ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 23664, 12 November 1938, Page 21

ENTERTAINMENTS

STATE THEATRE “HAPPY LANDING” TODAY “Happy Landing,” its scene changing from gay Norseland festivals to New York winter-time spectacles screens at the State Theatre at 2.0 and 7.45 p.m. today. This Twentieth Century-Fox musical stars Sonja Henie and Don Ameche. It tells the story of a songwriting band leader (Cesar Romero) who flies across the Atlantic for a publicity stunt and comes down in a Norwegian fog-bank—almost in the middle of a folk festival known as a “Bride’s Fair.” The custom which starts the trouble is a rule that if a young man dances twice with the same girl at the party he has proposed. The band leader, a little bit amused because one lovelorn little girl is giving him plenty of his favourite food—hero worship—dances twice with Sonja Henie. That starts the show on its way. Don Ameche, the flying baton-wielder’s companion, knows there is little or no sincere interest in Romero’s attentions, inasmuch as he is very much engaged to an American girl, played by Ethel Merman. From this point on, a whole new world of interest opens for film enthusiasts. There are the colourful American winter carnivals, the glittering gaieties of Paris and Miami and the ice ballets of New York roof gardens. The songs by Pokrass and Yellen include “Hot and Happy,” “A Gipsy Told Me,” “You Are the Music to the Words of My Heart,” and “Yonny and His Oompah.” Walter Bullock and Harold Spina, who wrote most of the hit tunes for “Love and Hisses,” contributed “You Appeal to Me” to the score of “Hot and Happy.” Jean Hersholt, Ethel Merman and Raymond Scott Quintet and Cesar Romero are also featured in the cast of “Happy Landing.” Included among the excellent supports is the Fox Australian News special of the Melbourne Cup showing the entire great race in detail. Another item of interest is the appalling Melbourne air disaster showing scenes of the giant sky liner, Kyeema, which struck a mountain in the fog, resulting in the loss of 18 lives. Box plans are at Begg’s or State Theatre, telephone 645.

REGENT THEATRE

“LIVE, LOVE AND LEARN” ROBERT MONTGOMERY Having proved in “Night Must Fall” that he can take his acting really seriously when given the chance, Robert Montgomery returns to the frivolous, play-boy type of role for which he is best known, in M.-G.-M.’s “Live, Love and Learn,’’ which began yesterday at the Regent Theatre. Montgomery is seen as a young artist who undergoes the three experiences of living, loving and learning catalogued in the title. In fact, that title adequately sums up the whole familiar story of the idealistic painter who sacrifices himself to his art until he achieves success and has his head turned, whereupon he sacrifices his art to himself. Then comes the “learning” part of the process, which is not accomplished until after his wife and friends have deserted him in disgust at his conceit and mercenary attitude. The final scene of the film shows the regenerate hero pushing one of his sycophantic patrons through a horrible and expensive portrait as a sign that his artistic soul and his sense of humour have been saved. The “living” and “loving” parts of the story are the best, for here comedy is uppermost. The atmosphere is agreeably gay and irresponsible; and although the humour has its moments of slapstick and craziness, it is reasonably sane, and funny without being forced. The whirlwind courtship and marriage of the Bohemian artist with the rich girl who doesn’t care about money is played with gusto by Montgomery and Rosalind Russell; but the entertainment doesn’t really start until Robert Benchley staggers into the picture in the role of the hero’s friend, Oscar. This delightful fellow, who is in a pleasant state of intoxication most of the time, more or less shares the garret idyll of the newly-weds and assists them in their mad pranks. Whenever Robert Benchley is on the scene there is practically nobody else worth noticing, he is so indefatigably cheerful and so thoroughly likeable. Nevertheless, Miss Russell gives an extremely capable portrayal of the wife, who prefers love in an attic to fame in a mansion. Robert Woolley, as an art dealer with the delicious name of “Bawltitude,” turns what might have been a minor role into one of first-rate importance; and Helen Vinson is a satisfying vixen as the society girl zho encourages the hero to paint for money instead of for art. There is an excellent lot of supports screened in addition to this picture. Box plans are at H. and J. Smith’s, Rice’s Regent shop and the theatre.

