AMUSEMENTS MAJESTIC THEATRE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21735, 17 August 1940, Page 10

AMUSEMENTS MAJESTIC THEATRE

“THE UNDER-PUP" Gloria Jean, the new girl soprano, rightly styled Deanna Durbin’s successor, delighted audiences at the Majestic Theatre yesterday. “The Under-Pup” is described as a prize cheer-germ of luminous comedy romance and melody—altogether delightful entertainment. Honours are divided between a cast of adults and as talented an array of youngsters as has ever been assembled on the screen. The grown-ups are Beulah Bondi. Margaret Lindsay, C. Aubrey Smith, Billy Gilbert, Raymond Walburn, Paul Cavanagh, Frank Jenks, Ernest Truex and Samuel S. Hinds. There are also clever in the cast, but it is Gloria who carries the most important character. She plays the part of “Pip-Emma” with the ease that belies the fact that it is her first picture. She is cast as a poor girl from the East Side of New York who wins a trip to an exclusive girls' summer camp. There her troubles begin, for her “lowly” station in life and her eccentric, but lovable family incur the ridicule of a group of wealthy girls at the camp. Logically and lyrically woven into the story are six musical numbers, with Gloria scoring a genuine triumph in her rendition of five songs, from the favourite “Annie Laurie” to Mozart’s “Shepherd's Lullaby.” STATE THEATRE "AN ENGLISHMAN’S HOME” “An Englishman's Home,” a thrilling spy drama adapted from the play by Guy du Maurier, which was originally written to warn England of the perils of unpreparedness, is arousing much interest at the State Theatre. As a play it was first banned on the ground that the invaders might be identified with the Germans. Special uniforms were invented, the play was put on and accepted as “being worth more in the cause of national service than all the speeches ever made.” In Berlin it was hissed off the stage The story deals with a typical Englishman (Edmund Gwenn) who is firmly convinced that all these ridiculous war preparations are so much waste of good money. Unwittingly his home harbours an enemy spy. Betty Brown (Mary Maguire) his impressionable young daughter, completely falls in love with the spy, with whom she arranges to elope. Meanwhile, while the Brown family are celebrating the old man’s birthday, the spy receives his orders. The swift capture of the house by armed parachutists dropped from enemy planes, and the unmasking of the spy. "Rebecca” The management wishes to announce that preferential bookings are available at Begg’s on Monday next for Daphne Du Maurier’s “Rebecca", the picture that has been such a phenomenal success throughout the English-speak-ing world, and commences at the State on Friday. REGENT THEATRE .vDGE HARDY’S CHILDREN” “Judge Hardy's Children,” third of the “Hardy Family” series and sequel to “You’re Only Young Once,” is the attraction coming to-day to the Regent Theatre. The new family comedy, with Lewis Stone, Mickey Rooney, Cecilia Parker and Fay Holden takes the family to Washington for hectic adventure in society and among the lobbyists. In the new picture Stone, as Judge Hardy, is named on a power commission. The family leaves its country home; the daughter, played by Miss Parker, becomes infatuated with a State Department employee and takes a whirl at society; the son, played by Mickey Rooney, falls in love with the daughter of a French diplomatist dons his first tuxedo and winds up ;u disgrace when ejected from a fashionable dancing school for teaching the youngsters the “Big Apple.” Meantime the judge foils the plot of lobbyists and the family returns to the country town of Carvel in triumph.

Also on this all Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer programme is “The Bohemian Girl” starring Laurel and Hardy. This pair of inimitable screen comedians are really excellent in many of the comedy situations in “The Bohemian Girl.” Based on the famous operetta of the same name "The Bohemian Girl” retains all the immortal melodies for which it is famous. Plans are open at Begg’s and the Regent. THEATRE ROYAL STIRRING ACTION DRAMAS “Wolf Call” and “The Fatal Hour” provide exciting fare in the current programme at the Theatre Royal. Written by Jack London, “Wolf Call” is set against a magnificent background of the Canadian north-west. Mike Vance young millionaire, is sent by his father to investigate conditions at the Vance radium mine, and report as to whether or not the mine should be sold. Mike arrives in Canada on a "Picnic,” but soon gets into a fight. John Carroll plays Mike Vance, and the beautiful Movita is the Indian maid, Towarah. Boris Karloff, as James Lee Wong with Marjorie Reynolds and Grant Withers have the leading role in “The Fatal Hour" which opens with the murder of a police officer, assigned to a smuggling case, and Captain Street broken-hearted at the death of his friend, calls in Mr Wong to ffisure the killer's capture.