AMUSEMENTS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19884, 10 March 1939, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS

REGENT THEATRE ROONEY AND BARTHOLOMEW IN “THE BOY FROM BARNARDO'S” The entertaining Metro-Gold wynMayer film “The Bo.v from Barnardo’s,” in which Mickey Rooney and Freddie Bartholomew have the principal roles, will commence a season at the Regent Theatre today. Bartholomew has a part rather similar to that which played in “Captains Courageous" and gives an equally line portrayal. He is east as a priggish and impudent orphan boy who becomes associated with two jewel thieves and, after capture by the police, is sent to one of the Barnardo Homes. Here lie is hated by his companions, but gradually a change in his character takes place as he enters into the spirit of the home. A newcomer, Perry Kilburn, is splendid as a small Cockney boy. while other roles are taken by Herbert Mundin, Walter Kingsley and Gale Sondergaard. The featurettes are of a high standard, "Captain’s Christmas.” a delightful cartoon in colour; “Popular Science, also in colour, and dealing with the latest inventions: "Miracle of Salt Lake." a Metro oddity; “Opening Day." the latest Our Gang comedy; and last but by no means least, Cinesound News, with Charles Lawrence.

Owing to the heavy booking for Saturday, parents are advised to send their children to the special children’s matinee at 10.30 n.m. MAJESTIC THEATRE JOE E. BROWN IN “THE GLADIATOR,” AND “CRIME RING” Joe E. Brown commences a laugh lei season to-day at the Majestic Phealr.: in "The Gladiator." He does not look like a super-man but . . . he can carry the ball unaided through an entire football team! He can break every record in track and field without even gasping for breath! He can wrestle Man Mountain Dean to a fare-thce-well! He can do anything and everything better than anyone else! In this hilarious comedy Joe E. Brown makes his greatest appearance! A human guinea pig, unwittingly turned into a superman by the scientific magic of a henpecked college professor, Brown s role is • like nothing he has ever before portrayed. It is different, exciting and funny. And Brown supplies the proper balance of whimsy which makes "The Gladiator believable despite the humorous intent ot its Columbia technical stall. You will like the other members of the cast, who have never been seen to belter advantage. They include June I'ravis, who makes a most charming loading lady: Robert Kent, who is a convincing villain; Lucicn Littlefield. the eccentric professor; Ethel Wales, his nagging wife; Dickie Moore the boy actor; and Man Mountain Dean, the Hill-Billy who ran a set of whiskers to fame and fortune in the wrestling game, and is nrw duplicating this act in the fields of films and politics. How unlicensed and unscrupulous “mystic fortunetellers” can delude gullible clients and rob them of millions annually is vividly depicted in the associate feature, “Crime Ring," in which Allan Lane and Frances Mercer are teamed. Lane is cast as a live-wire newspaper reporter who persuades .lie police department to use himself and his girl friend, Miss Mercer, as i decoy in trapping a gigantic ring of swindlers operating behind a for-tune-telling front. Inez Courtney, Frank M. Thomas, Clara Blandick, Bradley Page and Charles Trowbridge also appear in the cast. The programme will commence at L 45 and 7.45 p.m., with Chapter three of ‘Red Barry.” KING’S THEATRE “SUEZ": SPECTACULAR FILM Amazing spectacle is provided in the :10th Century-Fox production. “Suez.” which is to commence a season at the King’s Theatre to-day. The film depicthe work of the great French engineer, Ferdinand do Lesseps, in completing die canal which was to sever two continents and bring two worlds together. A fine performance is given by Tyrone Power in the leading role as dc Lesseps, while the other players include’Loretta Young, Annabel la and J Edward Bromberg. The story openwith de Lesseps going to Egypt on v diplomatic mission. While travelling through the desert he is impressed by the significance of two bodies of watei being joined by an overflow stream from one to the other, and envisionwhat it would -mean if a canal were to be built, connecting the Mediterranean and Red Seas. He immediately set about to accomplish his scheme and. after facing almost every type of opposition, at last triumphs. One of the most spectacular scenes is where r black simoon approaches the almostcompleted canal, destroying everythin, ii. its wake. An entertaining associate programme includes the first of tht 1939 “March of Time,” scenes of tht requiem mass at St. Mary s Cathedral Sydney, for Pope Pius XI. a colourec cartoon, a side-splitting comedy, nut Australian news. The booking is very heavy.