“SILLY BILLIES”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 174, 24 July 1936, Page 10

“SILLY BILLIES”

WHEELER AND WOOLSEY AGAIN I SCREEN FARCE AT PLAZA Perhaps the funniest, and certainly the most original, of all Wheeler and Woolsey’s screen offerings is “Silly Billies,” their newest RKO Radio vehicle which opens to-morrow on a wonderful double-bill at the Plaza Theatre. The two comedy clowns tap a virgin field in using the picturesque covered- j waggon era as a setting for their ] riotous nonsense. In the roles of a ; pair of quack clentists they set forth • to pull all the teeth in the wild and i woolly West, and quite naturally they < find themselves involved in trouble up ‘ to their necks. They rent an office in ’ a ghost-town; save a wagon from an i Indian attack; narrowly escape lyn- j ching, drowning in a quicksand, burn- ] ing at the stake and other fates. These i episodes come thick and fast through- j out the plot, and have been deftly i handled to maintain the laughter ; level of the film at a high point. : Petite Dorothy Lee, who has played ; the feminine lead in nearly all the i famous mirthmakers’ pictures, again i supplies the love interest as a young ’ schoolma'am on her way to the Cali- 1 fornian goldfields. Harry Woods and . Ethan Laidlaw make a formidable pair of renegade heavies, and little j Delmar Watson, Chief Thunderbird • and Jim Thorpe, the noted Indian i athlete, head the supporting cast ! along with the largest group of extra players ever lo appear in a Wheeler 1 and Woolsey picture. Hundreds of In- , dians and cowboys participate in the waggon-train scenes, and the redskin attack sequence offers plenty of real thrills as a contrast to the antics of < the funsters. On the same programme is “O’Malley of the Mounted.”

THRILLING FILM “THE WITNESS CHAIR" A strong well-balanced cast headed by Ann Harding and Walter Abel establishes the success of “The Witness Chair.” showing next Wednesday at the Plaza Theatre. This film closely resembles “The Trial of Mary Dugan” and has a good dramatic and romantic interest. Miss Harding is the secretary of the allegedly murdered man who attempted to throw the blame of appropriated company funds upon the shoulders of the man she loves (Walter Abel) as well as running away to Europe with his daughi ter. To prevent this Miss Harding acI cidentally shot her employer and in 'consequence the prosecution attempts to win a murder conviction over the partner. Seeking to protect the re--1 putation of Abel’s daughter Miss Harding reserves her confession through the harrowing trial until at last she sees no chance of acquittal. This is a startling climax to this thrilling film. GAINSBOROUGH DRAMA FILM SHOWN IN TOWER OF LONDON For the first time in the history of the Tower of London, a film was shown there recently. It was “Tudor Rose,” the vivid Gainsborough historical drama written around the life of Lady Jane Grey. “Seldom can a moving picture have been shown in a selling so appropriate,” said a writer in the London Daily Telegraph. “I approached the old armoury converted for the evening into a little cinema seating 150 persons. past the Bloody Tower and the Traitor’s Gate, where Warwick (Sir Cedric Hardwicke) was executed. “Nova Pi 1 beam, who plays Lady Jane Grey, was present. The audience included the Governor of the Tower. Col. W. F. O. Faviell, the Warden of the Tower, the Chaplain, the senior officers, the wardens, Beefeaters and their wives and children. ! “The film was followed with tense interest, and little Miss Pilbeam was wildly applauded.” I Attracting attention during her appearance at a Hollywood night •club, Martha Kaye, singer and entertainer, was signed by Paramount, to appear with Bing Crosby in his next feature. “Rhythm on the Range.’’ Henry Hathaway and Mitchel] Lei-s-on, ace Paramount directors, have signed new long-term contracts with the studio. Hathaway recently completed direction of’ “The Trail of the Lonesome Pine. ’ ’ Leisen ’s latest two pictures were “Hands Across the Table’’ and 4 • 13 Hours by Air.’’ Chaplin Honoured. Charlie Chaplin has been notified by the motion picture division of the League of Nations that he has been awarded its gold medal in recognition of his activities as an international screen figure. The notification read: “The C.I.D.A.L.C. Committee is an institution organised by 53 nations officially represented in the committee and is particularly happy and proud to thus honour the greatest personality of the art of the cinema, and to express by this award the admiration that the committee has for you.”