AMUSEMENTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20046, 19 September 1939, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS

REGENT THEATRE

M.G.M.'S FOUR GIRLS IN WHITE”

Drama, romance, thrills, chills and comedy are expertly blended to make "Four Girls in White," now showing at the Regent Theatre, one of the most satisfyinglv entertaining pictures of the year. Featuring Florence Rice, Una Merkel, Ann Rutherford and Mary Howard in the title roles, and Alan Marshal in the male lead, the picture comes as a worthy successor and companion play to "Men in White” and the more recent “Young Dr. Kildare,” glorifying the nursng profession as those two dramas glorified the medical calling. “Four Girls in White" deals with a group of young women who enter training to become nurses for four varied reasons. Specifically, it deals with Norma Page, played by Florence Rice, whose only purpose in becoming a nurse is that she believes it offers a chance for marriage, to a wealthy doctor or patient. Her scheming results in the death of one of her fellow-nurses and she is shunned by the others until the dreaded "disaster call,” following a train wreck, gives her a chance not only to win back the respect of the girls but also the heart of a young doctor, enacted bv Alan Marshal. One of the most spectacular train wreck sequences ever filmed forms the background for the climax of the picture. "Four Girls in White is based on an original story by Nathalie Bucknall and Endre Bohem. The screen play is by Dorothy Yost. S. Sylvan Simon directed and has achieved his most outstanding picture. —Friday: Mickey Rooney in “Huckleberry Finn”—

Mickev Rooney plays the part of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain's delightfully human character, in the film "Huckleberry Finn,” which is to open a season at the Regent Theatre on Friday. The story is unfolded against the colourful and adventurous background of the Mississippi River, which, in 1840, was the main highway between the picturesque little towns which sprang up along its wooded banks. In one of these towns was Huckleberry Finn, who occasionally lived with his drunken father, but as often as not took care of . himself, sleeping on doorsteps and in empty barns. He was the envy of all respectable children in the neighbourhood, for he never went to school, went fishing when he wished, and puffed a pipe with supreme selfsatisfaction. Adventure came to this carefree lacl when his father tried to sell him to a kindly widow, trading on her sympathy for his outcast soil. He runs awav down the river with one of the widow’s negro slaves and many thrilling and also amusing experiences come their way. Mickey Rooney is ideally suited to his pait and gives another of the straightforward and whole-hearted portrayals for which he is famous. The supporting cast, includes Walter Connolly and William Frawley.

MAJESTIC THEATRE

“THE LEGEND OF PRAGUE” AND “A TOUGH OF THE MOON”

Of considerable topical interest at present is "The Legend of Prague. This, one of the first of the new Continental films to be released in New Zealand, is showing at the Majestic Theatre, It is a Czechoslovakian production, but in an English dialogue version, adapted from "The Golem, ’ the famous stage play. Its theme is the persecution of the Jews in Europe, persecution which in the eighteenth century was even more barbarous than it had ever been before or has been since. The screen'.story, rather harrowing in its details perhaps, gives a terrible picture of the sufferings undergone by the Jews at the hands of a tyrannical oppressor. In the hour of their darkest agony the thoughts of the oppressed turn io a legendary statue in Prague, on which was the inscription. "At the roar of the beast, when the hour is. darkest, then shah the secret of the ‘Golem bo revealed. The statue, meanwhile, lias been Stolen and hidden, but at the crucial moment the necessary invocation is made, ancl the statue (a sort of colossal superman) comes to life. He liberates the Jews in prison, breaks down walls and lets loose on the royal court the lions to which the Jews would have been thrown. Dealing destruction all round, he frees the Jews from thenoppressors and the prophecy comes true —the secret of the Golem is revealed. The names in the cast arc. of course, quite unfamiliar in this quarter of the globe, but the peri armlances given quickly show that there are stars on the Continent more than the equal of those who shine in Hollywood's studios. The photography, too, and the whole presentation of the story, especially the mob scenes, is something remarkable and unusual, the pageantry of medieval Europe lending itself to the spectacular. “The Legend of Prague” will leave an indelible impression cn those who see it screened. It was. of course, produced in Czechoslovakia before the recent crisis, but. with its implications, it is quite easy to see why it has been banned by Hitler. The supporting feature is a bright comedy with music, "A Touch of the Moon.” John Garrick heads a line comedy cast. The programme includes the serial, "Treasure Island.”

KING’S THEATRE SANDY POWELL IN “I’VE GOT A DORSE” AND “WINNER TAKE A LL” Sandy Powell, the lovable North Country comedian of radio, music hall and 'pantomime, has reached the topflight of fame by his fine performance in’"Eve Got a Horse,” the G -B-D comedy which opens a season at the iKing’s'Theatre to-day. The picture has everything in it that one could desire for an evening's hilarious entertainment. There are songs' by Noel Gay (composer of "The Lambeth Walk"), exciting racecourse scenes, a

brilliant supporting east—and Sandy Powell. Never before has he had such amusing film adventures. As a bookie

who takes over a horse for a betting debt and much to his surprise finds that the animal is a pedigree potent Derby warmer, Sandy has ample opportunities for his unique brand of fooling.' The second feature on the programme. “Winner Take All.” is an exciting story of the prize ring. Tony Martin and Gloria Stuart head the east as the romantic team of this film, which treats boxing from a new and refreshing angle. Martin has his first straight role as a Montana cowboy who turns prize-fighter, and Gloria is the lovely sports reporter. Inter his manager, who gets him his first chance and keeps him fr.om letting a swelled head wreck his career,

—‘The Little Princess”: Friday Next— Shirley Temple has her first Techr.icolour production in Frances Hodgson Burnett’s great classic, Ihe Little Princess,” Twentieth Century Fox hit, which opens a season at the King’s Theatre next Friday. .She reveals all her charm and radiance in what is easily her finest film. The action is set in London during the reign of Queen Victoria. It tells how a child, left in school by her father as he hurries oft' 10 war, finds herself suddenly reduced from riches to extreme poverty and forced ‘o endure the cruelty ot the heartless school mistress. Miss Miss Minchin. The box plans ore now open at the theatre.