AMUSEMENTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVI, Issue 21244, 14 January 1939, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS

MAJESTIC THEATRE “ MAN-PROOF " Myrna Loy, recently voted the most popular actress in American films, comes to the Majestic screen to-day in “Man-Proof,” surrounded by a stellar cast which includes such well-known personalities as Franchot Tone, Rosalind Russell and Walter Pidgeon. Inin the new picture, based on a novel by Fanny Heaslip Lea, Miss Loy makes a striking departure from her familiar role of the “perfect wife” to play an ultra-modern girl who overrides oldfashioned conventions in her pursuit of the man she loves. The plot, in brief, describes Miss Loy as a newspaper artist in love with a social climber, Walter Pidgeon. When he marries Rosalind Russell, society heiress, Miss Loy resolves to win him back. Meanwhile, Franchot Tone, young cartoonist, falls in love with her. When the honeymooners return Miss Loy renews her siege. Pidgeon is surprised by his wife in Miss Loy’s apartment. But when he is offered a divorce he refuses, knowing that he is in love only with himself. Miss Loy at last realises the futility of her false romance, and turns back to Tone. With a modern background, the picture has been given lavish settings which include metropolitan newspaper offices, millionaires’ mansions, night clubs and Madison Square Garden. The supporting programme will include the latest Australian Cinesound News, a FitzPatrick Traveltalk in Colour, a Pete Smith Miniature Musical Comedy and the Metrotone News. STATE THEATRE “THE SAINT IN NEW YORK” Something new and exciting in the eternal war of modern society against racketeers and crime is melodramatically presented from a new and exciting angle in “The Saint in New York,” which is showing at the State Theatre with Louis Hayward in the chief role. Hayward, the brilliant young English actor, portrays one of the most unusual parts ever seen on the screen—that of a smiling, deadly killer who turns his audacious talents to the task of ridding the world of super-criminals whom the law cannot reach. When a New York personage finds the authorities helpless against the depredations of a murderous group of gangster overlords, he turns to “The Saint” as a last resort and invites him to use his own illegal but effective methods to clean out the public enemies. And around his acceptance of the offer and his ensuing exploits, R.K.O. Radio has woven one of the year’s most dramatic and sus-pense-packed films. One by one, and at ever-increasing danger to himself “The Saint” brings down six prospective victims, but during his one-man campaign jie discovers a seventh criminal, the mysterious and unknown leader of all the others, whom he adds to his list, to the embarrassment of his patron. What happens in the course of the campaign, plus the romance of a mystery girl who acts as the contact between the elusive leader and the other crooks, provides the action for most of “The Saint in New York.” Hayward is cast as “The Saint.” In Kay Sutton, a brunette beauty playing her first leading role as the mystery girl, studio executives believe they have a .real “discovery.” Such noted character players as Sig Rumann, Paul Guilfoyle, Jonathan Hale, Frederic Burton, Ben Welden, Jack Carson, Charles Halton and Cliff Bragdon are in the distinguished cast. REGENT THEATRE "PROFESSOR BEWARE” AND “BOOLOO” Harold Lloyd returns to the screen in a new comedy which opens to-day at the Regent Theatre, “Professor Beware.” He introduces a new leading lady, Phyllis Welch, a young graduate of the legitimate stage and radio stations. The picture, a typical Lloyd story, the like of which made him world famous, deals with his mad dash across the continent to arrive in New York in time to catch a boat sailing to Egypt. Broke, and out of a job, he starts the trip with Miss Welch at his heels, and arrives at his destination, after a myriad of dizzy adventures, still broke, but now pursuing Miss Welch. In “Booloo” a young Englishman, who gives dp everything and risks his very life in the jungles of Southern Asia to catch a mysterious white tiger, is the central figure. Colin Tapley portrays the Englishman whose dogged courage defeats wild men and wilder nature in the heart of Malaya. Tapley is assisted by a cast of Hollywoodians and natives. Also screening at the matinees only is “Jungle Pirates,” the initial chapter of Universal’s serialisation of the famous newspaper strip “Tim Tyler’s Luck.” Tim Tyler goes to the African jungle in search of his father, noted scientist who has gone to the gorilla country. Stowing away on a river steamer, he meets Lora Lacey. She is seeking Spider Webb, ivory safari robber and perpetrator of a diamond theft for which her brother is unjustly serving time. Headed by Garry Drake, Trader Brent and Lazarre, Webb's men seize the steamer and carry its ammunition cargo to an armoured jungle cruiser that once was the property of Tim’s father. Tim and Lora escape to shore by means of a tree branch. Spider’s men hunt for them. As Tim and Lora are about to be crushed to death, after escaping from a black panther, an Ivory Patrol Troop, summoned by drum signals, appears and battles with the gang in the cruiser.