ENTERTAINMENTS

Waipa Post, Volume 51, Issue 3694, 6 December 1935, Page 12

ENTERTAINMENTS

; . EMPIRE THEATRE. - ■ J s. - COMMENCING r TO-NIGHT. : “ANNE OF GREEN GABLES.” •£ Last issue we published “Variety’s” “comment upon “Anne of Green Gabbles,” the principal offering at the Emfptre Theatre this week-end. Below Iwe quote the views in that important "Harrison’s Reports”: A moving, sentimental comedy ■’drama of unusual charm; it is'well ” acted, wholesome and entertaining. It '“is*the sensitive and appealing P er * 'lformance of Anne Shirley more tnan anything else that gives the picture its real values. She makes the character of the imaginative 14 year o r ,tgirl so real and so lovable that one s “interest in her welfare is heln -■-throughout, and she has a winning .personality. At times the spectator -will laugh heartily because of Annes i-oiitspokenness; aiso when she gives -vent to her imagination and uses long ’words that do not fit in with what she Ms saying; at other times, such as .widen she prays to remain at the .Lome where she has been brought frbin the orphan asylum, and when i S he expresses her gratefulness at the ‘kindness of the people who adopted vher, one will not be able to hold back Mhe tears. As a matter of fact, all the {characters are , pleasant, • particularly {Helen Westley and 0. I'. Heggie, brother and sister, who adopt Anne, and 'treat her as one of their own, even ‘sacrificing their comfort to send her Mo school.

.1 REGENT THEATRE. AGAIN TO-NIGHT. • “MURDER ON THE BLAGKBOARD.” ■/'. ' i : Out of the penguin pool on to the blackboard. That’s the cinematic jump made by Edna May Oliver and James Gleason co-featured in RKORadio’s “Murder on the Blackboard.” V Miss Oliver and Gleason headed the cast of the RKO- Radio hilarious hit, “The Penguin Pool Murder” as an old ipaid school teacher and a hard-boiled police inspector, respectively, and 'they play the same characters in the current sequel to that picture. The unique detective team solves the mystery surrounding the murder df a. beautiful young music teacher in the new film—with most of the solving being done by the feminine half of- the combination. The principal .'clue proves to be a music exercise • written on a classroom blackboard. Romance has an intriguing part in 'the story, with heart affairs involving

Bruce Cabot, Gertrude Michael, Regis Toomey, Barbara Fritchie and even the veteran Tully Marshall, in dangerous and dramatic situations. Edgar Kennedy, in a strong comedy role; Fredrik Vogeding, Gustav von Seyffertitz and Jackie Searle are others in the cast directed by George Archainbaud. The screen play by Willis Goldbeck is based upon Stuart Palmer’s popular novel.

SATURDAY AND MONDAY. “GRAND OLD GIRL.” Against a background of' vivid youth, May Robson, grand old veteran of 51 years of stage and screen service, brings what is said to bo the finest characterisation of her caraer to the public in “Grand Old Girl,” RKORadio picture, at the Regent Theatre on Saturday and Monday. As Laura Bayles, Miss Robson portrays the elderly, but energetic principal of a small town high school. Throughout the picture she is surrounded by boys and girls of high school age who play her students. The contrast of their exuberant, boisterous youth, and her grace and dignity is said to be strikingly vivid. Yet there are scenes in the picture in which she is declared to seem the youngest of them all. The central plot centres about the gallant and courageous fight of the school teacher to rid the town of a sinister influence which threatens the morals of her pupils. Underlying the poignant drama of the story is a youthful romance. Its principals are Mary Carlisle and Fred Mac Murray. Others in the supporting cast include Alan Hale, Hale Hamilton, William Burress, Etienne Giradot, Edward Yan Sloan, Fred Kohler Jr., and Onest Conley.