AMUSEMENTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLI, Issue 20308, 6 January 1936, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS

MAJESTIC THEATRE "ACCENT ON YOUTH” Love may be for the young—but no man in love is ever old. That is the theme of Paramount’s romantic comedy, “Accent On Youth,” which commenced at the Majestic on Saturday. Sylvia Sidney and Herbert Marshall head the cast of the picture, a deft and amusing story of a middle-aged man who dares love a girl half his age and who wins her from a dashing youth by fair means and foul. Marshall, in the picture, is a playwright. Fortyish, slightly disillusioned, he despairs of ever finding true love. When his secretary, Sylvia Sidney, confesses her love for him, he is so surprised that he gives her the leading role in his new play. Because Marshall is reticent about admitting his love for Miss Sidney, and feels that she should love a man nearer her age, Phillip Reed, who acts the leading man in the play, makes headway with Miss Sidney. Miss Sidney despairs of ever winning Marshall and marries ?hillip Reed. But instead of the marriage ending the picture, amusing complications first begin at this point. In a hectic and hilarious climax, Miss Sidney finally concludes that it is Marshall she loves and persuades him to admit that he loves her. In the supporting cast of “Accent On Youth” are Ernest Cossart, and Astrid Allwyn. Wesley Ruggles directed the picture. REGENT THEATRE “PECK’S BAD BOY” Juvenile acting of a remarkably high standard is seen in “Peck’s Bad Boy,” the long-awaited film which commenced its Timaru season at the Regent Theatre on Saturday. Rich and wholesome comedy drama of American family life provides a delightful background to the superb acting of the boy performer, Jackie Cooper. As Bill, the hero of the story, Cooper wins the sympathy of the audience from the opening scenes and gives what is undoubtedly the finest performance of his short career. The juvenile villain, Horace, is played by Jackie Searle, who also gives a very fine portrayal. In the role of Mr Peck, Thomas Meighan, favourite on the silent screen, makes a welcome return to the films. The Australian actor, O. P. Heggie, is also in the cast, and provides many laughs in his characterisation of the smalltown handyman, tramp, humorist and philosopher. Filmed primarily for the entertainment of children, “Peck’s Bad Boy” nevertheless provides splendid entertainment for adult audiences, dealing as it does with the story of a boy and his father who are great friends until the father brings a relative and her son into the home. These two people set out to alienate father and son so that Horace may usurp Bill’s place in the Peck household. The famous ants incident, which will be remembered in the silent version, is handled splendidly and dissolved Saturday night’s audience in laughter for seve-

ral minutes. Heading the excellent supporting programme is an hilarious comedy, “Pardon My Pups,” in which Shirley Temple appears. STATE THEATRE “GINGER” Two juvenile screen artists of unusual talent are seen together in "Ginger,” an attractive comedy which is being screened at the State Theatre. Jane Withers, a small actress who promises to make a great name for herself, is cast in the title role. She will be remembered for her portrayal in

“Bright Eyes," in which she appeared with Shirley Temple. Acting the part in this new film, of an ill-bred child from the tenement area of New York, she brings laughter to the audience in very short time. She plays on the opposite feeling, too, in her attempts to help her foster-uncle, played by O. P. Heggie, to gain a living. This player makes a great success of his part as a broken-down Shakespearean actor. Jackie Searl, whose part is that of a very proper boy living amid wealth and luxury in Park Avenue, plays an excellent role. His fluent “King’s English” is near the ruin of Little Jane, who dislikes it intensely, and on that fact, of course, hangs some of the de-

lightful comedy of the film. The inventive brain of the young actress is used in the fabricating of nicknames for all those for whom she conceives a dislike. Although the picture naturally centres round the two juvenile performers, the adult roles are also ably filled. Beside O. P. Heggie, Walter King and Katherine Alexander play very good parts. There is an attractive supporting programme.

THEATRE ROYAL SPLENDID DOUBLE PROGRAMME Those two fine actors, Edmund Lowe

and Victor McLaglen, have the time of their lives and at the same time provide excellent entertainment in “The Great Murder Mystery,” which heads the Theatre Royal programme. Despite the exciting nature of this story, a great many laughs are created and the large audience on Saturday left the theatre in a very happy mood. The featured film on the first half of the programme. “Broken Dreams,” features Randolph Scott. The story has plenty of body and. while there are sequences of heavy dramatic quality, a good leavening of comedy provides a nice balance in the appeal. A better choice than Randolph Scott could have been made for the masculine lead but he gets by, and the

drama is sustained by such capable players as Beryl Mercer and Joseph Cawthom. The hit of the show ! s Buster Phelps, a brilliant child actor. Th£ story concerns a young doctor who becomes embittered towards his baby following the death of his wife at childbirth. He pursues his studies in Vienna, while the baby, which he refuses to see, is adopted by an old couple who rear him as their own. Attracted by the child’s boyhood charm, the father, having recovered from his bitterness, wants to take him to his -own and his new wife’s care.

There is a legal argument and, despite the youngster’s protestations, he is delivered to his father’s charge.