PLAZA THEATRE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 68, 22 March 1939, Page 9

PLAZA THEATRE

“A MAN TO REMEMBER” A stirring story of the life, sacrifices, hopes, ambitions and achievements of a kind-hearted rural doctor, who is looked upon as something of a failure until he saves the community, forms the basis of “A Man to Remember,” which commenced yesterday at the Plaza Theatre. The film starts with the funeral of the doctor (Edward Ellis) who, at the time of his death is greatly respected by practically everyone in the town. In a lawyer’s office above the silent and deeply-touched crowds watching the funeral pass, three hard-headed and somewhat unscrupulous business men are looking at the doctor’s estate and hoping he has paid his debts to them. It appears that he has only left a number of old bills and it is from these that the story is told. The film goes back to the time when the doctor, after the death of his wife, returns to his little native township with his young son and starts his practice. Fighting bad conditions and unsympathetic town leaders, he makes many sacrifices for the good of the poor folk, working hard and receiving little or no payment. At the same time he is bringing up his son to a successful medical career and caring for a little girl who was abandoned. The children grow up and the son (Lee Bowman), ambitious and without his father’s point of view, joins a more lucrative practice. Then the doctor finds symptoms of infantile paralysis in the town, but leading merchants and the Press, fearing that publicity will ruin a forthcoming county fair, refuse to help. The doctor warns the people and treats all the children free. When the epidemic comes his district is free of new cases of the disease, while others are swept by it. After his death the three merchants who hindered him most in his work find that the doctor has the last say. Edward Ellis plays the part of the doctor brilliantly, and Anne Shirley, as his ward, and Bowman are also good. “Suez” The realisation of one of the greatest dreams of man—the building of

the Suez Canal—is picturised in “Suez,” the spectacular film which is to commence on Friday at the Plaza Theatre. Tyrone Power, although a youthful de Lesseps, has’ taken the part with enthusiasm. Loretta Young is the Empress Eugene, whom de Lesseps loves, but who denies him, and later marries Louis Napoleon. Perhaps the most attractive character in the film is Annabella, as Toni, granddaughter of a regimental sergeant, who loves Ferdinand and fights his enemies desperately to help him carry his project through. There will be a special late shoppers’ session at 10.15 p.m. to-morrow.