Entertainments

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 114, 17 May 1939, Page 7

Entertainments

REGENT THEATRE-TO-DAY “SWEETHEARTS” Modern dress, a modern story, and modern technicolour befit Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy better than any thing: they hav© attempted in the past. Despite their success together in “Naughty Marietta,’’ “Rose Mafe,” “Maytime” and “Girl of the Golden j West,” they establish still another milestone for the film musical in “Sweethearts,” which shows for a season at the Regent Theatre. A. new warmth and vividness of personality colours aTi their efforts in this new Victor Herbert adaptation, and whether th«< cause includes the story, the drees, 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 with 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 tho original “show within a show,” which offers opportunity for flit picture's beautiful song and dance 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 blend ed 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 An toinette,” outstanding. The 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 ana Cunninghame’s, as bookings are sure to be extremely heavy. KOSY THEATRE—TO-DAY “BLONDE CHEAT” An engaging new romantic team, Joan Fontaine and Derrick de Marney, is now at the Meteor Theatre in RKO Radio’s “Blonde Cheat.” Through a ruse Miss Fontaine manages to involve her victim in all kinds of complications by borrowing money from him and putting up her valuable ear-rings as collateral. When she subsequently explains that the ear-rings have grown into her ears and cannot be detached, de Marney is reluctant to leave the girl out of his sight, and it is around this unique situation revolves a series of uproarious events, making this fast-paced offering one of the most entertaining comedy romances brought to the screen in many months. Other important players are Cecil Kellaway as a conspiring fattier, Lilian Bond as the daughter, Cecil Cunningham as her ambitious mother, and Robert Coote as the daughter’s unwelcome suito*.

“Kid Galahad.” With three famous stars heading it® cast—Bette Davis, Edward G. Robinson and Humphrey Bogart—a drama called “Kid Galahad” is now showing at the Meteor Theatre. Made from the bestselling novel by Francis Wallace, ace sports fictionist, this Warner Bros.’ thriller deals not only with those elements of the boxing ring with which everyone it> familiar, but with the behind-scone* manoeuvring of fighters and managers. Eddie Robinson (staunchly backed by his girl friend, “Fluff,” played by Miss Davis) has one contender for the championship. Bogart has another. There is an 11-round light for the championship (said to be the most fiery ever thrown upon a screen), a duel to the death between the two managers after the fight, sotny vast scenes of Madison Square Garden—and yet, withail a tender romance between Eddie’s fighter and Eddie’s sis ter. Besides the three well-established stars prviously mentioned, there is a new star, revealed in the person of Wayne Morris, a 23-year-old newcomer who plays "Kid Galahad’’—big, handsome, blonde boy who gets his name because he hasreverent ideas about womanhood. And a new young leading lady in the person of Jane Bryan, with' whom he falls in lov*,. Michael Curtiz, the director who made "The Charge of the Light Brigade,’ “Captain Blood” and other fast-moving photoplays, guided the making of this, from a screen play by Seton I. Miller, adapted from the Wallace no' r el.

