AMUSEMENTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21573, 8 February 1940, Page 9

AMUSEMENTS

STATE THEATRE “HERE I AM A STRANGER” “Charlie Chan in Reno” and “News Is Made at Night” will be screened finally to-day. A daringly significent story of modern life that’s out of the beaten path, with Richard Greene on the threshold of his greatest opportunity in his first starring role and a great supporting cast—such is the new drama coming to-morrow to the State Theatre, “Here I Am a Stranger,” with Richard Dix and Brenda Joyce featured In a cast including Ronald Young, Gladys George and others. Adapted from the novel read by millions, this film is destined to start a new motion picture cycle and is itself one of the most dramatic pictures of the day. It boasts a theme intense in emotional appeal and deals daringly with modern questions in a modern way. With absorbing realism, it tells the story of a boy who reaches the threshold of manhood to find himself suddenly a stranger in the world he has grown up into. Bewildered by the conflict between his superficial world of wealth and sham and a new world of things that are real, he is torn and hurt by life until he meets a girl as new to love as he Is himself. This is the role portrayed by Greene. Katharine Aldridge, who made her film debut in “Hotel For Women”; Russell Gleason, son-in-law of the screen’s Jones Family; Gfeotge Zucco, Edward Norris and Henry Kolker complete the cast. REGENT THEATRE “TELEVISION SPY” The programme now showing at the Regent Theatre comprises thrilling drama as well as comedy by two of the screen’s most famous comedians. “Television Spy,” with William Henry, Judith Barret and William Collier sr., provide the dramatic thrills; while "Night Work,” starring Charlie Ruggles and Mary Boland, has comedy as its keynote. This programme will sceen today and to-morrow. “Secret Service Of the Air”

“Secret Service of the Air,” which comes to the Regent Theatre on Saturday, is heralded as the first outrider of a veritable cavalcade of thrilling and absorbing screen entertainment, for it is the first in a series of pictures being produced which will deal with the exploits of the men of the United States Secret Service. AH of the films in the series will be based on material compiled by W. H. Moran, former chief of the Secret Service, and therefore will be but thinly disguised dramatisations of actual adventures experienced by the members of this famous and colourful Federal law enforcement agency. The hero of “Secret Service of the Air”—and he will remain the central character of the series—is Ronald Reagan. The second attraction at the weekend is the screen adaptation of the famous newspaper comic strip of “~Tondie” with “Blondie Meets the Boss” as its title. Penny Singleton and Arthur Lake have the leading roles. MAJESTIC THEATRE “MAN ABOUT TOWN” Jack Benny, radio comedian, makes another hit in the lavish new Paramount comedy with music, “Man About Town,” which opens at the Majestic Theatre to-day. With glamourous Dorothy Lamour and jolly, rotund Edward Arnold in co-starring roles, this is the most hilarious of Benny’s screen offerings. Among the big added attractions of the picture are the sensational dancing of “Rochester,” who makes his screen debut in this picture. The “Rochester” dancing is said to be amazing. Jack Benny Is an American theatrical impresario about to present a show in London. Because Jack’s amorous advances mean nothing to his singing star, Dorothy Lamour, Jack contrives to meet a lady of the English nobility, hoping to make Dorothy jealous. Important supporting roles are played by Binnie Barnes, Phil Harris, as Jack’s orchestra leader; Betty Grable, as a chorus girl; “Rochester,” as Jack’s valet; E. E. Clive and Matty Malneck and his orchestra. “The Sun Never Sets” “The Sun Never Sets.” the New Universal picture which opens at the

Majestic Theatre oh Saturday, has several outstanding claims to popular support. Some high-pitched antiNazi propaganda Is introduced by including in the Gold Coast (Africa) scenes a Nazi mining plant which is a mask for an anti-democratic secret radio with a world-range in propaganda broadcasts. The Nazis of the picture are setting the civilised world aflame with propaganda from an unknown source, no one expecting the radio to be located in Africa, and they are at the same time secretly mining molybdenite for armament-making purposes. Anyone who had read about the Empire services will not fail to give enthusiastic approval to the opening sequences of the picture, in which the actors and actresses are seen at their best in dealing with the revolt of the younger Randolph (John Randolph. played by Douglas Fairbanks, jr.) against the Randolph family traditions of Empire service, which amounts to Empire exile. THEATRE ROYAL MYSTERY FILM AND MUSICAL COMEDY “The Street Singer’s Return,” the sparkling musical comedy romance, which is showing at the Royal, brings together two famous stars of the entertainment world, Arthur Tracy and Arthur Rlscoe, the comedian. Arthur Tracy is popularly known to millions, per medium of his gramophone records, as “The Street Singer,” and his first film production, “Street Singer’s Serenade,” established him among the foremost stars of the screen. There Is no lack of action in “The Secret of Stamboul,” co-starring Valerie Hobson and Frank Vosper. which is the story of Larry, a young army officer, who, at a club ball, knocks down a Turkish diplomat who is forcing unwelcome attentions on the Colonel’s daughter. To avoid a military scandal, Larry resigns, and accepts a job to investigate the affairs of a tobacco company in Turkey. He soon learns that a political intrigue is concerned with the company, and a secret organisation is at work to upset the Government. Also showing on the programme at the Theatre Royal is the second chapter of Jackie Cooper in “Scouts to the Rescue.”