AMUSEMENTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20087, 6 November 1939, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS

KING’S THEATRE “THEY SHALL HAVE MUSIC": A BEAUTIFUL PRODUCTION A compelling story of the struggles of a charity music school and of a boy's reformation through music as played by a master violinist. Samuel Goldwyn’s outstanding production, “They Shall Have Music." is attracting large audiences daily to the King’s Theatre. The famous violinist, Jascha Heifetz, is featured in the main role. Gene Reynolds, the talented juvenile who played a cripple boy in "Boys Town,” at last gets the opportunity to prove his capabilities in a leading role. A feature of this fine film is the appearance of the Peter iVloremblum Junior Symphony Orchestra as the slum children in the music school. Joel McCrea and Andrea Leeds head tlie supporting cast.

—“Charlie Chan in Reno" & “Chasing Danger": Wednesday—

Selected specially for Show day, the big double feature programme booked for the King’s Theatre on Wednesday should more than satisfy picture “fans." Abounding in thrills, excitement, suspense, intrigue, romance and full, "Charlie Chan in Reno” is by Car the best murder mystery of the lovable Oriental detective. "Chasing Danger,” the second feature, is an action packed story of two camera daredevils who roar in where brave men fear to tread —Northern Africa, strategic borderland on the Mediterranean. They match wits with international spies.

REGENT THEATRE LAST DAY: NELSON EDDY IN “SONG OF THE PLAINS” Nelson Eddy’s latest film, "Song of the Plains,” is still attracting enthusiastic audiences to the Regent Theatre, where it ends its season this evening. The film is a lusty tale of America’s western States in the days when the ruthless exploiters of the eastern cities were using the construction of the railroads as an excuse for wresting the pioneers' land from the lawful owners. Nelson Eddy takes a leading part in the fight to establish an unfettered press and win the sympathy of the railroad employees against their unscrupulous bosses, and he is also heard in several well-known songs. Virginia Bruce, Edward Arnold and Victor McLaglcn arc included in the cast. —To-morrow: George Wallace in “Gone to the Dogs”— When Cinesound’s comedy "cert," “Gone to the Dogs,” comes to the Regent Theatre to-morrow, audiences will see the sixteenth —and the funniest film —ever to come from Australia s own studios. With the inimitable George Wallace in the starring role, the picture was 12 weeks in front, of the cameras, and when such record time is spent in shooting approximately 80 minutes of screen entertainment. then some idea as to the quality may be clearly evidenced. Telling of a pleasant little man who accidentally discovers a miraculous speeding-up tonic for racing greyhounds, the story portrays his antics as the formula disappears, the champion dog is kidnapped, he loses his girl and gets trapped in a haunted house. So when everything ends happily, it is only after the dog-loving hero has run the gamut of every guffaw known to hyteria. “Gone to the Dogs” is the second production in which George Wallace has appeared for Cinesound. liis first was "Let George Do It," wellremembered as a grand laugh-parade, but which definitely takes second place to this current comedy. Apart from its unprecedented opulence, “Gone to the Dogs” is also notable in that it introduces to the Australian screen petite Lois Green, blonde and blue-eyed star from the J. C. Williamson stage. Since appearing in the film Miss Green has sailed for Hollywood and London for further study and experience. Whilst she will gain much from such a trip, her decision resulted in a severe loss to the Australian film industry, because in her first film for Cinesound, she revealed those attributes which make for outstanding success. Prominent in the cast, both literally and metaphorically, is 28stone John Dobbie, foil for the whimsicalities of George Wallace. He has acted as stooge to the comedian on both stage and screen for many years, but according to John. "Gone to the Dogs” supplied by far the best material upon which he has ever worked. Others in the cast include John Fleeting, a new recruit from amateur theatricals, who is now appearing in Cinesound’s Will Mahoney comedy, tentatively tilled “Come Up Smiling," Alec Kellaway, Lelly Craydon, Howard Craven, Cathlccn Eslcr. Ronald Whelan and Harry Abdy. Made for laughing purposes only. “Gone to the Dogs" is certainly an outstanding treat of real fun.