STATE THEATRE—TO-DAY “WHILE NEW YORK SLEEPS” A mystery so bewildering- that it has to be solved twice Is the situation facing the Roving Reporters, Michael Whalen and Chick Chandler, in their latest escapade, “While New York Sleeps,” 20th CenturyFox’s thriller of murder at midnight in Manhattan. From all reports it would seem that Messrs. Whalen and Chandler, aided by lovely Jean Rogers, who scorea in “Time Out for Murder,” have really got themselves mto a jam this time. They havo caught the killer before the killing, printed the story before it happens and then are embarrassed no end to find—the same man murdered again “While New York sleeps starts out innocently enough with Michael Whalen and Chick Chandler getting away from it all by starting for a month’s vacation in the country. They’re hardly inside the cottage door when the telephone rings and tho city editor of the ! newspaper breaks the news that Steve j Martin has rally been murdered. It isn' t a very simple thing to prove and with the police department, the underworld and their own newspaper against them, the Roving Reporters find their noses for news narly get their necks in a noose. The cast of “While New York Sleeps” also includes Robert Kellard, Joan Woodbury, Harold Huber and Marc Lawrence. H. Bruce Humberstone directed from a screen play by Frances Hyland and Albert Ray. The original story was written by Frank Fenton and Lynn Root. The film introduces two new song hits, ‘Til Never Change," by Sidney Clare and Arthur Johnston, and “Ain’t He Good Looking,” by Clare. Dances were staged by Nicholas Castle and Geneva Sawyer. “Up the River” Seldom do the movie studios turn out as uproarious a comedy as "Up the River,” the new 20th Century-Fox picture. Tho story concerns itself with a group of happy inmates m a mythical state prison which boasts a radio in every cell, gates that are practically revolving doors, and the best lootball team m the “Big Fen Conference.” Preston Foster, fresh fi/)m his splendid performance in “Submarine Patrol,” proves lilmself an outstanding comedian as well as an uncommonly convincing grid-iron star, while the elongated Arthur Treacher, as Foster’s partner in crime and football, accounts for his funniest . Performance. Tony Martin and Phyllis Brooks, innocent victims of a confidence racket for which they are serving time, are excellent in the romantic leads. Slim Summerville draws his share of the O’-'i® « 10 lootball coach and Bill Robinson contributes his inimitable brand of tap dancing to give us a new version of tho lock step. Other featured roies are ably handled by Alan Dinehart, as the warden, Eddie Collins, Jane Dar well and Sidney Toler. KOSY THEATRE—TO-DAY “THE HOUSE OF A THOUSAND CANDLES” Hollywood tragedies have been often in the news, but Hollywood also has its i , reil^s - One such break put Irving I ichel, noted stage and screen actor, into one of his best and most important roles, °* Sebastian,” the master-spy in Ahe House of a Thousand Candles.” which is now showing at the Ivosy Theatre, with Phillips Holmes and Mae Clarke in the adventurous romantic leads. The tricks of international spy work, whichin this instance, saved Europe from ii disastrous war, are opened up to the pic-ture-going public in Republic’s “House ol a thousand Candles.” Things they had never dreamed of occur with dramatic swiftness, and sudden surprises of plot ‘'evfc’opincnt and unexpected thrilling climaxes, hold spectators spellbound on trio edge of their seats. Spies—gamblers—and women—in a spicy European intrigue. \\ouien luring men to destruction—then to be made pawns in a mad game of life and death. Don’t miss the screen’s ca- , citing new drama, “The House of a Thousand Candles.” It is crammea with & »housand thrills!

“Aren’t Mien Beasts!” Hare—the High Priest of HilarityDrayton, the Duke ol Delirious Nonsense —what a perfect combination for the «creen’a riotous comedy—“ Aren’t Men Beasts!” which is now showing at the Kosy Theatre. Great as a play, and even 'greater as a film, with Robertson Hare and Alfred Drayton fulfilling the roles they made famous on tho West End stage for two years, “Aren’t Men Beasts” is the merriest riot of nonsense tho screen has had in years. Honestly, there’s enough laughs for a iaughtime. Tho story opens on Roger Holly’s wedding morn, and just before father, Herbert Holly (Robertson Hare) leaves his dentist rooms for the ceremony, a beautiful vamp rusnes in, and declares she will never let him reach the registry office. Tearing hor clothes and disarranging her hair, she screams for the police, and has Herbert arrested. But Herbert escapes from the clutches of the law, and “escapes” to his son’s fiat. Consternation! Roger believes that the woman in the case is one of his past flames come to mar his marital hapnjaMs, as both have sworn that he will never’ marry another. Louise aoi Yvette—but which one? All Herbert knows is that she was dark—very beautiful—spoke with an accent, and had a mole on her shoulder. But Roger’s memory had gone back on him—he knew that both “his” girls were dark and beautiful—both were capable of affecting a foreign accent but he could not remember which one had the mole, nor where the mo’o was He had to find out but how?