AMUSEMENTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20085, 3 November 1939, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS

REGENT THEATRE

NELSON EDDY IN “SONG OF THE PLAINS.”

“Sony of the Plains,” starring Nelson Eddy and Virginia Bruce, continues to pack the Regent Theatre. Nelson Eddy has opportunity to sing many songs during the course of the picture, including "Dusty Road," "When Irish Eyes arc Smiling,” “Pat, Sez He,” "Home Sweet Home,”

“Where Else But Here” and "Love's Serenade.” The plot deals with the coming of the railroad to a small town out in the West of the United States. With it comes an influx of city dwellers, mainly labourers, as well as a ruthless financier, piayed by Edward Arnold, who does not stop at anything to secure all the land possible by fair means or foul from the honest, hard-working ranch owners. According to the law a rancher's land becomes the properly of the State, to be sold to the highest bidder, if he cannot keep a roof over his head. The financier burns down ranch houses and then secures the title to the land through a corrupt court. Nelson Eddy comes home from university as a champion for the ranchers, and in order to beat the financier he poses as the financier s friend and steals a corrupt newspaper, publishing and distributing' a paper condemning the financier and upholding the principle of right. Excellent character portrayals are given by Victor McLaglcn as an Irish railroad boss, Lionel Barrymore as Eddy's father, and Charles Butterworth as “The Mackerel. ’ The supports include a Cinesound Review, Metro Air Mail News, a coloured cartoon, “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” and “Ice Antics,” an interesting short showing sport on the ice.

—Saturday 10.30 li.m. and Tuesday Next: Show Attraction, George Wallace in “Gone To The Dogs.”— Commencing on Saturday night at 10.30 o'clock, patrons will have the opportunity of seeing the special Show days’ attraction, “Gone to the Dogs," starring George Wallace. The box plan for to-morrow's 10.30 p.m. session is now open and patrons also may reserve for Show nights. "Gone to the Dogs” has just completed a three-week season at the St. James Theatre, Wellington, and Gisborne is to screen the film before Auckland.

MAJESTIC THEATRE

JACK RANDALL IN “LAND OF FIGHTING MEN“ AND “YOUNG AND INNOCENT”

Introducing the American singing cowboy, Jack .Randal!:, “Land of Fighting Men,” which heads the strong double bill now at the Majestic Theatre, is the story of a range war that develops when eastern American racketeers try to take possession of the west. Prominent in the cast besides Randall, who introduces three new cowboy songs, are Louise Stanley, Wheeler Oakman, Lane Chandler, and Rex Lease. The Colorado Hillbillies furnish the musical background. In the associate thriller, “Young and Innocent,” Christine Clay, a famous film star, is strangled on a lonely stretch of seashore, with a belt from a raincoat. Her body is found by Robert Tisdall, who is seen running for help and is arrested on the evidence of two witnesses. He can prove his innocence, however, if he can only find his own raincoat which was stolen from him before the crime. At the notice station lie collapses and is revived by Erica Burgovne, daughter of the chief constable of the county. Tisdall later escapes and is found by Erica, who, unwillingly, hides him in an old mill. Later she returns with food for him. but in the midst of the meal the police arrive and they have to make an escape. Erica, now convinced of his innocence, agrees to help Tisdall and calls at her aunt's house to provide an alibi should her father inquire about her absence. The visit, however, has the reverse effect and the search is intensified. The stars of this fast-moving and exciting story arc Nova Pilbeam and Derrick de Marney. The programme opens with the final chapter of “Buck Rogers.” A Guy Fawkes competition will be held in the vestibule of Die Majestic at 10.30 o’clock tomorrow morning, and the winners will be announced at the children’s matinee. Eight boxes of fireworks are offered as prizes.

KING’S THEATRE

HEIFETZ IN “THEY SHALL A new landmark in motion picture history was achieved when Samuel GoLdwyn, one o£ Hollywood’s foremost producers, brought Jascha Heifetz and his immorta! violin music to the screen in “They Shall Have Music," a richly human story, which will have its premiere at the King's Theatre to-day. In addition to marking the screen debut of the great Heifetz. “They Shall Have Music" also brings to millions of moviegoers all over the globe the thrilling music of the California Junior Symphony, an orchestra composed of 45 boys and girls who have been hailed as juvenile prodigies. Directed skilfully and dramatically by Archie Mayo, “They Shall Have Music" is the story of a slum boy, who has inherited talent for music from his dead father. The boy lives his life on the streets, frightened by an irate stepfather, lured by gang stories and anxious to make'easy money. Through a series of strange events, he lands in a settlement music school run by an idealistic professor, who takes him under his wing. When the grateful youngster learns of the desperate 'financial straits of the school, he undertakes to win the patronage of the great Heifetz, who is in New York for Carnegie Hall concerts. The featured roles in “They Shall Have Music” are brilliantly played by Andrea Leeds, Joel McCrea, Walter Brennan, Gene Reynolds and Terry Kilbourne. Special praise must be given to Brennan, who nr. the absent-minded professor, turns in one of tile most stirring and realistic nerformanecs seen on the screen anywhere. The brilliant genius of Heifetz’s playing can hardly be described adequately, but let it suffice to say that this wqrkl-farnous virtuoso renders such offerings as Saint-Sacns “Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso" and Tschaikcnvsky’s “Melodic."

REPERTORY SOCIETY

The Unfair Sex": Tuesday Next

Situations of the most uproariously humorous tvpc arc the main attractions in “The Unfair Sex,” which will be staged by the Gisborne Repertory Society next Tuesday in the Opera

House. The dialogue, perhaps slightly outre at times, is equally mirth-pro yoking. Divorce and the birth rate are Uncle Henry’s net aversions. The trouble starts when he catches , his niece and nephew, the childless Trevors, each being innocently indiscreet, with another member of the opposite sex. A charming widow, Helen Delisse, of whom Sir Henry is fond, her pretty daughter, Joan, Harvey Fane, a nervous young author of books on phsycho-analysis, and a film-struck maid cause all the complications necessary to keep the plot ripping along full of riotous scenes and absurdly comical situations.

The exceptionally able cast consists of Miss Ellen Millar, who is also producing the piny, Misses Corn Oman, Barbara Grummßt, Sheila Muir, Messrs. W. J. Sinclair. Wilfrid Kohn and Seddon Hill. The box plan is filling rapidly at the “Mary Elizabeth,”