Double Bill Brings Rare Entertainment At Regent

Northern Advocate, 20 February 1939, Page 2

Double Bill Brings Rare Entertainment At Regent

Seldom is seen so uproarious a comedy as the leading attraction on the Regent Theatre’s current double star programme, “Up the River.” A welcome relief from,the cycle of grim prison melodrama's, “Up the River” transforms the usually sombre w'alls of a State penitentiary into a background for ridiculous situations and tuneful song hits. The story concerns itself with a group of happy inmates in a mythical state prison, which boasts a radio in every cell, gates that are practically revolving doors, and the best football teem in the “Big Pen Conference.”

Preston Foster and Arthur Treacher are cast as partners in crime who break out of prison to clear Tony Martin and Phyllis BfoOks, innocent victims of 'a confidence Packet. Slim Summerville is the prison football coach, and Bill Robinson contributes his inimitable brand of tap-dancing. Foster and Treacher, in a thrilling sequence, succeed in straightening out the lovers’ difficulties, returning to gaol in time to take the field in the big football game with <a neighbouring prison, and the film reaches an exciting and hilarious climax on the gridiron. The methods employed In obtaining evidence against the members of a gigantic racketeering ring, are dramatically depicted in “Smashing the Rackets,” the second feature. *

With Chester Morris, Prances Mercer, Rita Johnson and Bruce Cabot heading the cas£ the story traces the activities of Morris as a determined

G-man in bringing to justice relentless criminals.

His record prompts the district attorney of a big city to put him on his legal staff. Morris finds his hands virtually tied by gullible juries, corrupt administration, and faint-heart-ed business "men who are intimidated by the well-organised racketeers, Morris interests the grand jury composed of leading citizens and gets an appointment as its special prosecutor. Given free rein, the young man launches a terrific campaign against the gangsters, using their own strong-arm methods as well as scientific devices in squeezing the evidence from the thugs and their terrorised victims.

Counterpointing the dram'atic action of the story is a romance between Morris and Frances Mercer, which encounters complications when the young lady’s impetuous sister becomes involved with the underworld and *aces a murder charge/ r