AMUSEMENTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21180, 29 October 1938, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS

MAJESTIC THEATRE “THAT CERTAIN WOMAN” The difficulties and trouble that confront a young woman who tries to live down a past and regain her selfrespect, only to be involved in circumstances that further cloud her name, form the plot for “That Certain Woman”, opening to-day at the Majestic Theatre. Bette Davis, who has the stellar role, has wonderful opportunities for dramatic acting, of which she makes the most. At sixteen her fatal attractiveness and ambitions see her the wife of a gangster who pays the price of*life for his brief job as the big shot. Disillusioned and wise, famous or infamous under her own name, the young widow attends night school, and becomes the highly efficient secretary of an eminent barrister, whom she thinks is ignorant of her past. Love comes to her for the first time with Jack, the son of a rich man who hitherto has ruled his son’s life in every act. When her employer, who is a fine fellow, has plotted the wedding of the two, the father puts his foot down, insults her, and rakes up bits of her past. When her husband wilts before the old man’s bitterness, pride drives her from him, and her son is born after Jack has married again. Back again in the barrister's office, there is now danger in their friendship, but both arc loyal to their ideals until the unforeseen happens, and Jack's wife is crippled. Henry Fonda and lan Hunter are also in the cast.

“That Certain Woman” is supported by a remarkable series of short subjects. Metro News deals in a splendid manner with the recent Czecho-slovakian troubles, and a vaudeville revue depicts some very clever artists.

STATE THEATRE “BLOCKADE” Whether regarded as propaganda against the senseless futility of war or as a dramatic spectacle, “Blockade,” which has opened a season at the State Theatre,, more than fulfils its purpose and must be regarded as one of the outstanding motion picture productions of the year. Madeleine Carroll and Henry Fonda head it, and are supported by Leo Carrillo, John Halliday, Reginald Denny, Vladimir Sokoloff, Robert Warwick, and Katherine De Mille. The story, which is by John Howard Lawson, has the Spanish civil war as its background, but does not take sides, although depicting the seething maelstrom of the conflict. The story of “Blockade” opens with Norma, played by Madeleine Carroll, arriving in Spain in order to discover her father. He and an associate have been active in helping to foment civil war, and Norma finds herself very quickly involved. When war breaks out, she is in love with Marco, a farmer (Hjnry Fonda). Marco leaves the ploughshare for the sword and becomes a soldier. He kills Norma’s father as a spy. and is even obliged to arrest her as a suspect. Released through a traitorous alliance between her father’s former associate and a general, Norma is forced to aid them in espionage work. She is sent to Castlemarc, a fine old city on the Mediterranean, as the bearer of a message to spies who are intent upon the destruction of a ship laden with food for the relief of the blockaded city. It is in this part of the film that the most telling effects are produced, and the horrors of civil war are acutely brought home. But spies are working against spies, and some are secretly selling their services to the opposite side while pretending to serve the other. In the thick of it all is Marco, who discovers the plot just as Norma, with the revulsion of feeling over tire plight of the people starving in the blockaded city, attempts to rectify the wrong she had done. With plots and counterplots, the action is intensely dramatic.

“LEAVE IT TO ME" SANDY POWELL AT REGENT Sandy Powell's new hit “Leave It To Me,” at present at the Regent, is one of the funniest comedy pictures which the management have secured for many a long month. “Leave It To Me” is a British hit, the inimitable Berkshire comedian being seen at his best. That this new vehicle gives the grand trouper—famous on music hall, stage and radio alike—the finest following opportunities he has ever had cannot be doubted. All that :.eed be said about the story is that it concerns Sandy’s activities as a special constable. Supporting the star is a very strong cast of talented British players, including Iris March as the heroine, Garry Marsh as the superintendent, Franklin Dyall in the role of the mysterious Chinese, and Wally Patch as the all-in-wrestling referee. Herbert Smith directed the picture which was written and produced by Tom Arnold, and famous pantomime producer. It is an Action Pictures release.

THEATRE ROYAL DOUBLE PROGRAMME Revealing a wide range of talent Gene Autry, singing cowboy sensation, and the most popular star on the screen to-day in America and England, is the leading player in “Red River Valley,” Action Pictures stirring drama of the West, which is showing at the Theatre Royal. The story deals with the long fight of the Arizona and California ranches to harness the Colorado River by the Boulder Dam project, and of the treachery of strong financial interests in endeavouring to make the dam a failure. Filmed against the background of the mighty dam during construction and after completion, the picture abounds in fast action and tense excitement whilst introducing several new song hits and the ever popular “Red River Valley.” Supporting Gene are Smiley Burnetts, Frances Grant and Jack Kennedy. With a heavyweight championship bout scheduled that evening, the defending titleholder is kidnapped just before ringtime to make Columbia’s “The Main Event,” a most thrilling action pic-

ture, as the associate feature at the Theatre Royal where it opened yesterday. The new film, in which Robert Paige and Jacqueline Wells are cofeatured as a detective and his dizzy girl friend, offers a startling expose of a million dollar sporting racket.