ENTERTAINMENTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 28 August 1939, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

CURRENT ATTRACTIONS AT TIIE STATE: PYGMALION” NOW SHOW ING TO CAPACITY j HOUSES AND CONTINUING TILL i | THURSDAY. TWO SESSIONS DAILY j In “Pygmalion." the screen version of j |Bernard Shaw's brilliant comedy. Leslie Howard plays the starring role. Bcr- 1 J nard Shaw's story, it will be remem- ! jbered, tells of a Cockney flower girl.] ! who becomes the subject of an experiment to a professor of phonetics—a role : I which provides Leslie Howard one of I I the greatest opportunities of his distin- I finished career to display his unchal- ] len.ficd histrionic genius. The idea from j the phonetic expert’s point of view, is ( to prove that it is possible to take a 1 girl out of the gutter and transform her ! into a society lady of fine speech and exquisite manners. The experiment is ; a brilliant success. Commencing Friday, double-feature j programme including. “Charlie Chan! in Honolulu.” Having solved mur- ' der mysteries in London. Paris. Egypt. Shanghai, at the race track, the opera, the Olympics, on Broad- ; I way and in Monte Carlo, Charlie j | Chan returns to his own home town in ; the latest of his adventures, “Charlie j | Chan in Honolulu." to solve the most j baffling mystery he has yet encounter-j ed. This 20th Century-Fox production : presents Sidney Toler in the role of: Earl Derr Diggers’ famous sleuth fori the first time. Phyllis Brooks. Sen Yung. Eddie Collins. John King. Claire i Dodd. George Zucco. Robert Barrat and i Marc Lawrence are included in the cast j jof the production, which was directed I by H. Bruce Humbcrstone with John] Stone associate producer. I In “Down on the Farm” Pa Jones has ! jlet himself in for a peck of trouble, and ] I thcrc arc bushels of fun and excitement •as the whole family pitch in to help lnm out in the latest of 20th Ccntury(Fox’s delightful Jones Family series. MAJESTIC, RONALD COLMAX, FRANCES DEE, BASIL RATHBONE, CAST OF THOUSANDS IN "IF I WERE KING.” TO-MORROW STANLEY LUPIXO IN “HOLD MY HAND”

“If I Were King” is a picture which everyone should see. Combining, as it ] docs, brilliant acting by a brilliant cast, j brilliant scenes, thrills, romance, comedy. and pathos, this is an outstanding picture. Previous bookings necessitate confining the season to the usual three i days, and it will screen finally on Mon- ! day, no extension being possible. Ron- ! aid Col man gives a most fascinating performance as Francois Villon, one of thr most picturesque and romantic men ever to strut across the pages of history, ] Afi exceptional first half includes a Tra* ; v’clngue. "Popcyc cartoon, and a magniJ fluent Technicolour short subject, “Moj ments of Charm,” showing Spitnlny’s jail-girl orchestra of twenty-five pieces In a wonderful repertoire. “HOLD MY HAND” It was said when Stanley Lupino’* latest comedy was first released. “If j you’ve any troubles you want to forget, go ancl see ‘Hold My Hand.’ It is true comedy for it makes laughter out of ti ouble ancl thoroughly fulfils the function of this noble type of entertainment. Stanley Lupino is teamed with Fred Emney, Sally Gray and Barbara Blair in this comedy riot. The picture contains all the ingredients of success, comedy, snappy music, ancl of course the bright and beautiful lasses ment’oned. The gags crackle and wbizz in the best Lupino manner, but always with that sure touch that distinguishes ical comedy from mere buffoonery. jJolm Wood (who will be remembered I as leading juvenile in a number of New j Zealand productions under the J. C. 'Williamson banner a few years ago) and j Jack Melford are excellent additions to j this really palatable Lupino combination.

REGENT: COMMENCING TO-NIGHT ] “CONVICTED” AND "FIGHTING I THOROUGHBREDS" | ‘‘Convicted" on circumstantial evij dence, despite* his own sister's confes--1 sion of murder! That is the situation ! faced by Charles Quigley and Rita HayS worth, principals of the new Colum- ] : bia mystery drama Which commences] 'at the Regent to-night. The film details I the efforts of the girl and of a police j detective to prove her brothers innocence. Quigley is cast as the detective j whose admiration for the fight put up j • by Miss Hayworth . nuses him to assist j her. Miss Hayworth is seen as n night I club singer who confessed to the mur* ! der in a deperate attempt to save her brother. She loses, and the boy is sentenced to death. Quigley and the- girl thereupon embark upon a race against time, and finally capture the true killer, j The associate attraction “Fighting ) Thoroughbreds” has Ralph Byrd. Mary ! Carlisle. Robert Allen and Georges j Hayes playing the leading roles. The j picture is packed with entertainment and thrills. Byrd is a handsome hero, i and Mary Carlisle one of the lovelier blondes of the screen. George Hayes provides ample comedy moments and Robert Allen a personable loser of the girl. Sidney Saikow directed the picture.