AMUSEMENTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21216, 10 December 1938, Page 19

AMUSEMENTS

MAJESTIC THEATRE “THREE COMRADES" . The outstanding fil:-i production, “Three Comrades,” which commences a season at the Majestic Theatre today. is marked by splendid characterisations by Robert Taylor, Margaret Sullavan, Franchot Tone and Robert Young, who take leading roles. Miss Sullavan gives a splendid performance as a lovely young girl affected by lung trouble, which she comes to realise cannot be overcome and is making her a means of sacrifice to the three comrades. The plot Is laid in Germany, two years after the conclusion of the war. Tone, Taylior and Young are cast as men returned from the front trying to develop a business in a garage and taxi-cab service. Miss Su?a--va.l falls in love with Taylor and he with her, but she holds off marria/e until Tone’s arguments convince her. She eventually realises the hopelessness of the position and goes to a sanatorium, where a doctor performs an operation which can only be successful as long as she remains quite still. In a dramatic scene she gets out of bed and falls unconscious, dying of the effort. Tone and Taylor consider going to South Africa to seek a fresh start, but become involved in a street riot and Young is shot in saving the life c' an elderly reformer. Tone never ceases seeking the murderer of his friend and one night sees him in the street as he drives along in his car. Leaping out Tone follows him with unhurried but relentless steps, until in the narrow alley the youth turns. They exchange shots, the killer falling dead and Tone satisfied that he had avenged his friend’s murder. In this film Taylor shows that he has determinedly emerged from the star-hero roles. He is scarcely ever presented is a good-looking young man. Miss ullavan etches the character of Patricia Hollmann, that eager, lovely, tender, restless girl, with an exquisite touch. Supporting pictures will include a Pete Smith Novelty and a Robert Benchley comedy.

STATE THEATRE JANE WITHERS IN “RASCALS” The irrepressible Jane Withers, with the aid of Borrah Minevitch, the mouth-organ virtuoso and his harmonica band, in “Rascals," a diverting story of a gang of gypsies, provide amusing entertainment in the current programme at the State Theatre. At the special matinee this afternoon a “Rascals’ ’’ mouth organ contfest will be held. Jane Withers brings a breezy, hoydenish, young America to a story about a young heiress (Rochelle Hudson) who has stumbled into a Gypsy camp after an auto, accident. A young college man (Robert Wilcox), who is seeing the world, is in the camp and the love affair blossoms under Jane’s impish guidance. How she unravels the complications of Rochelle’s unwanted suitor and a jealous admirer of Wilcox develops into a story as gay and breezy as life on the open road. The amazing Miss Withers cavorts through the picture with Borrah Minevitch as her principal accomplice in the fur: riot. She sings while Minevitch’s harmonica gang makes music, she times her lines and antics with the precision of a trooper ,and tops her performance with dances. Three new song hits by Sidney Clare and Harry Akst make lilting melody for the film. You’ll be hearing them on the radio: “Take a Tip from a Gypsy,” "Song of the Gypsy Band,” and "Blue is the Evening.” There are good supports. REGENT THEATRE SWIFT ACTION PROGRAMME Plenty of entertaining fare is provided in Clarence E. Mulford’s “Bar 20 Justice” and "You and Me,” which will share the honours in the new programme commencing at the Regent Theatre to-day. Replete with vigorous action William Boyd is featured in. a story dealing with a gold mine robbery. Playing the “hard-boiled” rancher Boyd goes into action against the West’s most daring gold thieves when they make an attempt to steal the mine of one of his friends. He is assisted by his two oldtime saddlemates, George Hayes as "Windy Halliday," and Russell Hayden as “Lucky Jenkins. Gwen Gaze provides the feminine Interest. “You and Me,” featuring Sylvia Sidney and George Raft, is a powerful drama of paroled exconvicts and the American parole rule that forbids them to marry. Both Miss Sidney and Raft portray the roles of ex-convicts. Raft has worked out his parole and marries Miss Sidney. a co-worker in a large department store. The girl, afraid of losing his love, conceals from him the fact that she is still on parole and therefore runs the risk of being re-committed to prison for marrying. When Raft learns of her past he becomes embittered, gives up his struggle to go straight, returns to his “mob,” and is only saved from another criminal career by the daring action of his wife, who risks everything to save him. THEATRE ROYAL CONTRASTING FARE “Prison Break,” as Its title infers, is a dramatic story of prison life, featuring Barton McClane and Glenda Farrell, and “She Had to Eat” in a diverting comedy, with Jack Haley, Arthur Treacher, Rochelle Hudson and Eugene Pallette in the. chief roles, provide contrasting fare at the Theatre Royal. In "Prison Break” Barton McClane and Glenda Farrell are cast as the central characters in a moving story of the evils of the present American prison parole system .McLane will be seen as a tuna fisherman who assumes the burden of another’s crime and is sentenced to a term in San Quentin. For his heroic share in the suppression of a murderous prison riot and wholesale jail-break, he is paroled. But he finds himself unable to secure honest employment, breaks his parole and considers a life of crime. Miss Farrell Is cast as his sweetheart, who ultimately convinces him that his best course Is to return to prison. After the hilarious spree which stole many laughs for him in "Wake Up and

Live,” the Walter Winchell-Ben Bernie musical comedy hit, happy-go-lucky Jack Haley establishes himself In a riotous performance in Twentieth-Century-Fox’s comedy. “She Had ta Eat.” Guffawed to fame in supporting roles in one laugh "hit” after another, Jack plays the featured role in “She Had to Eat,” heading a cast which includes Rochelle Hudson, Arthur Treacher and Eugene Pallette. In addition to the two latter comedians, three others—Douglas Fowley, John Qualen and Tom Kennedy—make the story a mad field day of wit and humour.