** ara now open at Colllnson and t'unningname 'phone 7178. The full reason for "Stablematcs" will be continued for one week, concluding next Friday night at 8 o’clock. METEOR THEATRE—TO-DAY 2 P-M. AND 8 P.M. "IT'S IN’ THE AIR” George Formby Joins the R.A.F. and happiness is here again—in fact, "It s In The Air.” Typically topical, the latest Formby film has as its background the Air Force where George finds himself "accidentally" in uniform, subjected to a bewildering discipline, and, as u»ual. making a hopeless mess of * everything. George dons sky-blue with the mistaken idea of saving hts sister's airman sweet heart from exposure, and almost sue- . eeds in wrecking the camp with his sublime clumsy ignorance, nearly giving the sergeant-major apoplexy, and becom ing the butt for every practical Joker in the service. One wildly funny scene shows him quartered in the sergeantmajor’s own rooms, thinking they are part of the visitors’ quarters, and there are many others in like vein The fun reaches extravagant heights when our it.ro Ooe» duty as a dispatch rider rareorm madly over the countryside on a motor cycle combination with the local O.t-. =>- his terrified passenger. Of course, from the minute lie -joins up. ’ audiences will he waiting for the inevitable sequence When Formby takes to •*rwhen it does arrive, everybody gets a generous money's worth of riotous fun. because he find, himself alone In 1J« heavens aboard a plane about which he knows nothing, performing weird ngures in. the sky, looping the loop. earthwards In hair raising dlv cs. oosmg live bombs and a hail of machine-gun buldoing everything but break his neck. It s all exhausting, exhilarating fun with George right at the top of his form. He also*finds time and parej Mng three excellent saucy numbers and he? a romance with the sergeant-major s IHd lT h o°ne lon'S Tush Iron, SSSrsi'/Hjullen C VHtcheU Gonion head the big supporting cast.

STATE THEATRE—TO-DAY ‘ PRISON WITHOUT BARS." "Prison Without BarN,’’ a brilliant dra ma produced by Alexander Korda at the London Film studios, Denham, shows at the State Theatre to-day. This unusual picture tells of the lives of girls condemned to what is little better than prison life, because of minor youthful crimes. It also tells of the struggle between the old, unsympathetic, and dominating supervisei, and the new superintendent appointed by the Ministry of Justice, w ho does everything in her power to bring about better conditions for the girls. Although there are hundreds of feminine roles in the picture, there is only one man. This is played by Barry K. Barnes as the reformatory doctor. Edna Best plays Yvonne Chanel, the new superintendent. It will be recalled that her last role for London Films was the new headmistress in". South Riding." Mine Appel, the formidable ruler of the reformatory, is played by Martita Hunt. This film gives a star role to the new young French aoi rest*, Corinne Luchaire. Corinne plays Huzanm. a young and sensitive girl, for whom the new superintendent tries to obtuin a pardon. Corinne, who is only seventeen, lias had a sensational success in French films. Another leading role is played by Mary Norris, as a young delimicnt whose jealousy nearly brings disaster and tragedy to the reformatory. That talented young actress who played the temperamental Midge Carne in "South Riding,” Glyms Johns, plays Nina, a young girl who is sentenced to the reformatory for four years for stealing a pair of silk stockings. The whole or the Interior of the reformatory was built at Denham, including the hospital wards, exercising courtyards, dormitories and assembly hall "Prison Without Bars’ was directed by Brian Desmond Hurst. KOSY THEATRE—TO-DAY "THE ACCUSING FINGER” The extent to which circumstances can weave a noose around an innocent man's neck is dramatically portrayed in Paramount's "The Accusing Finger,” a tense drama of circumstantial evidence allowing to-day at the Kosy Theatre. With Paul Keuy as a ruthless public prosecutor who uses every legal device to rush men into gaol so that his perfect, record lor convictions can be maintained, "The Accusing Finger" shows how he himself is caught in a mesh of circumstances which place him in the shadow of the electric chair. Kelly is in love with

Marsha Hunt, his secretary, but cannot marry her because his wife, Bernadene Hayes, refuses to give him a divorce. KeJiy and Miss Hunt are confronted in a public restaurant by Miss Hayes and he is overheard threatening her. Later he comes to her home ana engages in a spirited argument with her. Several minutes later she is found dead with a bullet, fired frcxn Kelly’s revolver, in her heart. Kelly tells police there was a burglar in the house but so perfect is the case made out against mm by witnesses that he is sentenced to die. Taylor, an investigator, believes in Kelly's innocence. He starts the almost hopeless task of finding the killer. Miss Hunt and Taylor come to love each other during the investigation and it is not an easy thing they have to tell Kelly. But they don’t have to. Things are worked out perfectly, even t. the presence of a clergyman who is ready to link the girl to the right man torthwith. “The Big Broadcast.” Ono of the greatest casts of radio headliners ever assembled to make a motion picture will b 3 seen and heard as the sec- | ond attraction, Paramount s “The Big Broadcast, ' starts its triumphal run. Aiding and abetting this all-star air line up will be some ot the screen's best performers plus a number of well-known personalities recruited from the stage to add to the general merriment. The cast for “The Big Broadcast” is headed by popular Jack Benny and- induces George Burns and Gracie Allen, Bob Burns, Benny Fields, Martha Kaye. Benny Goodman and his Swing Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski and his Symphony Orchestra, Frank Forest, Sam Hearn (Schleppyj, ana majiy others. Heading the celebrities from the stage is Stan Kavanagh, internationally famous comedy juggler. Kavvy, as he has been known by a generation of \ audeville and circus patrons, never speaks but he gets a bit part on a radio programme in ’ the picture. This pfoj gramme is arranged by Gracie Allen, so anything can happen. The screen contri- • butes beautiful and talented Shirley Boas | who plays her first important role in this ' picture. Playing with her are Kay Milland. Eleanore Whitney and a host of other specialty performers, dancers, singers. musicians and comedians. "The Big Broadcast" has been produced on a lavish scale and is considered by Hollywood to be one of the most gorgeous spectacles ever produced there. The dancing routines were directed by Le Roy Prinz.