AMUSEMENTS MAJESTIC THEATRE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21554, 17 January 1940, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS MAJESTIC THEATRE

“A CHRISTMAS CAROL” The film version of Charles Dickens’s short story, “A Christmas Carol.” is the main attraction to-day at the Majestic Theatre. Broadly, the picture is faithful to the story though, as is also the case with many other similar efforts, It has had to be adapted to the screen. In his preface to “Christmas Books,” which collection includes "A Christmas Carol,” Dickens wrote: “My chief purpose was, in a whimsical kind of masque which the good humour of the season justified, to awaken some loving and forbearing thoughts, never out of season in a Christian land.” It is sufficient to say that the picture Justifies the author’s aim. The character delineations in the film version are undoubtedly good, and Reginald Owen gives a satisfactory performance as Ebenezer Scrooge, “a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone. Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner." His portrayal of the second Scrooge, as a man whose resolve is to keep Christmas all the year round, is equally good. Bob Cratchit, his clerk, is excellently played by Gene Lockhart. “Broadway Serenade” “Broadway Serenade,” showing on Saturday at the Majestic Theatre, Is a worthy successor to those other modern films in which Jeanette Macdonald has appeared. In it she is cast with Lew Ayres, who. after some striking successes some years ago, has been seen all too little by theatre audiences. The plot is not remarkable, being the story of a young married couple of vaudeville artists who become separated when Broadway recognises the singing talents of the girl but refuses to listen to the musical offerings of the husband. Estrangements and divorce follow, aided on their way by a young Englishman with plenty of money. Fortunately, being English and very public school, he is suitably abashed when he finds that the lady is married, and later, finding that she still loves hethusband, he beats a hasty retreat to the fogs of his homeland. The music is, indeed, really splendid, and Jeanette Macdonald excels herself in singing melodies from “Madame Butterfly” and other numbers. Lew Ayres is very convincing as the composer-husband, and lan Hunter remains the suave Englishman until the last scene, when he gets drunk in a very gentlemanly fashion. Frank Morgan, Franklin Pangborne, and other old-stagers add much ot the picture. REGENT THEATRE “MAGNIFICENT FRAUD” Akim Tamiroff has the role of a dictator-actor, Lloyd Nolan is cast as a reckless, romantic American adventurer who pulls strings for the dictator, Mary Boland plays the ex-darllng of the dictator, Patricia Morison provides romantic interest opposite Nolan and George Zucco plays an ardent patriot in the daring new drama, “The Magnificent Fraud,” opening to-day at the Regent Theatre, an explosive story of political intrigue In a mythical South American country. The punch-packed story tells how Nolan dares to substitute an actor (Tamiroff) for the murdered dictator of the country because he realises that a loan needed to put tile country on its feet hangs in the balance! Woven into the timely dramatic aspects of the story are moments of fervent romance involving Patricia Morison and Lloyd Nolan. Steffi Duna, of the supporting cast, adds an exciting note with her fiery dancing, while Ernest Cossart plays an important supporting role as a French detective. "Million Dollar Legs” “Million Dollar Legs,” a most hilarious campus comedy, features such bright new talented youngsters as Betty Grable, Jackie Coogan, Joyce Mathews, Donald O’Connor, Larry Crabbe, and John Hartley. Differing radically from any other college comedy ever filmed, “Million Dollar Legs” unfolds the students’ revolt against a benevolent but stubborn philanthropist who does not permit the college to have a crew. Determined to have a new shell for their newly formed crew, the students swap their belongings, enough to bring a hundred dollars and bet the bankroll on a long shot. The hilarity of the situation hardly subsides before another funny occurrence takes place. STATE THEATRE "SOUTH RIDING” “South Riding” the adaptation of Winifred Holtby’s best-selling novel of that title, is showing at the State Theatre. The main characters are superbly played by a distinguished cast headed by four popular stars, Ralph Richardson, Edna Best, Ann Todd and Edmund Gwenn. The wellknown story revolves around the intrigue of shire politics which takes place as a result of a scheme for slum clearance in the County of South Riding. Founder of the scheme is Astell (John Clements), a conscientious social reformer. Ralph Richardson is seen as the proud, conservative Squire Carne, tragically burdened by poverty and a demented wife (Ann Todd). On the local council he is opposed to the housing scheme owing to being suspicious of the motives behind it. Sarah Burton (Edna Best), the newly appointed schoolmistress, is actively interested in the rehousing scheme. The mother of one of her most promising pupils has died in the local slums which are known as “The Shacks” Sarah appeals to Carne to drop his obstructive tactics. Their persistent clashing of viewpoint does not hide a mutual respect, a respect which grows into something deeper when Sarah learns of the tragedy of his private life. "Sherlock Holmes” The master-detective against his arch-enemy, the master-criminal, in the super-crime of the century, makes “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes,” coming to the State Theatre on Friday, a film not to be missed. Basil Rathbone again portrays Holmes, with Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson, in the thrilling battle against the fiendish Moriarty, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s notorious villain. Ida Lupino and Alan Marshal are seen in the leading romantic roles. Others in the cast are Terry Kilburn, George Zucco (as Moriarty), Henry Stephenson and E. E. Clive. THEATRE ROYAL DOUBLE FEATURE BILL “O’Riley’s Luck,” a breezy and delightful story of young love, charged with all the glamour and action of a big-time college football game, Is a thrilling attraction at the Theatre Royal. William Frawley, Eleanore Whitney, Tom Brown, Larry Crabbe, Benny Baker, Terry Ray and Priscilla Lawson, have the leading roles. Warren William, Karen Morley and Lewis Stone head the cast of over two hundred players in “Outcast,” the story ot a woman who devotes her life to avenge what she believes to have been a murder committed by a physician. She falls In love with the man, but too late to save them both from the fury of a mob whose hatred she has Incited.