AMUSEMENTS REGENT THEATRE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21556, 19 January 1940, Page 4

AMUSEMENTS REGENT THEATRE

“LUCKY NIGHT” “Magnificent Fraud” and "Million Dollar Legs” will give place to-morrow to “Lucky Night,” in which Myrns Loy and Robert Taylor make their first appearance together before the cameras.. Taylor demonstrates a flair for comedy as authentic and virile as he has displayed in drama. Miss Loy is even more beautiful and stunning than we have seen her in previous pictures for the producers have been lavish with their budget in gowning her. Interweaving moving heart throbs with uproarious laughter, the story unfolds the accidental meeting and later marital careers of Cora Jordan and Bill Overton. Cora, the spoiled daughter of a millionaire steel magnate, walks out on her fourth engagement to hunt for a job. Bill is a playboy down on his luck. Following an accidental meeting on a park bench, they gamble, frolic end fight their way to fortune, get married, quarrel over the family budg-t, separate and come together agxin after a series of mad-as-march-har. complications as hilarious as they ar* novel. Special featurettes have been selected. Plans are open at Begg's and the theatre. MAJESTIC THEATRE “A CHRISTMAS CAROL’ Scrooge, Tiny Tim, the Cratchits and the rest of the beloved characters in the Charles Dickens story come to life in "A Christmas Carol,” which will be shown for the last time at the Majestic Theatre to-day. Jeanette MacDonalc. Taking its place at the top of this season's musicals, “Broadway Serenade,” starring Jeanette MacDonald, opens at the Majestic Theatre tomorrow. Not in recent months has Miss MacDonald had the vocal or dramatic opportunities that this new production affords her. Rich in elaborate stage numbers, tempered with a good down-to-earth story revolving about a girl who climbs from singing in cheap night clubs to musical comedy stardom, “Broadway Serenade” contains every conceivable element of entertainment. The songs, sung by the star, range in type from hits of the Gay Ninettes, through grand opera selections and on to top tunes of today. “For Every Lonely Heart,” “One Look At You” and “Time Changes Everything” will be current sensations. In his role of Miss MacDonald’s com-poser-pianist husband, Lew Ayres demonstrates why he has been able to leap to near stardom in a few short months. His performance is real, sincere, and tempered with a sympathetic reserve which makes his teaming with the star one of the happiest combinations to date. Comedy is split three ways between Frank Morgan, as a Broadway producer, Virginia Grey and Rita Johnson, chorus girls who vie for his attentions. An interesting third point to the romantic triangle is provided by lan Hunter and Al Shean, as the old Bavarian cellist who befriends Ayres, give an excellent character portrayal. The supporting programme is exceptionally fine. state theatre “SHERLOCK HOLMES” “Sherlock Holmes,” the most famous detective of fiction, gives his name to the film opening to-morrow at the State with Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Ida Lupino, and Alan Marshal in the leading roles. The strange case of the chinchilla fetish; the Traitor's Gate; the fiendish instrument that strangles, crushes, and vanishes; the Star of Delhi; the albatross of doom; with a woman in love the victim and the 15,000,000-dollar British Crown Jewels the loot—this is the thrilling story of “Sherlock Holmes,” in which the master-detective is pitted against his arch-enemy, the master-criminal Moriarty, in the most horrible crime of the century! Fresh from his triumph in the recent "The Hound of the Baskervilles," Rathbone, the perfect Holmes, meets the notorious Moriarty for the first time in this new film. The contest between these two men, a battle of courage and wits, is one not to be forgotten easily. George Zucco, veteran character actor, portrays the master-criminal. The leading roles in the powerful love story that runs through the screen play by Edwin Blum and William Drake are portrayed by Ida Lupino and Alan Marshal. They head a cast including Terry Kilburn, Zucco, Henry Stephenson and E. E. Clive. Alfred Werker directed, with Gene Markey associate producer. Three fantastic clues confront the detective in this film. They are: an omen, an ancient Inca funeral dirge, like the cry of a puma; a threat against the fabulous Star of Delhi emerald; a murder, by an unknown weapon that strangles, crushes, then disappears! There will be » enough action and excitement in this film to satisfy the most avid appetites. THEATRE ROYAL PAT b’BRIEN AND JOAN BLONDELL "Off the Record," a picture with a newspaper back-ground, opens to-day at the Theatre Royal with Pat O’Brien and Joan Biondell teamed as its costars and young Bobby Jordan of the “Dead End” kids playing a featured role. The last previous production in which Pat and Joan were co-starred was also a newspaper picture, “Ba't in Circulation,” but aside from the similarity of background, the new picture has little in common with the former one. This time Pat and Jo«n are both reporters on the same paper, and considerable excitement is lent the production by the depiction of their professional exploits, but the fundamental theme of tho story—/rd one that is full of genuine h-i.rt throbs—is the determination of Joan, a warm-hearted and sympnttn’c woman under her cynical eiteiicr ‘o accomplish the reform and rehabtet ation of a little tough kid. Pat Is not at all sympathetic with her int-re»> in the little tough, but the toy’s genuinely good qualities eventually win him over, though along the way tne youngster apparently reverts la t s former criminal habits. The supporting feature is “Swing As You S'ng" featuring a grand array of English radio, screen and stage stars.