CIVIC THEATRE.

Otaki Mail, 24 March 1939, Page 2

CIVIC THEATRE.

TO-NIGIIT—“SAILING ALONG.” ‘■Sailing Along," v.hi-h screeim a! the Civic. Theatre to-night, presents Britain’s No. 1 star, Jessie Matthews, in one of tliu greate.-t roles of her meteoric career. Unprecedented opportunities to display her famous singing and dancing talents and amazing ve.satility are vouchsafed the star in this brilliant new (j.li.h. production, which is based on an original story by .Sel-.vyn Jepson. Cast «s, the adopted daughter of a bargee wno becomes a famous dan cer, tae star has five leading men, ali of whom play an important part in her rise to fame. Barry Mackay, who played opposite .les-ie Matthews in “Sj.-aik-les,” portrays the bargeman’s son, whose affectionate scorn prompts the young girl to accept IJoland Young’s generous offer of sponsorship, whilejack Whiting, who is. an ideal nev.dancing partner for the .star, is seen as an influential producer who is responsible for her first big chance on the stage. Noel Madison appears as a highspeed Press agent, and Alastair .Sim play.- the part of an eccentric painter w ho befriends the star. SATURDAY AND MONDAY. “TOO HOT TO HANDLE.” Clark Gable and Myrna Loy as dare-devils under fire, provide thrills romance and action-packed drama in “Too Hot to Handle,” story of the daring feats of newsreel cameramen, which is playing at the Civic Theatre on Saturday and Monday. Action .gets off to a flying start in Shanghai. War. aviation thrills, the quest of a 10-r aviator amid savage tribes in South American wilds, the crack up of Miss Loy’s ’plane, are among the rapid fire details of the new picture. The GableLov combination, acclaimed in “Test Pilot,” figures in even faster and more furious romance in the new picture. The story shows Gable and his rivals ferreting out “scoops” in the Orient, ranging from bombings to the “Chinese Big Apple.” Miss Loy starts on a mercy flight. Gable, in quest of a “scoop,” manages to involve her in a ’plane wreck. There is a hoax accusation and 1 o-/c dawns amid a melee of excit .- ment. Lawrence Stallings, author of “What Price Glory” and “The Big Parade,” and John Lee Mahin did a clever job of scripting from the original story v Is-:i Hammond. Walter Pidgeon plays Bill Dennis, Gable’s principal rival: Walter Connolly is Gabby McArthur, Gable’s boss; Leo Carrillo has the comedy roie of Joselito. Also in the east are Johnny Hines, Virginia Weidler, Betty Boss Clarke, Henry Kolkcr, Willie Fung and "Patsy O’Connor.