Entertainments

Manawatu Times, Volume 65, Issue 307, 16 December 1940, Page 9

Entertainments

REGENT THEATRE—TO-DAY

“TOO MANY HUSBANDS" “Too Many Husbands" can prove somewhat troublesome, and Jean Arthur discovers that fact in the Regent Theatre’s Columbia comedy, with Fred Mac Murray and Melvyn Douglas also starred. Based upon a W. Somerset Maugham stage success, the madcap new production has been hailed as an hilariously witty melee of men, marriage and morals. Briefly, the story of “Too Many Husbands" Is founded upon three logical items: Jean Is married to reckless Fred, who is reported dead at sea. Jean marries the more stable Melvyn, Fred’s best friend. Fred returns home. And from those original propositions producer-director Wesley Ruggles has developed one of the most original, one of the most uproarious screen comedies of this or any other season. Fred’s return home, after a year spent on a desert island, is the first of a constant series of hectic incidents. Both Jean and Melvyn stammer through their explanations, while Fred refuses to listen. He wants to be alone with his wife. When the situation finally is explained to him, the two husbands sit down tj a “man to man" conference to work out a solution, and wind up boyishly jumping over chairs to prove who is the “better man.” Jean takes matters in hand, and makes them worse. The final decision is made in a court of law, by a judge, but Jean’s interpretation of the decision provides even further proof that “Too Many Husbands" belongs, as comedy and as entertainment, with such other triumpnant films as “It Happened One Night,” “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town.” “The Awful Truth,” “You Can’t Take It With You,” “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” and “His Girl Friday." METEOR THEATRE—TO-DAY “WHEN THE DALTONS RODE" With such names a 3 Randolph Scott, Kay Francis and Broderick Crawford heading an excellent east, the success and entertainment value of “When the Daltons Rode," now screening at the Meteor Theatre, is assured. "When the Daltons Rode” tells in a series of over-quickening scenes the tale of the Dalton boys and how their exploits came to terrorise the people of Arizona. The film opens on a quiet country town scene, with a stranger tßandolph Scott) asking for the Daltons. The four Dalton boys and their mother arc having their photograph taken in the stereotyped, style of the period, when a disturbance arises in which the high spirits and quick tempers of the Dalton brothers is amply illustrated. There is no real harm in their horseplay, however, and after nearly killing the stranger they recognise him as their old-time playmate and make him welcome in a typical openhanded Western manner. Bob Dalton is the more or less accepted leader of the boys, if anyone could be said to lead such an energetic band, and he is In love with the local postmistress (Kay Francis). Unfortunately, Scott meets her and also 1 falls in love with her. Kay, alter a .struggle with herself, admits a reciprocal teeJing, but loyalty to Bob will not let her break off her engagement of long standing. When unscrupulous companies try !•> swindle the Daleons out of their land a light ensues, during wnlch one of the intruders Is accidentally killed, and it is this episode that marks the turning point in the Jives of the Dalton boys. The film goes on to illustrate the slow but almost inevitable change which follows, and which eventually turns them into desperate bandits, demanding and expecting no mercy imm their fellow men. Scott, who is a lawyer by profession, does what he ho l ,/ 01 " .V 18 e f K , twljile frlonds - but neither S-n-E? 1 1 18 f L IrI can st *y their fate. The humn££. Ul> from the 1 entirely and often humorous opening scenes to the terrific U M d n CXcite T enL £U the close, Is \ei> well done indeed, and there are certain scenes (the near-lynching for * Y . ample) in which an atmosphere of almost Bton er ik te haS !f a V d hi * h emotional ten SSSd““ y t XZ'ttofTSiSZ promise and intelligence un^ S- ~ e ®-t Si » : d °i pi Sss r tormanees expected of them. Ou-olnatlnTJEt .üb'/ecU

KOSY THEATRE—TO-DAY “MAISIE" “Maisie”! Remember that title. Put it down in your book as one of your “must seo” motion pictures. Because “Maisie” represents tops in great entertainment and she's showing at the Kosy Theatre to-day. Who is Maisie? Maisie is Ann Sothern and she is eo featured with Robert Young in this new Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer comedy drama.of the great open spaces thae is full of laughs and just as full of dramatic dynamite. Imagine a honky-tonk showgirl landing in Big Horn, Wyoming, with a troupe to play the opera house during Rodeo Week and suddenly finding that she’s stranded when the company manager disappears with all the funds. Imagine the same wise-cracking, man-shy girl taking a job with a carnival and getting herself arrested the first da.v on a charge of stealing the wallet of Slim Martin, manager of a ranch. Imagine her setting out to square accounts with this same Slim Martin and falling in love with him instead. That is the framework of the story of “Maisie,” and Robert Young g l *** SH, i\ Ma , rtin ’ ]3ut so much happens between the time these two met and the time they tight their way into each others arms that we only have time here to scratcli the surface. “Sergeant Madden." Grimly gripping story of the New York police and of a father who must put a halt to the criminal activities of his own son, “Sergeant Madden,” presents Wallace Beery in his most masterful characterisation to date. As Sergeant Madden. 30-year veteran of the force, soft-hearted, plodding and Idealistic, Beery epitomises the finest traits of “New York's Finest.” He is the cop on the beat to the minutest detail. But a trio of youngsters presses him hard for honours. Alan Curtis as the son who tries a short-cut to promotion and finally is forced to turn bank-robber, plays a mealy role to the hilt, with a linely shaded progression of character from the time he finds himself a victim of a prize-fight racket to the climactic moments when he is the snarling, cornered criminal. In a difficult role as the lush waif whom Beery adopts and who marnes Curtis, Laraine Day comes through with flying colours. Tom Brown torn h Ln d ° Pted so ? whose loyalties are torn both ways, shows a fine conception of another colourful characterisation Outstanding in the supporting roles are Fav 11 olden as Beery’s wife, Marc Lawrence flie'l- llm 11 n , r^ Gl s etaer ' David Gorcey as - ° Mario » Martin as his E?ta " e> - Sen We,den and

