AMUSEMENTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20513, 3 September 1936, Page 13

AMUSEMENTS

MAJESTIC THEATRE “THE STORY OF LOUIS PASTEUR” Seventeen yers is a long time between pictures. But Josephine Hutchinson, who plays opposite Paul Muni in "The Story of Louis Pasteur,” the Cosmopolitan production which concludes at the Majestic to-day, waited that long ! before she appeared in her second picture "Happiness Ahead,” with Dick Powell. Miss Hutchinson’s first screen appearance was in "The Little Princess,” starring Mary Pickford. Her mother decided against a screen career for her and took her to New York where she was educated for the stage. "Captain Blood” Action is the keynote of “Captain Blood,” the gripping drama of piracy on the high seas, which opens at the Majestic to-morrow. Sabatini in his well-known novel etched the background for the film, but the producers have done wonders in bringing so vividly before the audience the highlights of this tale of the days of King James 11, when a man’s life counted for nought, when the King’s whim might send a political offender to the halter or to slavery, and when barbarity was much more common than humanity. Because he gives medical aid to a nobleman who is trying to overthrow the tyranny of James, Peter Blood, a young surgeon, is sent out to Jamaica as a slave, along with 50 other political offenders. Harrowing but historically interesting glimpses of the unhappy lot of the slaves on the island are skilfully reproduced and a vein of romance brings relief to the sordid happenings. Peter Blood gains favour with the Governor by relieving his high-living gout, and by using his newwon freedom he plans escape by boat for all the slaves. On the night of their flight Port Royal is attacked by a Spanish ship and while the victorious dons are carousing, Peter and his men capture their ship. Then begins their life of piracy on the high seas. STATE THEATRE "NELL GWYN” "Nell Gwyn” is the feature on the current programme at the State, There are several important characters of the period depicted in the film, including the Duchess of Portsmouth, Samuel Pepys, and the Duke of York later James II.), as well as Nell and King Charles, but it is on the latter two that the burden of the action falls. As Charles, Sir Cedric Hardwicke has a role which suits his type of restrained acting to perfection, and the result is an ecellent portrait of the merry monarch in what may, be termed the traditional style. He .is shown as merry without any suggestion of roistering, amorous without the taint of promiscuousness. Anna Neagle as Nell, the girl of the people who becomes the King’s mistress, has a role vastly different from those she has had in the past, but one which she discharges as well as anyone could. As the attractively vulgar little orange girl she creates what might almost be termed a Grade Fields type. The plot of the production finds its motivating force in the rivalry which springs up between Nell and the Duchess of Portsmouth (Jeanne de Casalis), but the struggle for supremacy in the King’s favour is too one-sided to be altogether a dramatic success, for Nell wins all along the line, and laughs her rival into eclipse.

THEATRE ROYAL DOUBLE PROGRAMME "Under Cover Man” and “No More Women” are the featured films at the Royal to-night. "Under Cover Man” is a Paramount drama centring around a crook who gambles his own life and the life of the girl he loves to hunt down the slayers of his father. The cast is headed by George Raft, Nancy Carroll, Roscoe Karns, Lew Cody and Gregory Ratoff, "Under Cover Man” is a story of a gang of bond thieves who operate on a big scale "No More Women” was filmed almost entirely off the coast of Catalina Island, which is situated off the coast of California, U.S.A. Starring Edmund Lowe and Victor McLaglen, and featuring Sally Blane, it tells the story of two hardpunching salvage divers who spend their days at the bottom of the ocean hunting for gold, and their nights fighting for the same girl. The picture was directed by Albert Rogell. REGENT THEATRE "DRIFT FENCE’’ Zane Grey, whose Western tales entertain young and old with their thrilling action, is the author of "Drift Fence,” which Paramount has filmed, which is showing at the Regent Theatre Featured in this outdoor drama are Larry "Buster” Crabbe, Katherine DeMille, Tom Keene, Benny Baker, Glenn Erikson, Stanley Andrews and Richard Carle. Arizona of the cattlerustling, law-defying days is the setting of "Drift Fence,” which concerns the adventures of a Texas Ranger in pursuit of a gang of desperadoes who have been stealing cattle in droves, and who resist all efforts of a big rancher to enclose. his vast property More than five thousand steers were used for the spectacular scene in "Drift Fence.” The panic-stricken cattle, urged by several hundred cowboys, charge and break down a fence, stretching a mile and a half, in a break for freedom. This stampede participates the stirring pistol duel between cattle rustlers and a Texas Ranger, which furnishes the climax of the picture. The second attraction is "F Man” which is said to be an outstanding comedy film.