AMUSEMENTS

North Canterbury Gazette, Volume 7, Issue 60, 30 November 1937, Page 8

AMUSEMENTS

(Supplied)

Regent Theatre, Rangiora

TONIGHT

“END OF THE TRAIL”

Zane Grey’s famous novel, “Outlaw's of Palouse,” a star-spangled yarn of the American rough-riders, will be shown tonight at the Regent, under the title of “End of the Trail,” with Jack Holt in the starring role.

The picture brings Holt back to the vigorous type of adventure stories in which he scored his greatest successes. He is capably supported in this film by an excellent cast, including Louise Henry, Guinn (“Big Boy”) Williams, Douglass Dumbrille, Gene Morgan, George McKay, and John McGuire. Erie Kenton, who directed “End of the Trail,” also appears in the cast as Lieutenant-Colonel Roosevelt in the thrilling attack on San Juan Hill.

THURSDAY

James Gleason, who has portrayed the blustering Inspector Oscar Piper in all the previous screen adventures of Oscar aud his feminine aide, Hildegarde Withers, again enacts the role in ItKO Radio’s newest detective thriller, “The Plot Thickens,” to be shown on Thursday evening. A new Hildegarde, lunvever, makes her bow in the new offering, with ZaSu Pitts playing the part of the sharptongued school teacher. Edna May Oliver impersonated Hildegarde in the first three pictures, “Penguin Pool Murder,” “Murder on a Blackboard,” and “Murder on a Honeymoon.” With the fluttering Miss Pitts teamed with the cigar-chewing Gleason, the comedy situations of the new offering are said to be the most hilarious to date. The plot deals with the daring effort of a gang of jewel thieves to steal the famous Cillini Cup, and it attains new “highs” in suspense and excitement before the surprising climax is reached.

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NEXT “THE GREAT ZIEGFELD” Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s colossal masterpiece of stage and screen, “The Great Ziegfeld,” will be presented at the Regent Theatre next Friday and Saturday with William Powell, Myrna Loy, Frank Morgan, and Luise Rainer heading a stupendous cast. Nothing approaching this gorgeous production has ever been seen on the screen before. As the picture takes over three hours to present, patrons are requested to be seated at 8 o’clock sharp. “The Great Ziegfeld” can be described in three words—world’s greatest entertainment! The picture has more first-rate entertainment values crowded into its sixteen reels than any other picture labelled “musical” or otherwise.

Aside from being a musical extravaganza, this story of America’s greatest showman and the Glorification of the Modern Girl also possesses a fine dramatic quality. The musical numbers, staged by Seymour Felix, formerly Ziegfeld’s dance director, include the beautiful “American Girl Circus” number featuring Harriet Hoctor in a daring oriental ballet with unleashed lions; the “Girl Bouquet” number, featuring the Glorified American Girls and Itay Bolger.

Rialto Theatre, Kaiapoi

“THREE MEN ON A HORSE”

One of the most hilarious racing comedy dramas ever produced “Three Men on a Horse” shows at the Rialto tomorrow and on Thursday with Joan Blondell, Frank McHugh, Guy Kibbee, Carol Hughes, and Allan Jenkins in the leading roles. The drama of the meek little rhymster who makes a precarious living by writing greeting card verses and has an uncanny faculty for picking winners of horse-races, is even more laugh-pro-voking on the screen than on the stage —which is saying a great deal. For the play is still going strong on Broadway though well into its second year. McHugh is priceless as the timid, jingle-writing Erwin (pronounced Oiwin) and Joan is at her cleverest as Mabel, the hard-boiled ex-chorus girl

whose rough-necked, boy friend places her as a bodyguard of Qiwin after he has been made an unwilling prisoner. Carol Hughes as Oiwin’s weepy wife and Guy Kibbee as Oiwin’s boss add considerably to the merriment. Mervyn Le Roy, of “Anthony Adverse” fame, was the director.

FRIDAY—“EVERYBODY DANCE”

Cicely Courtneidge returns to the screen at the Rialto on Friday in great form. Her latest comedy is from Gaumont-British, “Everybody Dance,” and is full of scintillating wit, hilarious sequences, and bright, tuneful melody.

As “Lady Kate,” a night club queen, Cicely laughs, wise-cracks, and sings her way through the rippling story at breathless speed. She is a treat and is well teamed with Hollywood’s Ernest Truex, who sheds his light of wit in radiant fashion.

SATURDAY—“THE DEVIL IS A SISSY” The attraction for Saturday and Monday is “The Devil is a Sissy,” with Freddie Bartholomew, Jackie Cooper, and Mickey Rooney in the leads.