MAJESTIC THEATRE LAST DAY: “LAND OF FIGHTING MFN” AND “YOUNG AND INNOCENT.” Jack Randall, the singing cowboy, will finally be heard to-night in “Land of Fighting Men,” an exciting story of a range war. The associate feature, “Young and Innocent,” is a thrilling crime chase starring Nova Pilbeam and Derrick do Marney. —Show Attractions To-morrow: “Hard fo Get” and “Torcliy Blanc in Chinatown.” — Co-starring a new team of funmakers —Dick Powell and Olivia de I-lavilland —Warner Bros. comedy. “Hard to Get,” will be the Majestic's special attraction for the Show. "Hard to Get” has been described by preview critics as about the tops of the current movie-crop as a laugh-getter. It may seem odd that the producing studio has not teamed up Dick Powell and Olivia dc I-lavilland before. Each has had a number of successes in the lighter vein. Powell’s most recent, for example. “Cowboy From Brooklyn,” and Miss do llavilland's preceding picture, “Four's a Crowd." But now that the studio finally has teamed them, it seems to have something. Although Powell i !; the loading man. “Hard to Get" is not a musical picture. In fact it has only two songs in it. "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby" and “There’s a Sunny Side To Every Situation. Powell sings them, of course. Powell and Miss de Havilland have excellent comedy support in “Hard to Get.' In the cast are such excellent and well-liked players as Charlie Winninger. the gray-haired comedian who did "Cap'n Andy” in “Show Boat." and a dozen other notable parts: Melville Cooper, the frozen faced Briton, Isabel Joans, mistress of the art of portraying buttery, jittery society women, Allen Jenkins, gangster extraordinary, and that delightful 15-

ycar-old child, Bonita Granville. Amid exotic and sinster surroundings, "Torcliy Blanc in Chinatown,” latest of the popular Warner Bros, series, which will be Ihc associate feature, is another well-directed, well-written adventure "hit" with the irrepressible Torcliy, the same courageous, smart and resourceful lass the public has long since adopted as its favourite girl reporter. Although Glenda—or Torcliy—is the centre of all action, the film, is not without strong support. Again serving as a perfect foil for Torchy’s quick, sharp mind, the slower thinking but always reliable Lieut. Steve Mcßride is played by Barton Mac Lane, so firmly established in the public mind as the police detective that the average (ilmgocr has probably forgotten lie used to play nothing but villains. Tom Kennedy plays Gahagan, Mcßride's not too helpful assistant, and liis comic contributions arc so expertly handled that it is easy to understand why lie seems as indispensable to the series as either of the leading players. Reservations may be made at the Regent box oflice. but must be collected before G p.m. each day.

REPERTORY PRODUCTION “THE UNFAIR SEX:” OPERA HOUSE TO-MORROW. The farce, “The Unfair Sex,” will appeal to even the most discerning patron of the theatre when it is presented by tlie Gisborne Repetory Society in the Opera House to-morrow night for one night only. Full of funny situation's, this outstanding farce goes gaily on its way, leaving the audience helpless with iaughter. The plot revolves round a pompous old barrister's plan to teach an indiscreet couple a lesson. Being a lender of the Divorce Court he imagines that their conduct is worse than it really is. The complications that follow result in a domestic tangle of the first order. Everything is straightened out eventually, of course, but not before the play has passed through scenes which should be amongst the funniest ever witnessed in Gisborne. The splendid cast consists of the producer, Miss Ellen Millar, Misses Cora Oman. Barbara Grumnutt. and Sheila Muir, Messrs. W. J. Sinclair, Wilfrid Kohn and Seddon Hill. The box plan is filling rapidly at the "Mary Elizabeth.”