ENTERTAINMENTS

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21040, 16 February 1940, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS

TO-NIGHT’S PROGRAMMES THEATRE ROYAL “My Son is a Criminal” is the exciting story of a retired police officer and his gangster son. The former’s unswerving and uncompromising attitude towards law enforcement, and the latter’s unregenerate attitude towards “easy money,” bring the film to a dramatic finish. Alan Baxtei. Jacqueline Walls, Gordon Oliver and Willard Robertson head the strong cast. “Service De Luxe” is a very amusing comedy dealing with an exclusive personal service bureau which undertakes almost any assignment from its clients. When Vincent Price comes to New York to sell his patent tractor, Constance Bennett undertakes his management, with extremely laughable and complicated situations as the result. CIVIC THEATRE The growing might of Nazi Garmany, its conquest of neighbouring States, and the steps taken by Britain to meet its challenge from the theme of ’The Lion Has Wings.” Exploits of the Royal Air Force in attacking enemy positions and in beating off enemy squadrons are dealt with, the item of greatest interest being a realistic reconstruction of the successful raid on the Kiel Canal soon after the outbreak of hostilities. Leading roles are taken by Ralph Richardson and Merle Oberon. “WINGS OF THE NAVY” Produced with the co-operation of the United States Navy, ‘W’ings of the Navy,” which will be screened tomorrow effectively dramatises the thrilling story of naval aviation. It has a cast headed by George Brent. Olivia de Havilland, John Payne and Frank McHugh. ROXY THEATRE “Huckleberry Finn,” the Mark Twain classic, with Mickey Rooney in the title role, and “Valley of the Giants,” a stirring outdoors story filmed in technicolour, will be screened tonight. “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” Mark Twain’s sequel to “Tom Sawyer,” is a tale of the old Mississippi and the boy who, in the days before the Civil War, aided a runaway slave in his attempt to slip up the Mississippi to a free state. It is regarded as one of the greatest examples of Twain’s humour and deep human understanding. Millions have read and loved the story. The name of Huckleberry Finn is known to the whole world. Mickey Rooney plays the barefoot, tattered Mississippi River boy, following the adventures of the character as though direct from the book. REGENT THEATRE Mickey Rooney falls in love again in the seventh Hardy Family hit. “Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever.' This time it is w r ith his high school dramatics teacher, played by Hollywood’s newest find. Helen Gilbert. Lew’is Stone continues as the Judge. Fay Holden as sympathetic Mother Hardy, and Cecilia Parker as sister Marian. “GOOD-BYE, MR CHIPS” "Now’ in its fifth week, there is no fading of the attraction of “Goodbye, Mr Chips,” says a Wellington paper in referring to a film that will open in Hamilton tomorrow. It 4ias an appeal that few' modern pictures have. Romance, tragedy, and all the traditions of a famous public school, “Broolcfields,” set in peaceful country surroundings, are the setting for the plain story of a young master, who, between 1870 and 1920, works his way to being headmaster. Robert Donat and Greer Garson give perfect performances in the leading roles. STATE THEATRE “Kid From Kokomo,” featuring Joan Blondell and Pat O’Brien, and “Stop, Look and Love,” w’ith Jean Rogers and William Frawley, will be screened tonight. Some of the racketeering that goes on behind the scenes of the prizefight game is hilariously exposed in “The Kid from Kokomo,” the comedy featuring Pat O'Brien. Wayne Morris and Joan Blondell. Exposing evils of the boxing game is, how'ever, merely incidental to the main purpose of the picture, w’hich is to garner laughs. Nothing is taken seriously. and even the most dishonest of the film’s characters are rather engaging rascals. In the picture every character and every twist of the plot is humorous.