ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 23733, 3 February 1939, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE “YELLOW JACK” With such sterling actors as Robert Montgomery, Lewis Stone and Henry Hull heading the cast and Virginia Bruce, Buddy Ebsen, Charles Cobum in the extensive supporting cast “Yellow Jack” now at the Regent could not fail to be an outstanding picture. This is serious drama based upon the wonderful work done by an American expedition in Cuba after the SpanishAmerican war, when Major Walter Reed and his helpers determined to run to earth the cause and cure of yellow fever. One of the doctors, played by Charles Coburn, after nineteen years’ experience suggests a certain mosquito as the carrier, and the sleuths set out to prove the contention and convict the suspect. This is done in a gripping, forceful film, splendidly directed by George B. Seitz, excellently produced from every angle and acted with precision, power and one might say genius by a grand cast. The story, of course, carries through some sombre scenes because it deals with disease and death and dark backgrounds. Reed has two assistants, Stanley Ridges and Henry Hull, and Henry O’Neil as doctor, Virginia Bruce as a nurse aiding the romantic side of the picture. Montgomery enacts the part of an Irish Sergeant O’Hara and gets the brogue very true to life with the easy good humour and carefree attitude the part demands. He is one of five soldiers who volunteer for the dangerous business of being infected in order to test the theory of Coburn, Buddy Ebsen being one of the others. Ebsen and Andy Devine introduce delightful comedy so needed in themes of this sort. The supporting programme includes a Fitzpatrick travel talk on Sweden. Comedy is represented by a musical comedy “Hollywood Handicap,” a miniature and “Pigmy Hunt,” a clever cartoon and there is also the latest Air Mail News. STATE THEATRE GRACIE FIELDS TODAY ‘‘WE’RE GOING TO BE RICH” The new Gracie Fields triumph in which Victor McLaglen, and Brian Donlevy share the starring honours, “We’re Going to be Rich,” commences at the State Theatre at 2.0 and 8.0 today, and a special late session at 10.30 tonight. Gracie Fields has a role which gives her full opportunity for comedy and for singing, and McLaglen’s part is also a highly typical one. With Victor McLaglen as a somewhat irresponsible devotee of the “get-rich-quick” idea of getting on in tire world and with Gracie Fields as his devoted showgirl wife, “We’re Going _ to be Rich” presents a story of life in Australia and South Africa. These two stars, McLaglen and Miss Fields, are set in. two points of a triangle which is completed by Brian Donlevy in the principal featured role. Add to this the

capable work of a child actor, Ted Smith, and some new faces in the supporting roles, and life during the “eighties” in the Boer country is vividly paraded before the audience to the accompaniment of six new song hits and. a stirring “trek” song of the veldt territory. As fAst as Gracie can save money to “go back ’ome to England,” McLaglen manages to lose it in swindles. She meets Donlevy, who runs a dance and gambling hall in Johannesburg while Victor is cooling his temper in gaol. The McLaglen-Donlevy feuds are well enough known to their thousands of admirers, and for once there is a different twist to this one. Miss Fields demonstrates a remarkable ability for changing her moods from hilarious music hall fun to absorbing dramatic scenes. Songs featured by Gracie Fields in “We’re Going to be Rich” include the new tune craze, “Fot Cha' Hoot,” “Ee, By Gum,” “Walter, Walter,” “Two Little Lambs,” “There’s a Tavern in The Town,” “The Sweetest Song in the World,” etc. A specially selected supporting programme includes the Fox Movietone special showing the huge loss of life and property in the Victorian bush fires. This short shows appalling scenes of flame and destruction as Victoria is ravaged in the worst disaster in Australia’s history. Box plans are at Begg’s or the State Theatre, telephone 645.

“SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS”

“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” begins at the State Theatre for positively five days only on Monday, February 13. Advance box plans are now on view at the State Theatre. Country patrons may reserve by posting 2/3 for each seat required to the State Theatre.

CIVIC THEATRE “DINNER AT THE RITZ” “THE £5 MAN” In a picture as tensely exciting as she is excitingly lovely, Annabella, the girl whose loveliness swept her to overnight stardom, plays the most dangerous game a beautiful girl in love ever chose in “Dinner at the Ritz,” new world picture released by 20th CenturyFox. Paul Lukas, David Niven and Romney Brent are featured in the cast supporting Annabella, which also includes Francis L. Sullivan, Stewart Rome, Norah Swinburne and Tyrell Davis. A lovely, carefree girl one day and a daring adventuress the next, Annabella whirls from the brilliant salons of Paris through the gaming rooms of Monte Carlo to a luxurious private yacht in the Mediterranean in a daring search packed with thrills. When a Paris banker is mysteriously killed and his bank wrecked, Annabella forsakes her quiet existence to hunt the men responsible, aided by Romney Brent, an American reporter-sleuth. She masquerades as a gay adventuress, complicating her romance with handsome David Niven, but nothing can stand in the way of her determination to avenge the murder. “The £5 Man,” the associate feature, is an ingenious mixture of thrills with secret passages, sliding panels and all the ingredients of a thriller, combined with delightful humorous incidents. Judy Gunn and Edwin Styles have the leading roles.