ENTERTAINMENTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 24 January 1939, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS

CURRENT ATTRACTIONS '1

MAJESTIC: NOW SHOWING, SUPERB I CAST IN M.G.M.’S “WOMAN, 1 AGAINST WOMAN.” COMINGFRIDAY, “TIIE TEXANS” i I The age-old triangle of a man and two women still finds novel and up-to-the-minute treatment in "Woman Against Woman.” which is now in season. In this instance the man Herbert Marsha! . is a husband, and the women. Virginia Bruce and Mary Astor. are his second and first wives respectively, -vith the first determined that his marriage to the second shall not oe a success. In the hands of this trio the story takes on telling con- j viction. Miss Bruce is more charming than ever and continues the steady dramatic advance she evidenced in "The First Hundred Years.” and Miss Astor gives a skilful interpretation of a most i unsympathetic role. A picturisation of! Margaret Culkin Manning’s national ; magazine story. ‘Enemy Territory.” the j film presents a group of equally sparkling featured characterisations, among them Janet Beecher as Marshall’s moth- 1 er Marjorie Ram beau as a senator's wife responsible for Marshall’s first meeting with Miss Bruce. Juanita Quig- { lek as the child who complicates the j problems of the leading trio, and also l Zeffie Tilbury. Sarah Padden Bejty Ross Clarke. Dorothy Morgan Wallace and Joseph Creehan An exceptionally strong supporting programme includes as usual news service an historical mystery, a Metro minia- j ture musical, another of the “Crime! Doesn’t Pay” series and a cartoon A romance between a fire-eating j belle of the Old South and a handsome | young soldier forms the plot of Paramount’s epic drama of the Reconstruction period, “The Texans.” which will have its first local showing next Friday at the Majestic Theatre. Lovely Joan Bennett will be seen as the belle, who tries to start a one-woman rebellion against Northern rule, while Randolph Scott, plays the impoverished soldier w ho forces her to adopt his more con ciliatory policies toward the Union. Others in the cast are May Robson, "the grand old lady of the screen,” Walter Brennan. Robert Barrat, Robert' Cummings and Harvey Stephens. Flans are now open.

STATE: STILL SCREENING ‘‘ALEX ANDER S RAGTIME BAND”

Packed houses for the three nights of screening have greeted the outstanding production “Alexander’s Ragtime Band ’ Based on the life of the world famous song writer, Irving Berlin, the picture is a truly great reproduction. It contains all the old songs—the hits of their day, right up to the present time Applause has greeted the respective numbers. Tyrone Power, Alice Faye and Don Ameche all give sterling performances. “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” can be classified as one of the greater entertainments of the screen.

The next change billed for the State is popular Will Hnv. English comedian, in another of his humorous pictures—"Oh, Mr Porter,” which, as the name implies is connected with railways. Tt promises to be as big a laugh raiser as his previous attractions, which is certainly saying a great deal.

REGENT TO-NIGHT: GUEST NIGHT: “THREE KIDS AND A QUEEN” AND “THE INVISIBLE RAY”

"Three Kids and a Queen” has May i Robson in the leading role of an excellent comedy-drama. Never before has Miss Robson been seen in a characterisation so appealing and so human as this. As Mary Jane Baxter she is presented as a bitter and imperious old maid, crabbed and vet filled with an acid quality of delightful humour and even in her most indignant moments one feels that she is slyly poking fun at a world m* which she is very much disappointed. But it is a runaway accident which renders her unconscious that opens the way for the happielf period of her life, and she "comes to” in the East Side barber shop of a basement flat Here her great adventure in happiness leads to more exciting adventures in which she is kidnapped by gangsters, and the story is filled with absorbing interest to its unusual climax An exceptional cast supports Miss Robson. including such popular players as Frankie Darro. William Benedict. Billy Burrud. Charlotte Henry. Henry Armetta. Laurence Grant. Herman Bing. Hedda Hopper. John Miljan and many I others. The associate feature is "The Invisible Ray.” More than any other screen stars. Karloff and Bela Lugosi are so indelibly associated with certain characters that Karloff has been nicknamed “Frankenstein” and Lugosi ' “Dracula.” Both these players are co- • stars in “The Invisible Ray,” a thrilling 1

mystery drama of a man who drew power from the Heavens in his worldshaking invention, “Radium X,” and wielded his power for good and for evil Frances Drake and Frank Lawton support the stars. There are no reserves on guest -nights.'