MAJESTIC THEATRE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 279, 24 November 1937, Page 9

MAJESTIC THEATRE

“CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS.” “Captains Courageous,” Rudyard Kipling’s tale of the heroic Gloucester fishermen and the boy whom they regenerated through ideals of courage and humanity, is now showing at the Majestic Theatre. With a background against the ever-changing moods of the ocean, against the striking, tall-masted fishing schooners showing step by step the fascinating and dangerous work of the Gloucester fishermen, and permeated with thrill after thrill from the moment its boy hero falls from the deck of an ocean liner to be picked up by a Portuguese fisherman, to the final race between two ships who want to be the first to return to port with the catch, the Kipling tale unfolds its narrative of a spoiled millionaire’s son who is almost against his will taught a new way of life and a new respect for his fellow-men with a power and tenderness that easily ranks “Captains Courageous” as one of the most distinguished photoplays of this year. The brilliant child star, Freddie Bartholomew, brings to life the spoiled hero of “Captains Courageous,” making the boy a creature of warmth, sympathy and understanding. Equally effective is the outstanding work of Spencer Tracy as the Portuguese fisherman, Manuel. Then there is the always to be depended on Lionel Barrymore in a picturesque role as the ship’s captain. “A Day at the Races” The world’s craziest team of nonstop comedians, the Marx Bros., will appear on Saturday at the Majestic Theatre in an offering which all but eclipses anything which has come from them before. “A Day at the Races” is a judicious mixture of farce, clever repartee, music, and rapid actions. Groucho is a horse doctor whose charm is so great that he gets a job as chief surgeon at a sanatorium. Chico has a number of jobs organised for himself, a few of which are bellboy, race-track tout, and icecream salesman. Harpo, the most noisily silent actor on the screen, is a jockey, and a very good one. except that he never follows instructions when told to lose a race. The three are thrown together fortuitously with the common aims of dodging the sheriff and of saving the sanatorium for its beautiful owner, Maureen O'Sullivan.