Entertainments

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 184, 7 August 1939, Page 9

Entertainments

REGENT THEATRE—TO-DAY “STOLEN LIFE” Elisabeth Bergner. has the greatest pari —or parts, for she appears in a dual role —of her career in •‘Stolen Life,” which her husband, Dr. Paul Czinner, has pro duced and directed. Margaret Kennedy, who adapted the story from the prize winning novel by K. J. Benes, contrasts Miss Bergner'a work in this with “Escapt Me Never.” According to Miss Kenned}, “Stolen Life” affords the star fresh scope, and those who have already seen the picture are particularly loud in their pra-sc of her performance, which is stated to be the finest thing- she has ever done. The dual role offers her opportunities for drama and comedy, and although piayea by the same actress the two characterisations aro of an entirely different nature, .as you will see when the picture is pre■eented. Margaret Kennedy makes an in teresting point when she speaks of the ! difficulty of breath control in a foreign language. She says that as Miss Bergner gains complete mastery of the English language she will bo able to broaden her scope for acting even more. It is Margaret Kennedy's wish that Elisabet.i Bergner should take a theatre and put on a series of plays by different authors which will give her a wide variety of con trasting roles. METEOR THEATRE—TO-DAY “BULLDOG DRUMMOND'S SECRET POLICE” A fabulous treasure in gold and Jewels, buried by Royalist soldiers 300 years ago, forms the basis for “Bulldog Drummond's” newest adventure in Paramount's exciting thrill drama "Bulldog Drummond’s Secret Police.” This time, instead of “Drummond’ seeking out adventure, adventure seeks out "Drummond,” when a famed scientist and sinister crook arrive simultaneously to look for a treasure buried in tho mysterious depths of “Bull dog’s” own castle. Although “Drum mond himself nopes to be married the next day, he has to put off his nuptial: and join the hunt when the crook mm ders the scientist in cola blood and oai ries his fiancee off Into the trackless chambers. John Howard plays the dappe* amateur sleuth for the sixtn time, sup ported by Heather Angel, Elizabeth Patterson, H. B. Warner and Reginald Denny. “Sudden Money.” What would you <so if you suddenly won £20,000 in a sweepstakes This ques tlon, which all of us have asked ourselves at one time or another, is answer ed by each member of a mad-eap famii;. in “Sudden Money,” paramount’s new comedy about sweepstakes winners. Charlie Ruggles, the father of the family, returns to nis youthful ambition and forms a swing orchestra with his former college pais. Marjorie Rambeau, the mother, deserts her cooking to strike for fame as a painter. Brother-in-law Broderick Crawford, who has always “doped 1 the horses beautifully on paper, turns tinhouse into a betting centre of major pro portions. The beautiful and high-spiritec. daughter, Evelyn Keyes, enters an ex elusive girls’ finishing school and throws over her old boy friend for a handsome young playboy with millions.

STATE THEATRE—TO-DAY “JESSE JAMES” The most romantic outlaw in the his tory of America, the desperado whose daring coloured a whole era and endowed it with the title of the “Serious Seventies”—the man who invented bank holdups and introduced train robberies—has been brought to the screen in Darryl F. ZanucK’s production, “jessa James,” the j 20th Century-1-ox technicoiour epic, star ring Tyrone Bower, Henry I-’onua, Nancy ; Keily and Randolph Scott. “Jesse James .opens with the introduction of the “iron i Horse” in its journey tnrough the o. t . Uesi, cutting ruchiessiy across the farms of the simple, hardy pioneers. It shows bow Jesse james and his equally notori ous brother Frank (Henry i-onda) began their career of crime as a direct result o* the murder of their mother by an unscrupulous hireling of the at. Louis Mid land railroad, in the person of one Barshee, played by Brian Donlevy. Jess-, shoots Barghec and swears to avenge his mother’s death. A murderer with an ever-increasing price on his head, he goe: from raid to raid. Love comes to Jesst in the person ol’ Zerelda, better known as Zee, played by Nancy Kelly, a gent,, nurtured girl who gave up a life of eas. to share the wild, reckless life of tlii: hunted outlaw as his wife, and to bear his son alone in the hills. When Zee fin ally leaves him, Jesse becomes a cold an«, ruthless desperado, and the film follows his reckless deeds across five States.

climaxing in his betrayal and death at the hands of Bob Ford, tho “dirty little coward” of song and story, who sold him out to the law KOSY THEATRE—TO-DAY “WHISPERING ENEMIES” Meet the most dangerous man In America—the man with the poison tongue! Wrecking industries with a whisper! Ruining reputations with a rumour! Stampeding millions with a lie! Tin nation’s secret scandal syndicate exposed at last! Jack Hoit is starred in one ol the most timely productions ever brought ■to the screen by Columbia! In "Whisper ling Enemies,” whicu is now showing at the Kosy Theatre, Jack Holt is seen as a successful business man ruined by i vicious “whispering campaign,” and who becomes in revenge a rumour racketeer himself! Dolores Costello is the star's leading lady, and others in the fine cast include Pert Kelton, Joseph Crehan and Addison Richards. Lewis D. Collins, who is responsible for many another Holt success, directed “Whispering Enemies” from a screen play by Gordon Rigby and Toni Kilpatrick. “The Return of Jimmy Valentine.” Jimmy, the master cracksman, has returnee, this time for Republic Pictures, in the production “The Return of Jimmy Valentine,” now showing at the Kosy Theatre, with John Carrol Naish, Roger Pryor and Charlotte Henry in leading roles. When Jimmy was in his heyday, life was much easier for the robber, the burglar and the thief; but how times havo changed in 25 years! As master of his craft, all Jimmy Valentine needed to open any safe were his sensitive lingers and a piece of sandpaper. When he worked, h*worked either alone or with his pal, * Red ■Dolan.” To-day crime is organised on a big business basis. When Jimmy Valentine first broke into banks, a crow-bar or a cola chisel usually served as his card oi entry. To-day he would naeu at least an aceiy*eno torch. And to-day, the gangs know it is futile, except for a clangercu; daylight raid, to attempt to break m Inc big city banus. During the day, guards patrol the corridors and main entry ways, men armed with shotguns, rifles and machine-guns lay in wait lor just such attempts. At night, in addition to the guards, there are sensitive, intricate alarm systems that bar every entrance and exit.