AMUSEMENTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21575, 10 February 1940, Page 13

AMUSEMENTS

MAJESTIC THEATRE “THE SUN NEVER SETS” Douglas Fairbanks jnr. and Basil Rathbone virtually symbolise an empire in Universal’s "The Sun Never Sets,” which opens at the Majestic Theatre to-day. This is a picture dealing with the British Colonial Civil Service, which protects 500 million people over an area of 13 million square miles. But the whole story is told through two brothers, portrayed by Fairbanks and Rathbone. And they reveal a powerful drama. Both are ranked as foremost actors. Seldom have they turned in performances equal to those in this Aim. The picture opens with an extremely interesting series of scenes showing the British Empire from the time of Queen Elizabeth to the present. Then follows the story of the two brothers. Both are members of an old family whose sons have been in “the service” for more than 300 years. Rathbone, the elder, has followed family tradition and given his life in service. Fairbanks rebels at being so harnessed by tradition. But he finally goes Into the service. He costs Rathbone his job because of a deliberate blunder, but straightens everything out in the end. No attempt is made to magnify the picture with scenes showing great masses of people. The story itself is of such magnitude that one has the impression of beholding, an epic told in a powerful straightforward manner. While Fairbanks and Rathbone receive the acting honours, several others in the cast give more than creditable accounts of themselves. Virginia Field is excellent as Fairbanks’ fiancee. Barbara O’Neil gives the best performance of her entire career as Rathbone's young wife. She is particularly convincing in the sequence where her baby is born dead. STATE THEATRE “HERE I AM A STRANGER” A daringly significant story of modern life that is 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 showing at the State Theatre, “Here I Am A Stranger.” Richard Dix and Brenda Joyce are featured in a cast including Roland Young, Gladys George and others. With absorbing realism, it tells the story of a boy who reaches the threshhold of manhood to find himself suddenly a stranger in the world he has grown up into. Bewildered by 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. In spite of the depth of its theme and the intensity of its drama, the story is interpolated with sparkling comedy. Katharine Aldridge, beautiful photographers’ model who made her film debut in Elsa Maxwell’s “Hotel For Women”; Russell Geason, son-in-law of the screen’s Jones Family; George Zucco, Edward Norris and Henry Kolker complete the cast line-up. Also screening are the first pictures of the scuttling of the Admiral Graf Spee. REGENT THEATRE “SECRET SERVICE OF THE AIR” Hazardous and thrilling adventures o' the men of the United States Secret Service will be dramatised in a new series of Warner Bros, pictures “Secret Service Adventures,” starring Ronald Reagan, which makes its bow at the Regent Theatre to-day. The lead-off film is “Secret Service of the Air.” “Secret Service of the Air” is concerned mainly with the breaking up of a gang which has been smuggling aliens into the United States by air. It is for this specific task that Reagan, who has been working as a pilot of China Clippers, is asked to join the service by a friend, played by John Litel, who is an official of the service. Just as he is about to conclude his mission successful;', his real identity is learned by the smugglers and he has to put up a successful battle for his life before he can turn his prisoners and his evidence over to his superiors. Aside from Reagan and Litel, others prominent in the cast of “Secret Service of the Air” include Ila Rhodes, James Stephenson, Eddie Foy, jnr., Rosella Towne, Anthony Averill and Bernard Nedell. Also on this bright and entertaining programme is another of the “Blondie” series, “Blondie Meets the Boss.” Thus series of screen adaptations from the famous newspaper comic strip are famous for the humour and down-to-earth ■ .. Arthur Lake plays “Dagwood” the hen-pecked husband of “Blondie” played by Penny Singleton with Larry Simms the perfect “Baby Dumpling.” Plans are open Beggs and the Theatre.

theatre royal DOUBLE FEATURE PROGRAMME Richard Arlen and Rochelle Hudson are featured in Columbia’s “Missing Daughters” which is showing at the. Royal. They are seen as a courageous couple who fight the vice-lords of the underworld, revealing the truth about what happens to America's “missing daughters.” A fine supporting cast headed by Isabel Jewell and Marian Marsh enhance the thrilling action in this fast-moving film. Others who are seen are Richard Wessel, Edward Raquello, Wade Boteler and Don Beridoe. C. C. Coleman, jr., directed. As an associate attraction, "Calling All Marines." an exciting espionage drama in which the United States Marine Corps has a prominent part, is being screened. The leading players in this production are Robert Kent, Helen Mack, Donald Barry and Warren Hvmer.