ENTERTAINMENTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 17 April 1939, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS

CURRENT ATTRACTIONS ! STATE: LAST NIGHT OF “THE SAINT OF NEW YORK.” FRIDAY. RETURN SEASON OF “SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS” The final screening takes place tonight of the picturisation of Leslie Charteris’s mystery novel, “The Saint in New York.” , The bond between a faithful dog and his master, and a woman’s loyalty to them both, are threaded into the pow- ■ erful, dramatic story of “Blind Alibi,” Richard Dix's current starring vehicle in which Whitney Bourne plays the feminine lead, and Eduardo Ciannelli the chief menace. Richard Dix is cast as a talented sculptor whose sister runs afoul of a group of blackmailers and ; who persuades her brother to acquire a J packet of letters being used by the j crooks in their scheme. Paul Guilfoyle, { Frances Mercer. Richard Lane and Jack ) Arnold play important supporting roles . j in “Blind Alibi,” which Lew Landers directed for RKO Radio. “Ace. the ■ Wonder Dog.*’ has an important role. The management announces that in | response to hundreds of requests, the wonder production. “Snow While and Ihe Seven Dwarfs” has been secured for a return season commencing on Friday next. Many have already reserved, and it is predicted that plans will again be heavily booked, so the public are urged to make early reservation. MAJESTIC FINALLY TO-NIGHT: “SPAWN OF THE NORTH.” TOMORROW AT 2 P.M.: TOM WALLS IN BEN TRAVERS’ MARITAL COMEDY, “SECOND BEST BED” The screen’s first great saga of the men who plow the Arctic seas in search of Alaska's /‘silver horde” of salmon is told in “Spawn of the North,” which definitely concludes tonight. With George Raft, Henry Fondo and Dorothy Lamour heading an

all-start cast, it tells of the titanic struggle between fishermen and sea pirates for control of the waters off the Alaskan coast and the tragic experience of two lifelong friends ranged against e,..ch other in the final battle. It was directed by Henry Hathaway, who brought “Lives of a Bengal Lancer” and “Souls at Sea” to the screen.

Commencing at 2 p.m. to-morrow is the riotous marital comedy, “Second Best Bed.” Written by Ben Travirs in his most piquant style, the film affords the popular Tom Walls with an excellent vehii > for his talents. Walls is seen as a desirable batchelor who so far forgets himself as to criticise the footwork of a beautiful young contestant in a tennis tournament. Hitherto admired and pampered by all the males in the vicinity, the girl, brilliantly played by Jane Baxter, is swept off her feet by the Walls cave man tactics and marries him only to discover that he has very decided ideas concerning a wife's place in the home. The film unfolds its hilarious plot against the most varied backgrounds ranging from the tennis tournament where they first clashed in a luxurious hotel in Monte Carlo. Travers has written a modern version of “The Taming of the Shrew.” Even the title has been borrowed from Shakespeare—from his will. The clause reads . . and I leave unto my wife my second best bed.” The Travers translation plus the Tom Walls artistry provides hilarious entertainment.

REGENT FINALLY TO-NIGHT: “MISSING WITNESSES,” “SPEED TO BURN.” COMMENCING TOMORROW, “W’EDDING PRESENT” AND “SPENDTHRIFT”

Two exceptionally outstanding attractions have been selected for our popular guests nights, “Wedding Present," with Joan Bennett and Cary Grant in starring roles. The film is a fast-mov-ing romantic comedy set against a background of newspaper life. Heading the stellar supporting cast are George Bancroft, Conrad Nagel, Gene Lockhart, Inez Courtney, Edward Brophy and Damon Ford. “Wedding Present" introduces Grant and Miss Bennett as reporters on a metropolitan daily. Their ability and pranks make them the .joy and despair of their hard-boiled city editor, Bancroft. As the story opens, one of these pranks puts a halt tc a proposed marriage of the two reporters. Bancroft resigns as city editor

and Grant succeeds him. Intent on be-' coming a success, he forgets his playful nature and becomes as hard-boiled as his predecessor. An argument with Miss Bennett results in her running away to New Yorjc, where she convinces herself she is in love with Nagel, a writer of inspirational books. Grant, quitting his job and following’her, prepares t} give her the most impressive wedding present of all time. The associate attraction. “Spendthrift,” features Henry Fonda. Mary Brian and Pat Paterson. Fonda runs into domest:' trouble when he marries a Southern lass, Mary Brian, only to discover that she is a gold-digger and a fortune hunter. Their married life is one row after another until she leaves him and Fonda finds real romance with Pat Pater-