AMUSEMENTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIV, Issue 21063, 15 June 1938, Page 9

AMUSEMENTS

MAJESTIC THEATRE “THE WESTLAND CASEFilming a gripping detective story requires many of the same points of finesse demanded in distilling a tare and exotic perfume! There are various strange formulas for both, but it’s the way the ingredients are blended together that makes for a satisfactory result. The parallel was drawn by Christy Cabanne when he was directing the thrilling Crime Club mystery drama “The Westland Case,” which starts at the Majestic to-day. “The public want it’s mystery stories hot and exciting,” he said. “The crime must be committed under highly puzzling circumstances, as it is in 'The Westland Case’. Here, a pretty woman is the victim, and every character In the story is under suspicion. There are conflicting clues, mysterious phone calls. And the action, of course, revolves about the colourful figure of Detective Crane, played by Preston Foster, whose brilliant brain finally ferrets out the guilty slayer.”

Grace Moore in “I’ll Take Romance” When the same voice sings grand opera and a little modern “swing” music in the same day there must be something very unusual happening. It is the singing and all the unusual things that make “I’ll Take Romance” so outstanding successful. Grace Moore was bored and had never been in love, so that when she decided to take romance she took, too, a trip to Buenos Aires. Miss Moore’s singing alone makes this picture which is due at the Majestic on Friday, a class above most others; her comedy raises it to greater heights. She is cast as a temperamental singer whose refusal to fulfil the terms of a contract has involved an opera company in an awkward situation. The company commissions Melvyn Douglas to persuade Miss Moore to honour the agreement, but although they fall in love, the agfent is forced to kidnap the singer to secure her acceptance. During the preliminary scenes he has of necessity concealed his identity, and his attempts to unfold the story of his duplicity with as little friction as possible provide a laughable final sequence. The picture itself is not grand opera—it was intended to be musical comedy and it is—but the excerpts from “La Traviata,” “Madame Butterfly,” and “Manon” are woven into the story. The drinking song from “La Traviata” gives the full thrill of a magnificent voice. It is followed in not displeasing contrast by “She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain,” a rollicking “swing” song for which Stuart Erwin, a near South American, provides the accompaniment. “ WINGS OF THE MORNING ” ANNABELLA RETURNS TO STATE The outstanding Annabella returns to the State to-day in “Wings of the Morning.” Although dainty, petite Annabella must be ranked without dispute as the picture’s crowning glory, it would be well-nigh impossible to enumerate in order of merit the countless attractive features of which it boasts. Who, for instance, could deny the charm of the Irish countryside depicted in the new natural technicolour? Or the beauty of that golden John McCormack voice? Or the exhilarating action of a genuine English Derby just as it is seen by the million or so people who annually make their way to Epsom Downs? It is impossible to do justice in mere words to the fascination and brilliance of “Wings of the Morning.” For Annabella the picture is a triumph from start to finish. She is not only a charming personality, but an excellent actress, and she proves an admirable subject for the colour camera. Henry Fonda, one of her costars, who has won American laurels both as a dramatic actor and comedian, is not unfamiliar with the technique required by the use of technicolour, as he has already appeared in “Trail of the Lonesome Pine.” Leslie Banks, one of the finest actors on the British screen, completes the starring trio. John McCormack, the world-famous Irish tenor, sings three ballads. Steve Donoghue, the well-known jockey, makes his bow in films. Stewart Rome, Irene Vanbrugh, Helen Haye, and Harry Tate also appear. After a prologue set half a century ago, the film moves to modern times, and centres about a Derby candidate. Wings of the Morning, owned by the great-grand-mother of a fiery girl of gipsy blood. The. actual running of the Derby has been photographed with all its colour and movement. REGENT THEATRE “THE BLACK LEGION” While there was plenty of precedent at their own studios for a picture directly from front pages of newspapers, Warner Brothers have never before tackled so immediately current a topic as “Black Legion,” which comes to the Regent Theatre to-day. A few months ago, American newspaper readers were horrified at published accounts of socalled “Black Legion” activities in Michigan. The story broke when a young mechanic was taken out by a group of masked men and cruelly flogged, then shot, because of an allegation that he had beaten his wife. After his death, it was proved that the unfortunately victim was a kindly man whose wife denied vehemently he was ever anything but gentle and considerate. According to a later confession made by a captured Legionnaire, he had taken part in the ruthless killing of another victim because he was a negro. Further developments brought out that the deluded members of the “Black Legion” had been led to believe themselves patriots fighting for the rights of true Americans and that religious prejudice and racial hate served the cause of justice. Finally trapped by the police, their cloak of patriotism was stripped away and found to cover nothing* more noble than puny jealousies and resentments against their victims on whom they had inflicted horrible punishments. The cast is headed by Humphrey Bogart, Dick Foran, Erin O’Brien-Moore, Alonza Price, and Ann Sheridan. CONCESSION BILL AT ROYAL TWO ENTERTAINING FEATURES

“Timothy’s Quest,” the Paramount picture, which heads the concession

programme at the Royal, brings to the screen the popular story of a waif’s search for love. Young Dickie Moore portrays the title role. The film recreates all the “folksy” people of Pleasant Valley from Miss Vilda, Hitty Tarbox and Jabe Doolittle, to the villainous Doc Cudd and the impish Samantha. Eleanore Whitney and Tom Keene interpret the young lovers in the little New Hampshire village for whom “the course of true love never runs smooth,” until Timothy comes to their aid. In addition to Dickie Moore, the child players are Virginia Weidler, Sally Martin and Bennie Bartlett. Cary Grant has the male lead in Paramount’s “Big Brown Eyes,” another feature film, with Joan Bennett costarred. Joan Bennett is as lovely as ever—Cary Grant is magnificent, and the balance of the cast, under the able direction of Raoul Walsh, turns in a memorable performance. The film is packed with thrills.