CIVIC THEATRE

THE SINGING COWBOY MATINEE TODAY Smith Ballew, the famed singing, cowboy of screen and radio fame, is costarred with an interesting newcomer, Lou Gehrig, in his latest Western adventure film “Rawhide” which is now showing at the Civic Theatre. The story gives Ballew the part of a western lawyer who has to be as quick on the trigger as on retorts. The fight of this attorney of the West with his friend, the star player of the New York Yankees Baseball Club, against modern racketeers of the range is an adventurous outdoor version of the special prosecutors’ “clean-up” going on in many American cities at present. The novel idea of a two-fisted, hard-riding outdoors lawyer captured the imagination of Smith Ballew, and he has started out to learn as much about law as he knows about range lore. Evalyn Knapp is featured in the romantic role, and the cast also includes Arthur Loft and Si Jenks. Ballew introduces three new haunting melodies in the production, “Drifting,” “When a Cowboy Goes to Town” and “A Cowboy’s Life.” The associate feature is also a new release, “City Giri” in which Ricardo Cortez and Phyllis Brooks are co-star-red. It is the story of a girl who lives

a lifetime in a single year, flying from the city to escape the law, and returning so changed that the police—and even her own sweetheart —cannot recognize her. Ricardo Cortez is the racketeer for whose love she lives two lives. From a job in a restaurant she is coaxed into a party of gangsters who tour the suburban night spots. When a gas station attendant foils a hold-up by squirting gasoline in the bandits’ faces her purse is left behind. Police crossexamine her but she refuses to, talk. Soon after she becomes involved in a murder mystery, and the story rushes on to a thrilling climax. An additional attraction will be the showing of the exclusive first newsreel supplied by the Fox Australian Movietone News covering the entire running of the Melbourne Cup. The win of the New Zealand horse Catalogue will be of outstanding interest to local racing enthusiasts. This afternoon’s programme at the matinee has been specially selected to cater for the children and the singing cowboy in “Rawhide” will be the feature attraction.

MAJESTIC THEATRE

THRILLS AND COMEDY SANDY POWELL OUTSTANDING Thrills and fast action, subtly tinged with romance and hilarious comedy, with comic songs by the inimitable Sandy Powell, the radio and screen personality, are combined *in the double-feature programme which was shown at the Majestic Theatre yesterday. “Air Devils” which has Dick Purcell, Larry Blake and Beryl Wallace in the leading roles provides the thrills, romance and breath-taking action. When Horseshoe (Larry Blake) and Slats (Dick Purcell) complete their service with the United States Marines they join a constabulary on the island of Taro Paga in the South Seas. In the romantic glamour of the island Horseshoe falls in love with Lolano (Mamo Clark) a native beauty. However, on his return from a trip to America he brings with him the attractive Marcia Bradford (Beryl Wallace). Slats is also attracted by Marcia and the two immediately become enemies. A lieutenant of the Government stationed-at the island has been assigned to investigate whether Taro Paga will make a suitable air base in the Pacific. The native rulers of the island are opposed to this as they do not wish to lose control of the island. They set fire to a storehouse which contains important material of the United States investigators. Lolana, who is extremely jealous because Slats and Horseshoe no longer show their devotion to her, betrays the plans of the Americans to the natives. Through all this action runs the fight of the two lovers of Marcia, but she lets them down badly, for it is found that she has used them only to gain transportation to the outpost, where her real fiance is stationed. In a thrilling climax the natives attack the wagon train in which Marcia is travelling, but are brought under control by three bombing aeroplanes from the constabulary. In the supporting cast are Charles Brokaw, Minerva Urecal, Forbes Murray, Paul Sutton and Le Roy Mason. Sandy Powell’s new picture “Leave It To Me,” which is an hilarious comedy, is the associate feature. Sandy has for a long time wanted to become a policeman, but when he comes before the medical officer he is rejected. He then joins the Special Constabulary, but Sandy’s ideas of how the Force should be run soon get him into trouble with the sergeant. He is given a last opportunity by a kindly inspector to prove that he is capable. Sandy gets himself into some awkward situations, and also into more trouble with the sergeant. He fills in love with a street singer, he gets mixed up in a wrestling bout, and he comes into contact with some desperate Chinese jewel thieves. For these acts he is dismissed from the Force. In an amusing climax Sandy recovers the jewel which the Chinese have stolen, and for that he receives a reward of £5OOO. He has also high hopes of being reinstated in the Force. Supporting Sandy Powell are Iris March, Franklin Dyall, Garry Marsh, Davy Burnaby and Jack Hobbs.

ST. JAMES, GORE

Filmed partly on location in Washington for snow sequences, the new comedy-drama, “Romance for Three,” opens today at the St. James Theatre, Gore, for a three-day engagement. The cast includes Frank Morgan, Robert Young, Mary Astor, Edna May Oliver, Florence Rice, Reginald Owen, Henry Hull and Herman Bing. Authored by Erich Kaestner, the plot concerns three men, a capitalist, a valet and a pauper, who trade places during a two weeks’ vacation at an Alpine resort in order to enjoy the pleasures they feel they are missing because of their respective stations in life. Morgan, Young and Owen portray the three men of adventure.

REGENT THEATRE, GORE

Consistently faster, funnier as life goes on, America’s famous Jones Family cuts loose in an uproarious frenzy of grand corned;, in “Love on a Budget,” beginning at the Regent Theatre, Gore, today. It is the favourite family’s biggest budget of laughs. Also showing is “Fugitive In The Sky,” featuring Jean Muir and Warran Hull.