THE THEATRES

Southland Times, Issue 24313, 19 December 1940, Page 3

THE THEATRES

REGENT

“BROADWAY MELODY OF 1940“ SEASON ENDS TOMORROW “Broadway Melody of 1940,” showing again today and tomorrow at the Regent Theatre, is a spectacular musical and dancing film of Broadway show business well in the tradition of its popular predecessors. This time Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer have surpassed themselves by assembling what is unquestionably the greatest tap-dancing team to be seen and heard on the screen. The principals are Fred Astaire, Eleanor Powell and George Murphy, and they combine to give the public such a feast of dance specialties as it has never had before. In addition, the picture is studded with new songs by Cole Porter, of which the best is “Begin the Beguine,” with its long and novel dance sequences. The subsidiary cast is headed by Frank Morgan, lan Hunter and Lynn Carver. There is a varied supporting programme, and the box plans are at H. and J. Smith’s, the theatre and Rice’s Regent shoo. “THE MIDDLE WATCH” “Two skirts sleepin’ aboard! There’ll be ’eadaches in ’igh places,” predicts the corporal of marines in “The Middle Watch,” which will be Saturday’s attraction at the Regent Theatre. The ’eadaches materialize in no uncertain manner when the admiral boards the cruiser that shelters two young women during a very eventful night. It is all quite innocent, of course. Jack Buchanan, as the captain, has the dickens of a time explaining just how innocent things are to a very crusty admiral, played by Fred Emney. The admiral’s turn comes later, when his wife joins the party. lan Hay and Stephen KingHall are the authors of this enormous-ly-successful comedy, which suggests that the navy sees some fun between wars. Greta Gynt, the girl who captivates the captain, is Norwegian, and her charming ways show that Norway must be even more attractive that the travel agencies ever dreamed. English thoroughbred horses are interestingly dealt with in “Thoroughbreds,” one of the short subjects on this programme. MAJESTIC “ARGENTINE NIGHTS” Starring the Ritz Brothers and the Andrews Sisters, famed song trio, Universal’s streamlined musical comedy farce, “Argentine Nights,” will conclude at the Majestic Theatre today. Nine new songs are introduced in the elaborate film, which presents the hilarious Ritzes as three fast-thinking agents for a throng of beautiful entertainers touring South America. The associate feature, “Earl of Puddlestone,” stars that popular family combination, the Higgins Family, played by James Gleason, Lucille Gleason, Russell Gleason, with Harry Davenport and Eric Blore in support. “SCATTERBRAIN” Tomorrow is a big day for Invercargill picture patrons, for “Scatterbrain,” the most popular song for years, will be presented as the funniest picture ever made. “Scatterbrain” stars Judy Canova as the hillbilly belle who crashes Hollywood with her battery of nit-wit kinfolk. A splendid comedy cast supports Judy Canova. It is headed by Alan Mowbray, Ruth Donnelly, Eddie Foy, jun., Luis Alberni, Billy Gilbert, Wallace Ford and Isabel Jewell. Matty Malneck and his famous band are responsible for the musical items. The song “Scatterbrain” is the theme song of the picture and the singing of it by Judy Canova has to be heard to be appreciated. The story concerns Eddie Maclntyre, a breezy talent scout and right-hand man to J. R. Russell, producer-director of Perfection Pictures, arranging to “plant” his own girl friend in the Ozarks and have her “discovered” as an authentic hillbilly to be starred in Perfection’s new picture, “Thunder Over the Ozarks.” Through an error little Miss Canova, a real hillbilly, is brought to the film capital instead of the sham hillbilly and her adventures after she arrives become really exciting. Alan Mowbray is cast as the producer and Eddie Foy, jun., as his right-hand man. Ruth Donnelly contributes one of her inimitable roles as secretary and Billy Gilbert and Luis Alberni help the laughs along in their own inimitable way. In addition to “Scatterbrain” the Majestic Theatre will present Republic’s outdoor Western thriller, “Wagons Westwards,” starring Chester Morris and Anita Louise with George (“Windy”) Hayes, Buck Jones and Ona Munson in support. "Wagons Westwards” is packed with thrills from the opening scene. The latest Cinesound News will introduce the programme. Plans are now on view at H. and J. Smith’s department store, Rice’s Majestic sweet shop and at the Majestic Theatre.

STATE

The surprising adventures of a ghost haunted by the living are portrayed in “Earthbound” starring Warner Baxter and Andrea Leeds, which will be screened finally today at 2.0 and 8.0 at the State. There is comedy, pathos, drama and human interest in the moving story of a lost soul who wants to right the wrongs he unwittingly caused on earth, but he is unable to reach the right persons. Through the medium of modern camera magic, Warner Baxter becomes a spectre after his death early in the film, but he dooes not realize it. He walks through iron doors and stone walls to be at the side of his love, but she can neither see nor hear him. The strong supporting cast is topped by Lynn Bari, Charley Grapewin, Henry Wilcoxon and Elizabeth Patterson.

One of the outstanding films of the year, “The Grapes of Wrath,” which comes tomorrow at 2.0 and 8.0 to the State Theatre, is a story of migrant workers in America, driven out of the Oklahama dust-bowl by starved soil, fit only to be cropped by mass-produc-tion methods, and yet deteriorating even more rapidly because of these methods. The Joad family is typical of hundreds of other “Okie” families, who are attracted by the promises of work and food to make the long trek to golden California. After trials and difficulties that would have broken the spirit of less resourceful people, they arrive in the promised land, only to find that, in competition with thousands of their kind, pay for fruit-pickers is not sufficient for the barest needs of food and shelter. Worse still, unscrupulous fruit companies are not above making capital out of the plight of the migrant workers, and State and County police authority is used to keep them in a proper state of subjection— I though their efforts do,.An fact, bring | peaceful folk to the verge of revolt. | Yet, for all its sombre theme, “The Grapes of Wrath” is by no means a I

sombre film. Excellent supports accompany “The Grapes of Wrath” at the State tomorrow. Box plans are at Begg’s or the State.

CIVIC

i How a girl imperils her life and all her hopes of freedom and happiness in a desperate effort to keep from ruining the career of the man she loves, forms the powerful theme of “Condemned Women,” the first attraction on the Civic’s 6d and 9d programme finally tonight at 7.45, in which Sally Eilers, Louis Hayward and Anne Shirley have principal roles. Most of the absorbing action of the story is laid within the grim walls of a women’s penitentiary, to which Miss Eilers is sent to serve a threeyear sentence, and where Hayward, a young psychiatrist, is assigned to study the inmates. Their meetings develop into romance. Told by the sympathetic warden that a marriage would wreck Hayward’s future, Miss Eilers accepts an important part in a daring escape plot as the only way to disillusion him. The exciting consequences and the drama of the ingeniously planned escape make “Condemned Women” a notable piece of screen entertainment, replete with tense action and breathless suspense. Anne Shirley shares leading honours with the two principals. In the second feature, “Flight Into Nowhere,” Dick Purcell takes the part of Bill Kellogg, a headstrong young pilot, who is secretly married to Joan Hammond (Jacqueline Wells). Jack Holt is starred. The film has a sudden ending. Civic prices finally tonight are 6d and 9d.