AMUSEMENTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20049, 22 September 1939, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS

REGENT THEATRE MICKEY ROONEY IN “HUCKLEBERRY FINN’’ There have been lew more popular characters of fiction that the ragged, unkempt outcast tad Huck Finn, the role played by Mickey Rooney in the picture, "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," which commences a three-day season at the Regent Theatre to-day. Huck was the only son of a drunkard, who let him roam at will through the woods while most bays trudged unwillingly to school, go" fishing and swimming while they grew restless in their "Sunday best, laze in the bright summar sun while they were told to chop the firewood. However, Huck, always picturesque in his tattered clothes, puffing a pipe as he roamed along the banks of the broad Missouri, was also an independent. self-reliant boy. 1-Ie slept on door-steps in fine weather, and crept into empty hogsheads when it rained. He scorned the soft comforts of respectable upbringing, being always the last to don shoes in me winter, and the first to go barefooted in the spring. His crafty father tried to sell Huck to the kindly old widow Douglas, who took an interest in the lad, and would have liked to “civilise" him. To raise the necessary sum, the widow decided to sell her negro slave, Jim. Jim did not want to be”,sold, while Huck writhed at the thought of sleeping between sheets, going to meals at the sound of a bell, and sitting supremely uncomfortable in a drawing-room, while outside the sunshine sparkled on the swirling river and the fish played in its cool depths. Together the two sailed away on a raft they found swept downstream by the floods. Before long, they met two crafty swindlers, who were among the many who drifted from town to town deceiving the simple folk of Missouri, Illinois and Arkansas. They were likeable rascals, for Mark Twain knew and loved the river and all who journeyed on. it. never creating a character that was wholly bad. And Huck and Jim had many amusing adventures with the “King of France” and “Duke of Bilgewater,” as the rogues had the audacity to style themselves. Mickey Rooney" lives the part of the sturdy Huck, giving another of the straightforward and whole-hearted performances which,have made him famous. Walter Connolly, William Frawley and Rex Ingram head the supporting players, who all act superbly in bringing to the screen the colourful, carefree, and essentially human atmosphere of Mark Twain's immortal book.

MAJESTIC THEATRE “WOLF’S CLOTHING” AND “THE SINGING OUTLAW” One of the finest comedy teams the screen has seen for years is the star attraction of the new Action Pictures' comedy. “Wolf’s Clothing,” coming to the Majestic Theatre to-day. Claude I-lulbert and Gordon Harker make up the team, and it is the first time these two popular comedians have appeared together in a film. Their partnership, incidentally, has proved so successful that they are likely to play together in future films. “Wolf’s Clothing” is a -com'edy-drama of the most enthralling and riotous type. Into a gang of the most dangerous criminals the lamb-like Claude is sent, and with Gordon Harker as his valet, many hilarious and breathtaking moments ensue. Lilli Palmer takes'the leading feminine role. With Bob Baker and’Joan Barclay in the featured roles, supported by Fuzzy Knight, Carl Stockdale and a large east of talented actors and actresses. Universal’s “The Singing Outlaw,” the associate feature, is the idyll of a western cowboy who can ride and 1 shoot, and sing and play! Baker is the cowboy and Universal possesses a good bet because he can sing western songs pleasingly, accompanying himself on the guitar. Not only that, he is one of the finest riders on the screen, and a straight shot with any type of gun. Those who like western action stories with new situations, good acting and excellent photography will enjoy “The Singing Outlaw,” termed by Hollywood critics a “musical western of high merit." The programme includes the further adventures of ‘‘Buck Rogers.”

KING’S THEATRE

“THE LITTLE PRINCESS”: TECHNICOLOUB PRODUCTION

Celebrating Shirley Temple’s selection by motion- picture audiences as the No. 1 star of the screen for the fourth consecutive year, Darryl F. Zanuck and 20th Century-Fox set out to produce Shirley's outstanding triumph. The result is to be seen in “The * Lillie Princess,” which opens to-day at the King’s Theatre, in Technicolour—a production which according to enthusiastic Hollywood preview reports, is even greater than “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” “In Old Chicago,” “Kentucky” and “Jesse James," all from the 20th Century-Fox studios. In response to thousands of requests from all over the world, the film presents Shirley Temple in a Technicolour production for the first lime. Adapted to the screen from Frances Hodgson Burnett’s beloved classic of the same name, “The Little Princess” undoubtedly will be acclaimed not only Shirley’s most memorable vehicle but also one of the great pictures of all time. The story of “The Little Princess” takes place in one of the most colourful periods of English history, when Queen Victoria’s long reign was drawing to a close and the Empire was engaged in. the Boer War. London was alive with excitement, flags flying from every building and marching Grenadiers thronging the streets. It tells how a child, left in school by her father as he hurries off to war, finds herself suddenly reduced from riches to extreme poverty and forced to endure the cruelty of the school-mis-tress, Miss Minchin. Headed by Richard Greeile and Anita Louise, as the lovers, the cast includes lan Hunter, Cesar Romero, Arthur Treacher, Mary Nash. Sybil Jason and Miles Mandcr. A brilliant supporting programme includes the latest 1939 “March of Time,” “Shooting at Par,” an interesting golf i tern, “Barnyard Eggcitement,” a Technicolour cartoon, and the ever•popular Fox Aussie News. Advance bookings are very heavy.

WAIKOIIU THEATRE, TE ItARAKA The Technicolour film, “Her Jungle Love,” with Dorothy Lamour and Ray Milland in the leading roles, has been booked to be screened on Monday at 8 .p.m. in addition to the usual sessions of 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday. Special supports include a Pop-eye

cartoon, news reels and pictorials, in addition to the serial, "Secret of Treasure Island.’’