AMUSEMENTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21210, 3 December 1938, Page 13

AMUSEMENTS

MAJESTIC THEATRE "LETTER OF INTRODUCTION” Comedy and romance are blended in delightfully satisfying proportions in "Letter of Introduction,” opening at the Majestic Theatre to-day. The film ripples with sparkling comedy and contains a'plot which maintains interest throughout. Heading the cast are Adolphe Menjou, Andrea Leeds, Edgar Bergen with the inimitable Charlie McCarthy, and George Murphy. As the story embraces incidents in Bergen’s rise to fame with McCarthy, excellent comedy opportunities are offered in its development. Because of the unique style of comedy employed by Bergen and Charlie, most of the Incidents dealing with the pair, and practically all of the dialogue between the two, was written by Bergen, recognised as a master comedy constructionist and writer. The story presents Bergen as a struggling ventriloquist, who, through meeting Menjou, is started on his road to success and fame. The Bergen-McCarthy sequences include his appearance in swanky New York night clubs, his gradual rise to fame, and his ultimate success in radio. Several other comedy sequences, between Menjou, Murphy, Andrea Leeds, Rita Johnson and Eve Arden, are spotted through the production, Stahl is known for his direction of such pictures as "Back Stage,” “Magnificent Obsession,” “Imitation of Life" —all with fairly heavy dramatic even tragic, theories. “Letter of Introduction” marks his .departure into a new field of directofial endeavour. In every foot of this film true greatness leaves its mark and picturegoers will reinember it for many a day. Excellent supports complete the programme. STATE THEATRE t "FOUR MEN AND- A PRAYER” With one of the best easts to be assembled in one picture, and, above all, with an enthralling story of murder, determination, adventure and romance, “Four Men and a Prayer,” which is showing at the State Theatre, is one of the most outstanding dramas the screen has produced. The transition of this popular story, read by millions in book form or magazine serial, provides a number of surprises. Patrons find that this 20th Century-Fox production has passed up all the ultrasaccharine cliches of the love motif for the noblest of he-man instincts. . . .

the unswerving faith of four sons in their father’s honour. Beautiful gay Loretta Young in practically the only feminine role, is the girl whose love for one of the brothers serves as a shining beacon through clouds of intrigue . . . and even distrust of her. Her romantic interest is for Richard Greene, a sensational new British stai- discovery in his first film. Greene, however, along with George Sanders, David Niven and William Henry are the four men who forsake everything in their careers to track down around the world, the menace which cashiered their beloved father, C. Aubrey Smith, out of the army in disgrace and then brought death to a great soldier. J. Edward Bromberg, John Carradine, Alan Hale, Reginald Denny, Berton Churchill and . Barry Fitzgerald are also featured In the screen play by Richard Sherman, Sonya Levien and Walter Ferris. Darryl F. Zanuck selected Kenneth Macgowan as an associate producer.

REGENT THEATRE POWERFUL PRISON DRAMA America’s most widely publicised penitentiary in the chill waves of San Francisco Bay is brought to the motion picture screen for the first time in "Alcatraz Island,” a thrilling melodrama which will be presented to-day at the Regent Theatre. Grim but fascinating is this story of men who live outside the law, and of the men whose duty it is to apprehend and convict them. Every moment is loaded with’ thrills as the film moves swiftly to an unexpected and exciting climax. John Litel is featured as a racketeer who Is rather likeable. Income tax evasion catches up with Litel just as it did with Al Capone and other real-lifa racketeers. Gordon Oliver, a Government attorney, procures his conviction. He is sent first to Leavenworth prison. There, in a fight with a lesser gangster, which is forced upon him, he is pronounced incorrigible, and transferred to Alcatraz. An amazingly dramatic sequence of events, occurring behind the walls of Alcatraz while the trial is going on, bring out the truth concerning the murder, and real justice has its way. A particularly attractive set of “short” subjects accompany the main film and are enumerated on the front page. “Grandad Rudd” "Grandad Rudd,” which was to have been screened on Wednesday last, but was held up in the North Island, has been definitely booked for Wednesday next. The film is already at the theatre, so there is no possibility of the public being again disappointed. Reservations are heavy, so intending patrons are advised to book early. Country people should ring No 486. THEATRE ROYAL A WESTERN AND A MYSTERY Buck Jones’ latest Universal starring vehicle, “Stone of Silver Creek,” now showing on the screen of the Theatre Royal, proves that a Western picture can have a plot as coherent and as carefully developed as any drawingroom drama laid in the effete East. Much of the action of this fast-moving screenplay takes M place in a frontier town, but there are scenes in the mountains nearby which present rugged California scenery of unusual beauty. Three pretty romances are developed during the course of the story, and the beautiful girls concerned are Noe! Francis, Marion Shilling and Peggy Campbell, rated among the

most charming maidens of the Hollywood screen colony. Excitement, thrills and suspense are provided in full measure in “Dusty Ermine,” also showing at the Theatre Royal. Scotland Yard investigates mystery and cold-blooded murder in the eternal snows of the Alps, and in sinister hideouts of an international gang of counterfeiters. A fierce chase on skis followed by an avalanche that hurtles to death those in its path, brings a climax on a satisfactory note of ingenious humour.