REGENT THEATRE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 123, 26 May 1936, Page 9

REGENT THEATRE

"MODERN TIMES.” Children and all grown-ups who are still children at heart should rejoice at the return of Charlie Chaplin to the screen after all too long an absence. “Modern Times,” his second film since the advent of sound will be screened finally to-day and to-night. The favourite comedian, with a young city gamin, played by Paulette Goddard, and ’puts in a wild time as night watchman for a departmental store, Lastly, he becomes a waiter In a cabaret, where he sings the song already mentioned. In the finale he and the girl are seen walking down the highway into the dawn, determined to “try again.’’ but nevertheless following the white line put down for the guidance of traffic. Paulette Goddard makes an excellent foil and provides a few’ serious moments. “The Scarlet Pimpernel.” “Tile Scarlet Pimpernel” leaves a critic vainly groping for superlatives, longing to find one that has not been lessened in value by its misuse in advertisements. For this new Alexander Korda production, to commence a return season tomorrow at the Regent Theatre, is unquestionably the finest British picture of this - or any other year, and probably deserves the prize for the best film produced anywheic during 1934. It merits superlatives of the highest value. Leslie Howard is Sir Percy Blakeney to the life. The rest of the cast is extremely competent —Merle Oberon is a delightful Lady Blakeney, Nigel Bruce a realistic Prince Regent, and Raymond Massey, sinister but real, ideally cast as the villain Chanvelin.