AMUSEMENTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVI, Issue 21323, 18 April 1939, Page 11

AMUSEMENTS

REGENT THEATRE "ELEPHANT BOY" “Toomai of the Elephants,” by Rudyard Kipling, is the story from which the thrilling picture of Indian jungle life "Elephant Boy,” which comes to the Regent to-day, was taken. The picture, which was screened at the Regent on its previous Timaru season, is undoubtedly one of the greatest films which have ever reached New Zealand. It is rare entertainment right off the beaten track. The story tells of a young Indian boy, son of a Mahout, who dreams of the day he will became a great hunter like his grandfather, "Toomai of the Elephants.” Little Toomai’s father is killed and the boy mourns with Kala Nag, his favourite elephant, a giant tusker. Kala Nag attacks his new driver and runs riot, and to save him from being shot by a white hunter, Toomai runs away with him into the jungle. While in hiding he discovers the meeting place of the herds of wild elephants and when found exhausted by the white hunter, reveals his knowledge. The result is a great round up of more elephants than had ever before been seen together at one time, and this makes the thrilling climax to a picture which has more pleasant excitement in it than any you can remember.

I. AJESTIC THEATRE YOUNG DR. KILDARE” ' Films with their setting in a hospital are always topical and in “Young Dr. Kildare,” which is showing at the Majestic fine performances are given by Lew Ayres, recently seen in “Rich Man, Poor Girl,” and Lionel Barrymore, who is one of the most famous actors in Hollywood to-day. The film holds the attention of the audience partly through the fine acting of the performers and partly through the skill shown in direction. It is the first of what should be a popular series. Lew Ayres is cast as a young doctor, just passed in his examinations, coming home to his parents, who live in a small country town and who have his career all mapped out for him. But he is an idealist and believes that his future lies in a large city hospital, where he can be free to pursue his ambitions. He leaves the town, his parents and fiancee, and gains a position as an interne in a large New York hospital. Here, he speedily gets into trouble, is blamed for the death of a patient, and expelled from the hospital. However, the hospital houses a remarkable old character, a diagnostician with all the brilliance and eccentricity of genius, Lionel Barrymore, and this extraordinary old doctor comes to the rescue of the young Interne in a most unexpected manner, and shows him the way to justify his actions in the eyes of the medical men as well : s in his own. Interesting supporting films also will be shown. “Ambush” Lloyd Nolan could make people believe he was bad, but he could not make them hate him. That is why the stalwart menace of “The Texas Rangers,” “Hunted Men” and “Prison Farm,” appears in the romantic role of “Ambush," which comes to the Majestic Theatre to-morrow. In spite of the fact that Nolan was consistently assigned to menace roles in a series of pictures, his fan mail continued to grow. Now, his studio taking advantage of his growing popularity, has cast him opposite Gladys Swarthout in a rapid-fire action drama. STATE THEATRE “PRISON WITHOUT BARS” “Prison Without Bars” which features Edna Best, Barry K. Barnes and a new and startling French actress, Corinne Luchaire, will be screened at the State Theatre to-day. Poised and assured, but with a Bergner-like impishness, Miss Luchaire is one of the most striking personalities presented on the screen in recent years. As Suzanne, innocent inmate of a girls’ reformatory, Miss Luchaire has many dramatic opportunities. Embittered by the harsh regulations, Suzanne makes many attempts to escape, but each time she is captured and brought back. Her last escapade coincides with the arrival of Yvonne, the new superintendent, placed charmingly by Edna Best. Despite opposition from her staff, Yvonne introduces sweeping reforms. She wins the love and gratitude of Suzanne, for whom she is trying to get a pardon. Happy for the first time, the girl is given more congenial work assisting the Institution’s doctor, George Marechai (Barry K. Earnest. She speedily falls in love with him, unaware, as is everybody else, that he is engaged to marry Yvonne. In spite of himself, Marechai reciprocates. A brilliant climax marked by magnificent acting by the principals, brings to a close a film that is one of the most moving dramas of the year. \

THEATRE ROYAL FAMILY NIGHT PROGRAMME “The Case of the Velvet Claws,” a murder mystery drama, has been booked by the Theatre Royal for screening to-night. This is the fourth of the popular novels by Erie Stanley Gardner to be brought to the screen by the same producers, with Warren William starred as the brilliant amateur detective, Perry Mason. The plot is unique, baffling, and the suspense is maintained up to the moment of the amazing climax. There are two possible motives for the murder—to cover a love scandal—and to gain possession of wealth. Perry Mason’s problem is to find which is the real cause of the crime. Eight persons are suspected, one of whom believes herself to be the killer. Circumstantial evidence points to the probability that Perry Mason himself did the deed. The hero is injected into the case by the pistol method—just as he is starting on his honeymoon—by the wife of the man who is marked for slaughter, and who has laid herself open to suspicion through a secret love affair. Attraction number two is “Man

of the Moment,” a clever comedy with the laughs tumbling over one another. The principal laugh raisers are Douglas Fairbanks Junior, Laura La Plante and Claude Hulbert.