ENTERTAINMENTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 5, 7 January 1944, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

TO-DAY’S PROGF.AMMK REGENT THEATRE. Once in a while a “different'’ type of motion picture comes along the average theatregoer with a fresh and vigorous treatment of a subject which is enough off the beaten track to be classified as a novelty. Such a picture is “King of the Stallions,” the Monogram drama which screens at the Regent Theatre to-day. While the film partakes in a measure of the qualities of the always-popular “western," it is better described as a story of the great outdoors. Centre of interest, and of much of the action, is the magnificent black horse Thunder, which is not only a beautiful animal but qualifies as a highly trained actor. Its relations with other horses, as well as with the human actors in the drama, become a matter of real interest to the audience. Another of the picture's claims to novelty lies in the fact that most of the story takes place in and around an Indian village on the American frontier. A largo proportion ot the characters are Indians, and these natives portray their roles with a forceful dignity that is convincing and effective. The associate feature is "Gangs of the City.” MAJESTIC THEATRE. Four musical numbers, composed by the famous song writing team of Harry Revel and Paul Francis Webster, are included in the score of “Hit the Ice,” Universal's new Abbott and Costello comedy, which screens at the Majestic Theatre to-day. Ginny Simms, famous radio songstress, sings the numbers, “I’d Like to Set You to Music.” one of the tunes, is almost certain to be a hit parade contender, she predicts. A novelty riumber, “I'm Like a Fish Out of Water,” and a ballad, “Happiness Bound,” are being played by many important name bands throughout the country, and will be whistled, hummed and recognised by millions, it is said: Johnny Long and 'his orche'stra feature “Slap Polka," in 'the ice skating sequence with Miss Simms. The story of “Hit the Ice,” described as action-loaded, reveals Bud and Lou as candid camera photographers who find themselves impli- | cated in a bank robbery. Possessing negatives which identify the robbers, the boys are chased by the crooks and eventually captured in a mountain resort hideout. This is where much of the exciting fun-action is enacted and the ultimate “table-turning" is said to be photographically spectacular as well as comical. OPERA HOUSE Commencing at the special matinee this morning, at which all c'hilI drci l will receive a free ice cream, is | Walt Disney's newest feature production, “Bambi.” Photographed in Multiplane Technicolour, it reveals the exciting peak which this original and fascinating form of screen entertainment. has reached. “Bambi” is pure Disney, with all that that means to lovers of the world of fun, beauty and imagination which Disney has made his own. "Bambi” goes even further than any previous Disney feature; it has overtones of serious significance

and in certain ways can be described as one of the most moving lov« stories ever brought to the screen. "Bambi” was filmed—or drawn—from the best-selling novel of the same title by Felix Saltern As a novel, “Bambi" was a book-of-the-month choice, and has a sales record of more I han 650,000 copies. Incidentally, “Bambi" is the first novel to be brought to the screen by Walt Disney. The story of “Bambi’’ is the story of everyone's life, filled with the human emotions of love, hate, jealousy, gaiety fear, happiness, courtship and parenthood. The music in “Bambi" is outstanding. Four songs by the famous composer-lyricist team of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" are performed individually, while a chorus of forty voices augments the orchestral score. The songs are “Love Ls a Song Tthat Never Ends," “Little April Shower,’’ “Let's Sing a Song About Spring,’’ and “Looking for Romance.” In addition, Tim Holt will be seen in “The Avenging Rider.”

DI CHESS THEATRE. For the first time in the history of the motion picture, a living woman selected the star she wanted to recreate her life on the screen. The woman is Mrs. Edna Gladney of Fort Werth, superintendent of the Tcxac Children's Home and Aid Society. The star is Greer Garson, who play's Mrs. Gladney in “Blossoms in the Dust,” Meti o-Goldwyn-Mayer picture co starring Walter Pidgeon, which screens at the Duchess Theatre to-day.