ENTERTAINMENTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 10 December 1940, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS

CURRENT ATTRACTIONS MAJESTIC, WEDNESDAY: SPARKLING LAUGH HIT, “GOOD GIRLS GO TO PARIS,” MELVYN DOUGLAS, JOAN BLONDELL.

With a provocative title only a shadowy promise of its hilarious, sparkling plot, Columbia’s “Good Girls Go To Paris” with Melvyn Douglas and Joan Blondell, sensational co-stars of "There’s Always a Woman,” again are teamed in the new film. “Good Girls Go To Paris,” presents Douglas in a new and distinctive characterisation, that of an English exchange professor slightly bewildered by the feverish, hectic activity at an American university, and completely dazed by his suddenly acquired role of confidential adviser to a young waitress whose sole ambitiou is to go to Paris. Laugh-provoking adventures involving the two stars take them from the college town to New York and eventually to a millionaire’s mansion where the tangled threads of half-a-dozen lives provide the suspense which builds to the surprising climax. Important feature roles are played by Walter Connolly, as the capricious millionaire: Isabel Jeans, a flighty, mid-dle-aged woman: Alan Curtis, playboy grandson; and Joan Perry, the granddaughter. Other supporting parts are played by Alexander D’Arcy, Stanley Brown, Robert Sterling and Dick Fiske. An excellent selection of supporting subjects includes a Charley Chase comedy. Screen Snapshots. “Diving Rhythm” (Interest), “Man-Made Island,” a beautiful travelogue in colour and the latest world newsreels. STATE: TO-MORROW. CESAR ROMERO IN “VIVA CISCO KID” AND THE JONES FAMILY IN “SAFETY IN NUMBERS.” O. Henry's handsome and adventuresome caballero. "the Visco Kid,” is played for the second time by tall, debonair Cesar Romero, who is even better in this film —riding, shooting, facing danger and finding romance at every turn in the trail with reckless abandon. Five seconds after Cisco has declared himself through with all senoritas, lovely Jean Rogers walks into his life. She’s a damsel in distress—and the gallant Cisco rushes to her rescue. From then on he keeps himself and his ever-pre-sent pal. Gordito. in trouble trying to keep her out of it. The roly poly ChrisPin Martin again plays Gordito. whose fruitless attempts to check Cisco’s romantic inclinations provide plenty of laughs. The second unit features Twentieth Century-Fox’s famous Jones Family, who are now well known to filmgoers. The original production policy of maintaining the family intact throughout each picture of the series has been extended to include almost the entire town of Maryville—and with happy results. "Safety in Numbers” introduces a new section of Maryville to Jonesites. Barton Springs, a suburb of the town, is discovered to be a spa of medicinal importance and k the entire populace is aroused over the resort possibilities of the place. Mrs Joffes is given a thirteen-week broadcast hour for a domestic advice programme by thj Springs’ sponsors and Dad Jones heads the citizens’ investment committee. When the spring turns out to be a “phony,” the Joneses get a chance to prove—in a hilarious and exciting climax—that there is, indeed, “Safety in Nunbers.” REGENT, DOUBLE FEATURE: “CONVICTED WOMAN” AND “SEVENTEEN” “Convicted Woman” is a poignant, penetrating story of women in prison. It is a brutal, shocking revelation of a female “Big House” ruled by a merciless high priestess of torture and is now screening at the Regent Theatre. Rochelle Hudson, Frieda Inescort, Lola Lane and June Lang head the large cast' and Glenn Ford plays the only import- i ant male role. Other featured players include Iris Mex’edith, Lorna Gray, Linda Winters, and Beatrice Blinn. Nick Grinde directed from a screen play by Joseph Carole. The associate feature is the story of a young man who suffers all the trials and tribulations of a great love only to find that at seventeen he is not yet a man. This is Paramount’s adaptation of Booth Tarkington's famous classic, “Seventeen.” Jackie Cooper plays the role of the love-stricken youth with a delightful touch of humour, without losing for a moment the audience’s sympathy in his time of ti ouble. The picture opens with Jackie rapidly approaching the status of manhood and very conscious of the position. The age is awkward enough, but the condition is aggravated when a flirtatious young miss from the big city arrives in the small town. There follows a period of utter confusion when the love-stricken lad juggles his financial resources and loses friends and family sympathy in a desperate effort to make a hit However, a reconstruction is effected and comes the realisation that seventeen is, after all, just a boy. With Jackie Cooper in the cast are Betty Field, as the fickle miss. Otto Kruger, as the lad’s father, and Ann Shoemaker as the understanding mother.