STATE THEATRE—TO-DAY

“I WAS AN ADVENTURESS" Glamorous romance and thoroughly absorbing entertainment result exquisite Zorina meets Greene in “1 Was An Adventuress, tne 20Lh Century-Fox presentation which shows to-day at the State Theatie. Zorina, appearing by courtesy of Samuel Goldwvn, portrays an alluring limitless of fortunes who, until she meets one oi her intended victims in the person of Greene, thinks love is not for her. How this engaging couple overcome the obstacles which threaten to keep them from love, makes one of the most delightfully entertaining films ever to come out of Hollywood. Set against a series of breathtakingly smart Continental backgrounds, “1 Was An Adventuress” provides the gorgeous Zorina with a role which gives her not only an opportunity to appear to nest advantage in a’wardrobe of eye-fill-ing creations, but also to prove herself a dramatic actress of great ability, under the flawless direction of Gregory Ratoff. As for Richard Greene, this handsome young actor, who has risen to the top rank of Hollywood favourites, turns in a performance which is bound to win him a host of naw fans. PraducUon Chief Darryl F. Zanuck provided a magnificent supporting cast. Erich von Stroheim, the unforgettable “man you love to hate,” returns from his European triumphs in “I Was An Adventuress” as a relentless Parisian swindler who would compel Zorina to continue luring rich men with her beauty while he concocts schemes to cheat them of huge sums. How she fights to keep her past from Greene and protect her new-found happiness from the menacing von Stroheim, makes for intriguing drama. An amusing touch is lent to the picture by Peter Lorre, who gives one of the most astonishing performances of the year ;us Polo, the muddle headed but bght-fingered accomplice of Zorina and von Stroheim. As much as it may surprise those moviegoers whom he haß terrified as a “horror man” in the past, Lorre here proves that he is a master of deft comedy as well! Sig Ruinann as a German industrialist and Fritz Feld as a French manufacturer also score. MAYFAIR THEATRE—TO-DAY “THE SHOWDOWN” Action is the keynote of Paramount’s latest “Hopalong Cassidy” romance, “The Showdown.” which shows at the Mayfair Theatre to-night. Action as the action fans like It—hard riding, hard fighting, hard playing, and William Boyd, who plays the part of the redoubtable “Hopulong,” proves himself a master portrayer of the silent man of the west who sees justice prevail in the process. The story concerns the machinations of a band of crooked gamblers and horse thieves who come into a frontier community and attempt to run it—until Cassidy catches up , with them, and winds up with one of the most thrilling runaways and captures ever recorded. This is performed and photographed in the best manner of Producer Harry Sherman, the gent who is responsible for lifting the Western out of the old “chase" tradition into legitimate motion picture entertainment. The cast also includes Russell Ilayden, Britt Wood. Morris Ankrum, lovely Jane Clayton and “The King’s Men,” cowboy singing aggregation of radio fame. The story is based on characters created by Clarence E. Mulford, topnotch writer of western action fiction. Associate Feature. That nostgalia many folks have for the days when the horseless carriage was horning in on the horse and buggy should be completely satisfied when “Those Were the Days,” Paramount's comedv romance about college life at “Good Old Siwash.” shows to-night at the Mayfair Theatre, with William Holden, Bonita Granville. Ezra .Stone, Judith Barrett and Vaughan Glaser as the top performers. For this is the picture which is based on the famous George Fitch stories about Si wash, generally conceded to be Knox College. Galesburg, Illinois. The stories have been made into cue smooth yarn full of all the hi jink s of "Petey” Simmons, “Allie” Bangs, and their confreres .in mischief—and romance—old style, but good. What is more, the pranks under consideration ere actuaUy filmed at Knox, assuring T-,1 B h . e H ° te S f fU ., n and fool'we required. Ted Reed produced and directed the nlc- . 'V A / Sa ° n this outstanding programme Leri?l P .-n 2ot our ~ew brilliant senal, Drums of Fu Manchu.”