Entertainments

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 80, 5 April 1939, Page 7

Entertainments

REGENT THEATRE—TO-DAY "GOLD IS WHERE YOU FIND IT” "Gold la Where You Find It” screens finally at 7.45 p.m. on Thursday night. "Sweethearts" (10.15 p.ni. Thursday) Modern dress, a modern story, and modern technicolour befit Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy better than anything they have attempted in the past. Despite their success together in "Naughty Marietta,’’ "Rose Marie," “Maytime” and "Girl of the Golden West,” they establish still another milestone for the film musical in "Sweethearts," which will be the Easter attraction at the Regent Theatre. A new warmth and vividness of personality colours ail their efforts in this new Victor Herbert adaptation, and whether the cause includes the story, the dress, or the technicolour, they emerge as even brighter luminaries of the Hollywood firmament. As stars of a Broadway "show within a show,” they are right in their element and handle the comedy as skilfully as their singing assignments. An unprecedented cast of comedy personalities surrounds them, with Frank Morgan preeminent as the fluttery show producer, Ray Bolger winning the limelight he deserves as the show’s dancer, Florence Rice adding to a series of recent hits wtvh her secretary role, Mischa Auer and Herman Bing the laugh riots they always are, as the battling composer and librettist, and Reginald Gardiner as an ingenious Hollywood agent. The plot, concerning the attempts of two fame-weary Broadway musical comedy stars who are husband and wife in private life to get the upper hand over a conniving producer, is replete with action and laughs, together with the original "show within a show,” which offers opportunity for Tic picture’s beautiful song and danco numbers. The musical numbers are staged with lavishness yet with good taste, and nowhere does the colour become obvious. The director, W. S. Van Dyke, has blended myriad ingredients into a smooth, harmonious whole. Dorothy Barker and Alan Campbell have written a screen play which sets a new standard for musical plots, and Hunt Stromberg nas given "Sweethearts” the same infinite care and unsparing hand which have made all his productions of the past several years, from "Naughty Marietta” to "Marie Antoinette,” outstanding. Tho shorts include the latest in Audioscopiks, which patrons will remember with delight on the "San Francisco” programme. You are urged to reserve immediately at Collinson and Cunningliame’s, as bookings are sure to be extremely heavy. KOSY THEATRE—TO-DAY "TROUBLE IN MOROCCO” Ilurlcd into the jaws of death by a woman’s lie, Jack Holt, reckless, hardboiled, tears through the most exciting story of his career, Columbia’s "Trouble iii Morocco,” now showing at the Kosy Theatre. The Legionnaires charge again!

Gay, death-defying devil-dogs of the desert, thundering across tho screen into roaring battle glorious adventure treacherous romance! He’s in the Legion now! Tricked by the neatest gag ever pulled by a racketeer, the foreign correspondent passes out and wakes up a Legionnaire! Holt —in a savage drama of men fighting the crudest battle on earth! Mae Clark —playing the leading feminine lead in this furious yarn of gun smugglers on the Sahara sands! C. Henry Gordon, fresh from his important role in "Charge of the Light Brigade,” commanding the romantic French Foreign Legion! Harold Huber, Victor Varconi, Paul Hurst, Bradley Page, Oscar Apfel and many others! Directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack, who gave you "The Last Days of Pompeii dnd "Chang.” "The Melody Lingers On”

A gala night at the famous La Scala Opera House, mecca of opera lovers in Milan, offers a thrilling and colourful spectacle in "The Melody Lingers On,” Edward Small’s new Reliance romantic drama, which brings Josephine Hutchinson, George Houston and a great cast, which is now showing at the Kosy Theatre. The opera presented Is "Carmen,” and the magnificent baritone voice of Houston, the handsome young American opera star, who is Hollywood’s most sensational new discovery, is heard in the famous Toreador song. The Interior of the opera house was authentically reproduced down to the minutest detail. The story, based on the novel by Lowel Brentano, tells of the war-shattered romance of a young American music student and a famous European operatic star. Her lover is killed In action and the girl puts her baby in a convent. Years later, when she has become a famous pianist, she learns that her son has been adopted by a wealthy family. She cultivates them in an effort to steer the boy’s future toward a singing career, and the story proceeds to a thrilling climax. Others in the cast are John Halliday, Mona Barrie, William Harrigan, David Scott, Walter Kingsford.

STATE THEATRE—TO-DAY “A AIAN TO REMEMBER” A powerful, human document tracing the joys and sorrows in the life of a rural doctor, "A Alan to Remember” brings to the State Theatre to*day a notable cast headed by Anne Shirley, and including Edward Ellis, Lee Bowman and William Henry. Ellis is cast as the small town physician, Aliss Shirley as his ward and Bowman as his son. Important supporting roles are filled by John Wray, Granville Bates, Harlan Briggs and Frank AI. Thomas. The story, covering a period of twenty years, starts with the return of the doctor to his native town to begin life anew with his small son after the death of his wife. In vivid fashion his career of personal sacrifice is unfolded, while his effect on the little community that looks upon him as a failure is dramatically depicted. Anne Shirley, who was abandoned on the doctor’s doorstep as an infant, grows into womanhood, while Bowman, the son, returns from medical school. Bowman Is ambitious to make a name for himself and joins a more successful and wealthier physician, which nearly breaks his father’s heart. Ellis discovers cases of infantile paralysis and takes steps to avert an epidemic. Leading merchants fear that publicising the discovery will ruin a forthcoming fair. They refused to warn the citizens through The press. Ellis, however, prints handbills warning of the impending epidemic, and personally undertakes to halt its spread by treating all children gratis. How the obscure old practitioner finally emerges as the hero of the hour for his valiant struggle to stamp out the epidemic and save the children; how his son returns home to share his father’s practice; and how the romance between Aliss Shirley and Bowman culminates in marriage, are high lights in the dramatic climax. METEOR THEATRE—TO-DAY "AIOUNTAIN JUSTICE” The fanaticism and intolerance of certain dwellers in remote hill-countries of the United States are revealed in "Mountain Justice,” the First National melodrama now showing at the Aleteor Theatre. This thrilling picture, which is not alone a dramatic socialogical document, but a tender romance, co-stars Josephine Hutchinson and George Brent, and was directed by that acknowledged master of realism, Alichael Curtiz. Miss Hutchinson portrays Ruth Harkins, a young mountaineer girl who has a taste of life and education in the "outside,” and returns to her hamlet eager to bring health and education to at least the children of the backwoods. Her one sympathiser and aide in this is Guy Kibbse, a genial old physician. Her worst enemy and opponent is her own father, played by Robert Barrat, a bitter fanatic who hates everything taught b.v "furiners.” lie doesn’t hesitate to enforce his hold upon his two daughters—little Marcia Al.ae Jones is the young one—by lashings with a bullwhip. Things come to such .a pass that the elder daughter. Miss Hutchinson. in a fight for her own lift is obliged to kill her father. George Brent, a brilliant young attorney who has met her in New York and learns to love her, comes to her rescue and defends her at her trial for murder. But there is not even justice in this ignorant region, and she is convicted and sentenced to a long term in prison. By a thrilling strategem, she is removed from the prison and flown to another Stats, whose Governor refuses to grant extradition papers, so she remains free. “Mountain Justice” is a severe indictment of the backwardness of certain parts of the civilised United States. Alona Barrie is also in the cast. "The £5 Man” Secret passages, sliding panels and all the ingredients of a thriller, combined with delightful humorous incidents, make "The £5 Man,” now showing at the Aleteor Theatre, yet another feather in the cap of Albert Parker, the director.