ENTERTAINMENTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 28 November 1938, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS

CURRENT ATTRACTIONS

STATE: LAST NIGHT OF FRED AS- l TAIRE’S POPULAR SHOW, “A 1 DAMSEL IN DISTRESS.” TOMORROW: A DOUBLE FEATURE SPECIAL PROGRAMME ! Large houses have witnessed "A 1 I Damsel in Distress,” P. G. Wodehouse’s j riotous story adaptation and have shown that the popular Fred Astaire still ; intrigues audiences with his outstand- ; ing dancing, his songs and his delightful i clowning. Burns and Allen, comedy team, add to this already amusing pic- : ture, whilst Joan Fontaine as Fred's i new leading lady, is as charming as she J can possibly be. In all ‘‘A Damsel in Distress” is a picture of rare entertainment. To-morrow the State will present a specially selected programme consisting of two excellent pictures. The first is a comedy, “Living on Love.” with James Dunn, an always popular star, j The associate feature is “Rawhide,” an j ace Western, starring Smith Bellew ; I and the great Lou Gchrigg, famous baseball star, in his first picture. The State announces the coming of that star of stars, Sonja Henie, who is to be seen in her greatest musical delight, “Happy Landing,” which commences on Friday next. No greater favourite is there than Sonja, and j patrons are advised that plans now | • being open, they should make immedi-' ate reservations. i MAJESTIC: FINALLY TO-NIGHT, DANIELLE DARRIEUX IN “THE RAGE OF PARIS.” COMMENCING ' 2 P.M. TO-MORROW, THE SEN- ' SATIONAL “DEAD END” Danielle Darrieux, piquant French 1 star, has completely captivated audi- 1 ences in her initial American produc- ! tion, “The Rage of Paris.” She takes ' the part of Nicole de Cortillon, a poor • girl looking for modelling work in New York, and in this role reveals a charm- ’ ing personality. Her features are sel- ’ dom motionless, for some mood or other ; is continually ruffling their beauty— ] some little comic grimace, some frown 1 or twinkle, or some mischievous twist 1 of the lips. Helen Broderick appears ; as a retired actress who takes charge of i Nicole and attempts to find for her a . rich husband. As the head waiter who is in the conspiracy with the . pretty adventuress and her supposed j aunt, Mischa Auer is ever ready with some witty remark; James Trevor [ (Douglas Fairbanks, jun.) is Nicole's enemy, for he is a friend of her prospective husband and warns him that the girl is, socially, not what she * appears to be. Fairbanks plays this 1 role with his usual care. Another of the Majestic fcaturette sessions adds : greatly to the excellent programme. The phenomenally successful Samuel ' Goldwyn production. “Dead End,” com- 1 mences at the Majestic to-morrow • (Tuesday), with Sly via Sidney and Joel McCrea in the starring roles. This is a 1 powerful drama of a day in the lives of i a handful of humans who inhabit a i 'dead end’ city street. Sylvia is seen as ’ Drina, the slum girl who is battling ] desperately to raise herself and her ] small brother to a ’ etter life; McCrea i plays Dave, the poor architect she ] loves, who, in turn, loves Kay, Wendy , Barry, who has found a way out of the j slums into luxury. Humphrey Bogart ( is seen as Baby Face Martin, the gang- 1 ster with a price on his head, Allen t Jenkins as Hunk, “Baby Face’s” henchman, and the Dead End kids from the | original New Y’ork stage cast, Billy J Ha lop, Gabriel Dell, Bobby Jordan. Huntz Hall, Lea Gorcey and Bernard C Punsley, re-live their famous character- *

REGENT TO-NIGHT: “THE JURY’S SECRET’ ’AND “ROMANCE IN PARIS.” There is an unusual story well presented in “The Jury’s Secret.” This concerns the predicament of an editorial writer who finds himself serving on the jury in a murder trial when he himself should be standing in the dock. Although he saves the accused man he cannot escape his own Nemesis. There are some fine dramatic scenes in the film and a vein of irony runs through the interesting narrative. Kent Taylor is unexpectedly good in the chief role, and Larry Blake is a virile and fearless labour leader who gets caught in the mesh of circumstantial evidence. Fay Wray builds up a sympathetic study as the newspaper reporter who forces her lover to expose his guilt. The associate feature “Romance in Paris,” featuring the famous Continental screen |'tar, Fernand Gravet, with Joan Blondell and Edward Everett Horton, is a swift and humorous musical comedy set in gay Paree. The story tells of a young spendthrift who turns to the gaieties of Paris and becomes involved in a trouble strewn and complex romance with an American chorus girl. Plans are now open at R. A. Thomas’s, ’phone 59G.