Entertainments

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 1, 2 January 1941, Page 9

Entertainments

REGENT THEATRE—TO-DAY “THE SEA HAWK” “The Sea Hawk” unfurls the glorious saga of the boldest buccaneer ever to fight under the flag of the skull and cross-bones, exciting naval battles between England and Spain, fierce fighting in danger-swept waters of the Spanish Main! Behind this, court intrigue, internal politics, midnight raids, fighting through enemy ambush—all the tyranny that shackles men to the tortures of bondage! In a way it all parallels current events with the 16th Century—England as the foe of the aggressor, then as now. Among England’s great heroes of the day was The Sea Hawk (Errol Flynn), a fearless lighter, a sort of “Robin Hood of the Seas,” confiscating gold and merchandise which he brings home to fill England’s dwindling coffers. On one of his daring adventures he captures the ship carrying the Spanish Ambassador (Claude Rains) and his English niece (Brenda Marshall), with whom The Sea Hawk falls in Jove. While the Queen (elora Robson) berates this exploit, in secret she sends him off to pirate more gold from the Spaniards. They learn of this plan, trap him in a swamp-infested jungle and imprison hiril as a galley slave aboard a Spanish vessel. With a dagger ho loosens his shackles and almost single-handed overcomes both the galley timekeeper and wliipper. 11/ then frees his fellow prisoners, who engage in hand-to-hand lights and duels with the ship’s officers and men. The Sea Hawk takes possession of the ship, saves the day and the Navy for England. In recognition of this, he wins knighthood trom the Queen, and the love of the Ambassador’s niece. KOSY THEATRE—TO-DAY “SAILING ALONG” Haunting new tunes, unusual river settuigs, enthralling story, big dance ensembles, five leading men and a new Jessie Matthews are the ingredients of the big new musical “Sailing Along” at the Rosy Theatre. Sonnie Hale was responsible for the direction of this film which shows Jessie Matthews as the adopted daughter of a bargee who plies ms way up and down the Thames. Roland Young, an eeeentrie millionaire, watches her terpaiehurean efforts from the hank one da>, and offers to sponsor her in a causer. Her resultant ardour is considerably dampened by Steve, the son of her luster father, but she nevertheless “cSmest'starT oun " >llcttle<l - «<>«

“Dangerously Yours.” The loveliest adventuress that ever eyed a diamond and the gayest adventurer that ever stole a heart match wits for the world's most valuabie gem and match hearts in the world’s most dangerous game in the thrilling Twentieth CenturyBox picture, ‘Dangerously Yours,” featuring Cesar Romero and Phyllis Brooks. A love of danger and a dangerous love leads this new screen pair to a thrillpacked adventure that covers two continents, llasning excitingly from transAtlantic liner to city streets and turning a search for the Omar diamond into a quest for each other. Aboard a luxury liner bound for New York is the worldfamous Omar diamond, valued at 300,000 dollars, in tne care of a noted dealer in precious stones. The passenger list is liberally sprinkled with persons having designs upon this fabulous gem, chief among them Cesar Romero, posing as a rich Argentine ranch owner. Phyllis Brooks and her aust, Jane Darweil, are also after the diamond, and Miss Brooks, by making love to Romero, exacts his promise tnat he will leave the gem alone. But oilier crooks are aboard, not the least of which is Alan Dinehart. and the battle oi wits proceeds apace, interrupted by a murder during the then of the stone. A rapidly paeeu, thrilling climax ensues, in which Romero and Miss Brooks forget their competition for the jewel in their iove for each other.

STATE THEATRE—TO-MORROW “DANCE, GIRD, DANCE” “Dance, Girl, Dance,” is an exciting story of back-stage life the type of entertainment that possesses universal appeal. Co-starring Maureen O’Hara, Louis Hayward and Lucille Ball, the sparkling comedy-drama with music reveals itself to be a most unique offering, combining romance, laughs, poignant drama, and a wealth of diversified songs and dances against spectacular backgrounds. The three stars have never been seen to better advantage. Miss O’Hara is ideally cast as an impoverished dancing girl who dreams of fame as a ballet star. Miss Ball is a member of an unsuccessful dancing troupe, but being more practical, she is out to get what she can, especially from her legion of sugar daddies. Hayward portrays convincingly a disgruntled playboy millionaire whose wife divorces him and who seeks solace with the two girls until Miss Ball hog-ties him at the altai-. Ralph Bellamy gives another of his sterling characterisations, playing the role of a noted dance impresario who eventually discovers Miss O'Hara while she is engaged as a comedy build-up for Miss Ball s .sensational numbers in a ri™ P va J^ ty Mlow theatre. The knockdown and drag-out battle the two girls binge when their jealousy reaches the exeauaUerl nlffh haS ncver beloi ' e been equalled on the screen. Song and dHnr^ !!»?!;?*?«*• scilUiUaiA/ mm a ™“ V, s fetar > ballet spectacle featuring Maureen O’Hara; and Lucille BBT*? S/p'S! w“at n Do’ UhriJht V ?iea C n ie 'l ter Fore ‘ st and Robert vright created the three Jilting tunes. MAYFAIR THEATRE—TO-DAY “ANDY HARDY GETS SPRING FEVER” Youngsters built a “volcano” for a school show, lest the work of skilled technicians make it appear too “professional.” it was all in the interest of comedy in “Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever,” lucky seventh Hardy Family hit. showing tonight at the Mayfair Theatre. Psychology was behind tile handiwork of the youngsters. The comedy highlight of the picture is a school play, supposedly written by Mickey Rooney and presented by his fellow students in higli school. The “volcano” serves as a place into which Ann Rutherford can jump. To give it authenticity, sucli materials were assembled as paper streamers to be blown as “flames,” pasteboard, chicken wire, plaster and paint, and Mickey and George Breakston were left to their own devices to build it, much of the work being before the camera. The same idea applied to having youngsters build “scenery” and paint the posters advertising the school show. W. S. Van Dyke 11. directed "Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever.” In the Blory Mickey and his sweetheart Ann Rutherford quarrel. Mickey falls in love with the pretty dramatics teacher in high school, writes the school show, stars in it and proposes to the teacher only to learn a few facts of true romance. Comedy highlights include uhe play, the volcano and the “prop moon that does a rhumba in the midst of Mickey’s dramatic .scene with Miss Rutherford. Dramatic moments include Mickey’s talk about marriage with his father, his proposal to Helen Gilbert, playing the school teacher, his discovery that she is already engaged, and their final scene together. There is an excellent supporting programme. METEOR TO-DAY “IT ALL CAME TRUE” “It All Came Tr.ue,” Warner Bros, film version of the famous Louis Bromfield story, wiil show to-night at the Meteor Theatre with Ann Sheridan in the starring role, and Jeffrey Lynn, Humphrey Bogart and Zasu Pitts featured with her. Louis Bromfield, author of such fine novels as “The Rains Came” and others, now deals with the iiopes and disappointments of a group of people living in a New York boarding house. With the intensity of plot and characterisation typical of Bromlield’s stories, lie shows how these people, content to live in the reveries of their past, are suddenly thrown into a Lurmqil, when a gangster uses the boarding house as a hide-out. The mood and pace change smoothly from the fond old “Gay Nineties” to the disconcerting realities of the present. The songs are a good example of that. Ann Sheridan sings sucli old favourites as “Mr. Dooley." “Oh, You Beautiful Doll’’ and “Pretty Baby” with the same distinctive qualiLy Lhat she sings the brand new rhumba, “Gaucho Serenade” and the sweet romantic ballad, “Angel in Disguise.”