ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 23624, 27 September 1938, Page 4

ENTERTAINMENTS

KEGENT THEATRE "DOUBLE WEDDING” A bright comedy in the traditional Loy-Powell manner is "Double Wedding,” which is at present delighting audiences at the Regent Theatre. The film is full of verve and gaiety, and abounds in ridiculous situations. The story concerns the introduction of romance into the rather unwilling consciousness of a young business woman (Myrna Loy), who has a flair for stagemanaging everything, including the marriage of her younger sister to a pre-selected youth. Unfortunately for her, the artist, who is also a wouldbe movie producer, crashes into her plans with all the innate grace of a bull in a china shop. The essence of the film, then, is the clash of personalties between Powell and Miss Loy, a situation which their admirers cannot but approve and one which builds up some memorable encounters. Powell is resourceful; he exploits the situation into which fate has thrust, him, and obtains a promise from Miss' Loy to pose for some weeks until a portrait is finished. The price of this promise is his resignation of the younger sister (Florence Rice) to fate, in the shape of the arms of John Beal. And in the next few weeks Powell makes a subtle change in the nature of Miss Loy. He introduces her to the delights of lazing in the country and escaping from the tyranny of a clock. But at the same time, , such is the force of fixed ideas, he comes to be considered by the younger sister as her appointed mate, and. to appear to her late fiance (who has nobly resigned her to what he thinks she wants) *■ scoundrel who is failing in his responsibilities. The situation becomes all the more tense until a hilarious finale straightens it out in one swift blow.

“THE FIREFLY”

Each recent year has brought to the screen- a finer type of musical picture and 1938 is no exception. “The Firefly,” Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s impressive adaptation of Rudolf Friml’s memorable operetta, with Jeanette MacDonald (n. her seventeenth musical triumph, will be Hollywood’s next offering at the Regent Theatre. Allan Jones and Warren William are the star’s leading men. “The Firefly” presents a powerful story of dramatic romance, as well as a vehicle for remarkable music. Hunt Stromberg and Robert Z Leonard produced and directed, respectively, and it is the general opinion that the combination surpasses its Academy Award winning collaboration a year ago, “The Great-Ziegfeld.” Lavish scenes in the High Sierras and. others made on _3O massive sets present the sweeping drama of old Spain in the period when Napoleon was defeated by Wellington at Vittoria. Seven thrilling musical numbers, five of them from the original Friml operetta, feature the picture. Two others were written by Friml especially for the film. Miss MacDonald dances beautifully and sings “Love Is Like a Firefly,” “He Who Loves and Runs Away” and “When a Maid Comes Knocking at Your Heart” in perfect voice. Allan Jones sings “A Woman’s Kiss” and “The Donkey Serenade,” and they sing in duet, “Giannina Mia” and “Sympathy” with charming effect.

MAJESTIC THEATRE

“FREEDOM FOR SALE” PRISON STORY TODAY i Telling the truth about the evils of easy prison paroles, Columbia's new action drama, “Freedom For Sale, ■which presents a startling picture of today’s parole boards, will open today at the Majestic Theatre. Featured in the cast of this up-to-the-minute film are Paul Kelly and Rosalind Keith. Kelly will be seen in the role of a police lieutenant. He convinces the editor of a large newspaper, played by Thurston Hall, that the “human interest” stories being carried in his paper are glorifying gangsters. This tends to sway public opinion, thereby aiding the gangster in obtaining paroles. He enlists the aid of the editor and a young girl reporter, played by Rosalind Keith, in contriving a daring plan to break up the gang and get to the “higher-ups. Kelly has himself demoted to patrolman, supposedly under suspicion. In this way he comes in contact with members of the gangster ring. He accepts a bribe, is sent to gaol and then threatens to expose the 'ring if he is not paroled. In the blue coat and brass buttons of a city flame-fighter, instead of the sombrero and hairpants of a Western range rider, Dick Foran, erstwhile singing cowboy, is the star of the associate feature a Warner Bros, melodrama called “She Loved a Fireman. Foran is the one who is loved, and the girl who loves him is the vividly goodlooking Ann Sheridan. And though the big, brawny star is now through with Western pictures, he is not through with singing by any means. Plans are now on view at H, and J. Smith’s Departmental Store’s box office, Rice’s Majestic Theatre confectionery or at the theatre, telephone 738.

