MAJESTIC THEATRE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 109, 10 May 1934, Page 7

MAJESTIC THEATRE

“REUNION” The British film “Reunion” is now showing at the Majestic Theatre. It deals with the repatriation of the soldier fjoin the war days and the struggle he had to adapt himself to the strange conditions of civilian life after that most ordered and disciplinary routine which the army impressed upon him. Beginning on the dedicatory note that the film has been made in tribute to those who have been “spared to face the greater struggle of peace,” the story, sad but true, deals with the efforts of a major of dragoons to live up to the spirit of his regiment when facing adverse circumstances. He endeavours to set to a civilian standard the old will to win which characterised tho army. Anzae may have been a failure, Passchendaclc certainly was, perhaps the whole Ypres campaign could be regarded in the same category. But over and above thoughts of all that Ypres ever meant to the British soldier (and God knows it meant a lot), was an everprevalent “will to win.” Men in the trenches never thought of death unless they had to. They clung to comradeship, to team work, to faith in each other, to discipline. And when the war was over ninety per cent, of those who were spared came back with that “will to win” in their hearts. “Reunion” deals with that aspect of civilian life after the war and shows, very truthfully, how hard it fell to men like the major to apply the teachings of his regimental days to a mortgaged fowl run, on which neither rates nqr rents had been paid. A regimental re-union is called by the sergeantmajor of the beloved Dragoons, and to get there and “not disappoint his men” the major has to rescue his dress suit and his medals from pawn. That re-union brings back to every man present the joyful and the sad notes of tho war. The major’s batman of war days is tho proprietor of numberless tripe restaurants throughout the country. To him repatriation has brought wealth. The major, on the other hand, is down to his last farthing. ‘ In songs, instrumental items, and toasts, the programme, expertly handled by the sergeantmajor gives to the rc-union its proper setting. Its keynote is comradeship and an acknowledgment that the man who led men in the war was worthy of their confidence aud support in time of peace. “Gold Diggers of 1933.” Enough stars, featured players, and Hollywood beauties to make up interesting casts for at least six other feature films went into the making of Warner Bros.’ picture, “Gold Diggers of 1933,” which comes to the Majestic Theatre to-morrow. Considered one,of the most important films on the year’s production schedule of the Warner Studios, no expense was spared in making it outstanding from every angle—and cast was not the least of these angles. The name of Warren Williams alone, or of Joan Biondell, contains enough box-office appeal in itself. But added to these two names in this picture are such players as Aline MacMahon, Ruby Keller, Dick Powell, Guy Kibbe, Ned Sparks, Ginger Rogers, Clarence Nordstrom, Robert Agnew, Tammany Young. Sterling Halloway, and Ferdinand Gottschalk Added to this is the list of 200 Hollywood beauties who make up the ensembles in the musical numbers which form an important part in the story. These beauties were picked by Busby Berkeley, who also directed the ensembles, after interviewing severaf thousand applicants in various Southern California cities, and making a final choice after a series of numerous screen tests. The collection of 200 beauties which resulted from these tests constitutes a complete category of what is considered feminine beauty from every viewpoint.