The Theatres

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 176, 5 November 1941, Page 5

The Theatres

REGENT

OUSTANDING ATTRACTION

Charlie Chaplin is back.

After two years of now you see him now you don't and an incredible confusion of rumours as to whether he would make "The Great Dictator" or not make it, and then, having made it, whether it had to be remade, and then, whether it would ever be publicly shown, the news is that "The Great Dictator," the first Charlie Chaplin comedy since "Modern Times," "will open at the Regent Theatre on Tuesday. Not only that, there are the following foot-notes; that it was completed in 171 days: of shooting time, which is reasonable enough when it is considered that Chaplin wrote the story and the dialogue, directs the story, plays a dual role in the picture, edits it and scores the music. It cost in the neighbourhood of move than 2.000,000 dollars. That it js the most ambitious and the most expensive production that Chaplin has ever attempted isi less important than the fact that it involves

the little clown in artistic responsibilities and caricature that he has never before attempted. For, in "The Great Dictator," Chaplin is seen not o<nly as the little tramp with the derby, the cane and the awkwardly fitting shoes, but in another role as well—that of a mighty dictator of a war-mad power. There are two stories that converge—the story of the little barber from the ghetto, and the story of the palace.

VIVID DRAMA One man's generosity, another man's cowardice and a woman's poignant sacrifice, are dramatically woven into the stirring theme of "They Knew What They Wanted," which unites two of the screen's most outstanding stars, Carole Lombard and Charles Laughton.

This vivid screen version of the famous Pulitzer Prize play by the late Sidney Howard is laid in California's romantic grape growing section. Miss Lombard is seen as a lonely waterfront waitress who accepts a mail proposal of marriage from Tony PaJuUcci (Laughton), good natured, successful vineyardist who yearns for a wife. William Gargan plays his restless foreman whose weakness for women stirs him to violate his employer's trust.

Directed for RKO Radio by Garson Kanin, this production by Erich Pommer features in other pivotal roles Harry Carey, Frank Fay, Joe Bernard and Janet Fox.