AMUSEMENTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20057, 2 October 1939, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS

KING’S THEATRE “THE STORY OF VERNON AND IRENE CASTLE’’ Adhering closely to the real-life story of Vernon and Irene Castle, a world-famous dancing team of a quarter of a century ago, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers’ new starring vehicle, 'The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle.” now showing at the King’s Theatre, is reported to be the finest musical film of recent years and the greatest of all the pictures in which these two favourites have learned. The story opens with Vernon Castle’s ■early career as a knockabout comedian with Lew Fields, and his first meeting with the then Irene Foote, who persuaded him to give up cheap comedy in favour of dancing. How the two married on the proverbial shoestring, went to Paris and nearly starved before they got a start as a team, is revealed in delightful fashion. Their meteoric rise to fame in dance engagements which took them across two continents until their reputation was established as the outstanding dance duo of their time: the breaking up of the team when Vernon enlisted with the British Forces on the outbreak of the Great War: and his untimely death in an air eras'll, are the main ingredients in the story.

REGENT THEATRE. LEW AYRES IN “CALLING DR. KILDARE” An excellent reception was given to “Calling Dr. Kildare,” the moving sequel to the former film about the young physician after whom the picture is called, when it was presented for the firS't time to crowded audiences at the Regent Theatre on Saturday. Lew Ayres is once more in the main role, and his performance is evert better than in the first Dr. Kildare production, for here as never before he is given an opportunity of displaying his talents in all branches of dramatic art. Although based on the human story of the young doctor’s efforts to build himself a worth-while career, the picture develops into a dramatic fight against the forces of disorder when the hero fights for the life of a youth who has been dangerously wounded ,and then when his patient is wrongly arrested, begins a campaign to save him again. The unusual theme of a doctor engaged in detective work is developed to its highest possibilities, and there is no lack of excitement as the principal risks his life and throws to the winds his professional reputation in an effort to see that justice is done. Even in its most tense moments, however, the production does not err from the reality of life, and romance and humour also have an important share in the entertainment. Once again Lionel Barrymore shows how fine a character actor he is in the part of Dr. Gillespie.

MAJESTIC THEATRE LAST DAY: “THE LADY’S FROM KENTUCKY” & “SWEET DEVIL” One of tiie grandest racing pictures of the year and one of the funniest of farce-comedies will conclude a highly successful season to-night. “The Lady’s From Kentucy” has for its star's George Raft. E-lien Drew. Hugh Herbert 1 and Zasu Pitts. “Sweet I Devil," a Jack Buchanan production, stars Bobby Howes and Jean Gillie. —Midnight Matinee To-night at 10.45 for “Penrod’s Double Trouble” and, “Torchy Gets Her Man" — In response to requests for a late session to enable patrons to wait up and give a rousing send-ofl to the boys who are going into camp, there will be a session commencing at 10.45 o’clock to-night. The new mid-week programme will open at this session. “Penrod’s Double Trouble,” starring the Mauch twins —Billy and Bobby—in the most adventurous film of their budding careers, heads the new bill. “Penrod’s Double Trouble” is the third picture of the series being produced by Warner Bros., with Booth Tarkington’s immortal character of boyhood ns its central character, and it is, like its predecessors, full of touches of homely humour and nostalgic charm, but spirited action is its keynote. Retaining the characteristic Tarkington flavour and yet adding a quality of melodramatic suspense and excitement, Ernest Booth and Crane Wilbur, authors of the story and screen play, respectively, turned out a model pattern of film entertainment for young and old. Glenda Farrell and Barton Mac Lane, the popular girl reporter and her detective lieutenant boy friend, who have made such a “hit” in the Torchy Blane series of adventure comedies, come back with a new one in the associate picture, “Torchy Gets Her Man.” The blonde and wisecracking Torchy always seems to get her man when she and Lieut. Steve Mcßride start out after the crooks. They have a lot of fun doing it, and always manage to get a lot of laughs at the same time .