AMUSEMENTS MAJESTIC THEATRE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIX, Issue 21968, 21 May 1941, Page 6

AMUSEMENTS MAJESTIC THEATRE

“KEEPING COMPANY” Hilarious comedy mingles with delightful romance in “Keeping Company," opening to-day at the Majestic Theatre. Frank Morgan and little Virginia Weidler join forces to put across laugh after laugh, while Ann Rutherford and John Shelton bring a refreshingly new romantic team to the screen. The story is essentially of the young newlyweds, played by Miss Rutherford and Shelton. Their marriage takes ce in an early scene, but only after some side-splitting plotting by Morgan, as the girl's father, and little Virginia, as her kid sister. Then trouble looms for the bride and groom when the boy’s ex-sweetheart puts in an appearance. “New Moon In a picture which is said to surpass even their greatest triumphs on the screen, Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy :: o teamed again, this time in the musical romance, “New Moon,” a story set against the colourful background of early New Orleans. The musical production, "hich opens at the Majestic Theatre on Saturday, is their first together since “Sweethearts,” which was immediately followed by each making a concert tour across the country. “New Moon,” in addition to its dramatic and exciting romance of a lady of French royalty and a fugitive from political justice, offers such all-time musical favourites as “Lover Come Back to Me,” “One Kiss,” “Wanting ou,” “Softly As in a Morning Sunrise,” “Rondolet,” “Largo,” "Marianne,” “Paree,” “Shoe Shine Song” and the stirring "Stout Hearted Men.” STATE THEATRE “STRANGER ON THE THIRD FLOOR ” Retribution that comes to a newspaper reporter aftef his testimony convicts a taxi-driver of murder, makes the unusual theme of the dramatic dim, “Stranger on the Third Floor," which will be screened to-day. This retribution takes the form of a series of odd happenings that involve the reporter himself in a similar situation as a suspect in a killing, after a strange experience has forewarned him of his fate. His efforts to escape the circumstantial net being drawn about him lead to the thrilling climax of the film, which is said to be one of the most unique pictures of the season. Peter Lorre heads the cast in the title-role, while John McGuire plays the part of the reporter and Margaret Tallichet that of his pretty fiancee. Revenge, regeneration and romance motivate the thrilling story enacted in “Wildcat Bus,” the associate teat-re. Fay Wray, Charles Lang and Paul Guilfoyle head the cast of this exciting and timely story of rivalry and crime on the highways. “ Kitty Foyle ” How a spirited working girl sacrifices her own happiness for the sake of the man she loves, forms the theme of Ginger Rogers’s new vehicle, “Kitty Foyle." Bringing Christopher Morley’s widely-discussed novel to the screen in brilliant fashion, the picture vividly deals with the modern romance of a little Irish secretary and her Philadelphia socialite employer. The upshot of their acquaint; ice is a runaway marriage, but when Kitty discovers that her husband’s family want to run their lives for them, she realises it’s hopeless, goes to New York and gets an annulment. But she's still in love with him—so much so that she won”t tell him of their impending baby for fear he’ll give up his career and his forthcoming marriage to a girl of his own class. Dennis Korgan and a new find, James Craig, have the leading masculine roles in the offering. REGENT THEATRE “TOO MANY HUUSBANDS” “ Too Many Husbands ” can prove somewhat troublesome, and Jean Arthur discovers that fact in the comedy which opens to-day at the Regent Theatre with Fred Mac Murray and Melvyn Douglas als; starred. Briefly, the story is founded upon three logical items: Jean is married to reckless Fred, who is reported dead at sea. Jean marries the more stable Melvyn, Fred’s best friend. Fred returns home. And from those original propositions is developed one of the most uproarious screen comedies of this or any other season. Fred’s return home, after a year spent on a desert island, is the first of a constant series of hectic incidents. Both Jean and Melvyn stammer through their explanations, while Fred refuses to listen. When the situation finally is explained to him, the two husbands sit down in a “man to man” conference to work out a solution, ..nd wind up boyishly jumping over chairs to prove who is the “better man.” Jean takes matters in hand, and makes them worse. THEATRE ROYAL FAMILY PROGRAMME Featured on the family programme at the Royal are “Alcatraz Island” and “Gold Diggers in Paris.” America's penitentiary in the chill waters of San Francisco Bay is brought to the screen in “Alcatraz Island.” Fascinating is this story of men who live outside the law, and of the men whose duty it is to apprehend and convict them. Every moment is loaded with thrills as this drama moves swiftly to an unexpected and exciting climax. The principal players are John Litel, Mary Maguire, Ann Sheridan and Dick Purcell. Three new songs by that expert pair of songsmiths, Harry Warren and Al Dubin, as well as another for which Johnny Mercer set the words to the Warren music, make their formal debut to the world of song in the Warner Bros, musical comedy, “Gold Diggers in Paris,” which is fine entertainment. AIR FORCE BAND PATRIOTIC CONCERT As part of the Air Force recruiting campaign the Royal New Zealand Air Force Band (Rongotai Station) will give a patriotic concert in the Theatre Royal under the auspices of the Banks and Commerce Committee, at 8 o’clock to-morrow evening. Northern critics ha/c been lavish in their praise of the concerts, and, in fact, wherever this band has played it has delighted large audiences. An excellent programme has been arranged. It will be commenced with “God Defend New Zealand,” followed by “Abide With Me,” which at the band’s concerts is usually sung by the audience, the band accompaniment giving power to the beauty of the words. Then will follow a delicate number, the popular “Lo, Here the Gentle Lank” (Bishop), in which the passages for the flute and clarinet are excellently combined. Several marches are included in the programme. “Down South" and “Invercargill” will demonstrate the versatility of the band. The band also has in its repertoire many beautiful instrumentations by New Zealand composers, embracing well-known Maori melodies and some of the lesser known but none the less beautiful. The box plans are at Begg’s.