t STATE THEATRE

“THE ADVENTURES OF MARCO POLO” GARY COOPER STARRED “The Adventures of Marco Polo,” a film replete with romance, comedy, and all those elements of entertainment that may be grouped under the word action, is the attraction which continues at the State Theatre at 2 p.m. and 7.45 p.m. daily. Taking the leading role in fine style, Gary Cooper adds even more honour to his name as a fine dramatic and comedy player. In the feminine lead is a refreshing new star in Sigrid Gurie, who plays the part of the daughter of Kublai Khan. Also with important parts are Basil Rathbone, George Barbier, Binnie Barnes, Alan Hale and Harold Huber. The story is about Polo’s trip to Peking to see the great emperor, Kublai Khan. He finds the court under the domination of a Saracen minister, Ahmed, who is about to seize power. Eventually Polo becomes involved in the quarrels of two rebel leaders, and in an exciting climax he restores the throne to its rightful owner. Some will be inclined, and rightly so, to award acting honours to Rathbone for his performance as the rascally rebel leader Ahmed. There is an excellent supporting programme, and the box plans are at Begg’s or State Theatre, telephone 645.

CIVIC THEATRE

“ALT BABA GOES TO TOWN” FINALLY TONIGHT “Ali Baba Goes To Town,” which concludes its season at the Civic Theatre tonight, gives Eddie Cantor his best role and provides sumptuous entertainment. The star goes to town in a magnificent combination of colourful extravaganza, beautifv' girls, lavish sets and sidesplitting comedy To name a few of the thousand and one delights, there is Eddie aboard the Magic Carpet; the

harem’s Sultana, Louise Hovick, making love to roving-eyed Eddie; the sumptuous banquet with Eddie as master of ceremonies; the fabled gorgeousness of Baghdad; and elaborate dance ensembles in which Eddie, the Peters sisters, Jeni Le Gon, and hundreds of lush harem beauties and Oriental darlings perform in riotous rhythmic routines, while Raymond Scott and his famous quintet play his own composition, “Twilight in Turkey. After some time on the screen in secondary roles, mostly as a butler, .Arthur Treacher has finally received due recognition and taken the leading part in a film—and a good film at that. As Wodehouse’s quaint character Jeeves he carries off the part admirably in the film “Step Lively, Jeeves,” which is the second attraction.

ST. JAMES THEATRE, GORE

Hamlet is now Hollywood’s ranking comedian. John Barrymore, has another comic role with Gladys Swarthout and John Boles Paramount’s “Romance in the Dark, which. ■ comes today to the St. James, Gore/ As the Don Juan theatrical producer, whose chief diversion lies in sneaking Boles’s women friends away from him, Barrymore furnishes the comedy in this romance of stage life in sophisticated Budapest.

REGENT THEATRE, GORE

Judge Hardy and his family are the type of people everyone will like. They appear in M.-G.-M.’s “You’re Only Young Once’,’'’ which begins today at the Regent Theatre, Gore. The principal players are Lewis Stone as Judge Hardy, Mickey Rooney as his son, Andrew Hardy, Fay Holden as the judge’s wife, Cicilia Parker as the daughter and Sara Haden as Aunt Milly. The other M.-G.-M. picture on the programme, “Women Are Trouble,” features "Stuart Erwin, Florence Rice,. Paul Kfelly and Raymond Hatton. It concerns the working of three newspaper reporters and depicts the adventures of the star reporter and the girl on the same staff who set out to uncover the activities of a leading city gangster.