ENTERTAINMENTS

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 59, Issue 4204, 30 October 1939, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. AGAIN TO-NIGHT AND TUESDAY “YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU.” There were plenty of laughs at the Regent Theatre last Saturday evening, for the audience thoroughly appreciated the picture, “You Can’t Take it With You.” The story was absorbing and bright throughout. Grandpa Vanderhof (Lionel Barrymore) decided one day that he had enough money for the rest of his life. He promptly retired, and for 30 years has been having fun. His daughter Penny Sycamore (Spring Byington) tries to write plays when she isn’t trying to paint; her husband, Paul (Samuel S. Hinds) manufactures fireworks with the assistance of Mr De Pinna (Halliwell Hoobes) who used to be an iceman until he called at the Vanderhof home and decided to stay. Essie (Ann Miller), daughter of Paul and Penny, makes candv for money and studies ballet for fun under the tutelage of Kolenkhov (Misca Auer), ex-Russian wrestler. Her husband, Ed (Dub Taylor), plays the xylophone, prints up the family dinner menus and sells Essie’s candy and the fireworks. Sanest member of the family is Alice (Jean Arthur) the secretary in love with her boss, Tony Kirby (James Stewart) who somewhat resents his tycoon father (Edward Arnold).

AT THE EMPIRE. FINAL SCREENING TUESDAY. “PEG O’ MY HEART.” As a play “ Peg o’ My Heart ” is some twenty years old, and yet on the talking screen it is brand new. The reason for this is in the apparent agelessness of the charming story. In the Metro-Goldwyn-M!ayer feature, which was screened at the Empire Theatre on Saturday, Marion Davies breathes new life into the captivating character created in the theatre by Laurette Taylor. In her deft hands Peg seems to have a new personality and yet with it loses none of the crystal romance of the Irish gamin we knew so well on the stage. Miss Davies’ performance is assuredly the best of many recent appearances. She has endowed her .Peg

with a finer understanding and sympathy that may be traceable to her own Irish ancestry. The comedy moments of the story abound in richness of dialogue and situations, and the love theme, with Onslow Stevens as Sir Gerald, adds a poetic gentleness. The story of Peg is too well known to dwell upon, but comes uson the screen with a freshness that is delightful, stirring at the same time fond reminiscences of another day. Robert Z. Leonard directed the film from the famous play by J. Harley Manners. Frances Marion adapted it with the screen play by Frank R. Adams. Included in the splendid cast of the new Davies starring vehicle are J. Farrell ftfcacDonald, Juliette Compton, Irene Browne, Tyrrell Davis, Alan Mowbray, Doris Lloyd, Robert Greig, Nora Cecil, and Geoffrey Gill—not to forget Michael, the Irish terrier with a flair for stealing bones —and close-ups.