ENTERTAINMENTS

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 58, Issue 4188, 24 May 1939, Page 12

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE COMMENCING TO-NIGHT. "MOTHER CAREY’S CHICKENS." The beloved story of a fatherless New England family which enthralled American readers for the past twenty-five years, selling almost 750,000 copies of the book, becomes a notable screen event with the local premiere of “Mother Carey’s Chickens,” adapted from Kate Douglas Wiggin’s epic tome. R.K.O. Radio Pictures have injected a humanness, simplicity, and warmth in “Mother Carey’s Chickens,” which have caused critics to liken the picture to “Little Women,” an earlier success by R.K.O. Radio. Anne Shirley, Ruby Keeler, Jaekie Moran and little Donnie Dunagan comprise the four “chickens,” and Fay Eainter portrays Mrs Carey in this faithful re-creation of the Wiggin best-seller, while such favourites as James Ellison, Ralph Morgan, Walter Brennan, Frank Albertson. Virginia Weilder-, Phyllis Kennedy and Margaret Hamilton have important roles. As its millions of readers will recall, “Mother Carey’s Chickens” deals with the family of a naval officer who dies during the SpanishAmerican War. Reduced to sudden poverty, the five Careys bravely endeavour to make a go of their lives. Their plans to operate a boarding house —plans which run into unforseen difficulties—and dual romances between the older daughter and a school teacher, and between the younger daughter and their landlord doctor, lead to the various complications and dramatic situations of the plot. Al’ THE EMPIRE. COMMENCING TO-NIGHT. “CALL OF THE YUKON.” Love in the Arctic westlands! A man and a woman. . . . and two dogs. All four struggling against the elements of the frozen north, and against the even stronger forces of natural instincts. Such is the compelling, thrilling story of Republic’s “Call of the Yukon,” adapted from James Oliver Curwood’s popular novel “Swift Lightning,” which comes to the Empire Theatre to-night. Jean Williams (Beverly Roberts) has gone far into Northern Alaska for material for a novel which she is writing. The little Eskimo village where she is staying has been plagued by a roving band of wolves, led by a half-wolf, half-dog called Swift Lightning. The wolves have killed all wild life, and the natives are forced to flee southward. Hugo (Lyle Talbot )a trader, tries to get Jean to leave with them, but she refuses. Gaston Rogers

(Richard Arlen), a half-civilised trapper also stays. The only other living beings who remain are Firefly, a collie dog who stays by the grave of her master, who has been killed; two bear cubs that Jean has adopted; and Winkey, her tame raven. Swift Lightning comes into the village again and and finds Firefly, who is attached to the wild dog, and leaves with him. All through the story a convincing parallel is drawn, comparing Firefly’s attraction for Swift Lightning with Jean Williams’ growing infatuation for Gaston Rogers, whom she fears does not understand—but to whom she is strangely attracted.