AMUSEMENTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20093, 13 November 1939, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS

KING’S THEATRE “SECOND FIDDLE”: IRVING BERLIN’S FINE MUSICAL Irving Berlin's new songs, Sonja Home's sunny brilliance, Tyrone Power's gay romancing, Rudy Vallee’s singing and Edna May Oliver's fun — one of the greatest combinations of talent ever gathered for one show, is making Irving Berlin’s “Second Fiddle" very popular with preview critics, who have lavished on the 20th Century-Fox film a chorus of praise. Something new in screen entertainment is presented in this film, which

is now showing lo capacity houses at the King's Theatre, an it is filled with romance, spectacle, fresh comedy, six new Berlin songs and surprises galore, including sensational tangos on the ice, snow rhumbas, ice ballets, and a new ballroom dance, the "Back to Back."

REGENT THEATRE LAST . DAY: IRENE DUNNE IN “INVITATION TO HAPPINESS” Irene Dunne and Fred Mac Murray are co-starred for the first time in the Paramount drama, “Invitation to Happiness," which is showing at Inc Regent Theatre. Fred. Mac Murray is an ambitious prize-fighter who works for, dreams about, and hopes to become champion. Then one day his comfortable routine is upset. He meets charming, aristocrat Irene Dunne. Fred and Irene are as utterly different as two people can be. Fred never got beyond grade school, his parents were poor, his outlook on life naive and self-centred. Irene, on the other hand, had been sent to the best and most expensive schools in the world, her people are wealthy, and her attitude is anything but naive. Though they know how foolhardy they are, Fred and Irene got married. For a while, they are as happy as the story book prince and princess. Then the clouds of reality begin to gather.

—To-Morrow: Jeanette MacDonald and Allan Jones in “The Firefly.” Foremost musical picture of its year and probably one of tbe finest in the history of the screen, MetroGold wyn-Mayer’s adaptation of Rudolf Friuil's operetta, “The Firefly,” plays a return season at the Regent Theatre, beginning to-morrow, with Jeanette MacDonald starred, and Allan Jones and Warren William in featured roles. Here is-screen artistry at its height. The dramatic story of Spain in the era when Napoleon was conquered at Vittoria by Wellington, provides a moving plot as vast and impressive as any that could be filmed. And, artistically, it provides a vehicle for the Friml score that thrilled the audience. Jeanette MacDonald appears in her seventeenth musical triumph and it is undoubtedly one of her finest. Allan Jones emerges as a star in his own right. Warren William performs with his accustomed artistry. The excellent supporting cast includes Billy Gilbert, Henry Daniell. Douglas Dumbrillc, Leonard Penn. Tom FutKerford, ’Belle Mitchell. Gebrge Zucco, Corbett Morris and Matthew Boulton, with an enormous group of costumed extras. Miss MacDonald dances with rare grace and sings "Love is Like a Firefly,’’ "He Who Loves and Runs Away” and “When a Maid Comes Knocking at Your Heart." Jones sings “A Woman’s Kiss" and “The Donkey Serenade," and they join in duct in “Giannina Mia" and “Sympathy." The whole score is gay with brilliant Spanish melody and the film has been staged on a scale of unrestricted beauty that could be possible only in Hollywood.

MAJESTIC THEATRE

FINAL DAY: “BULLDOG DRUMMOND’S RRIDF” AND “MILLION DOLLAR LEGS’’ Bank robbery, revenge, murder and an attack toy a band of international crooks—all on “Bulldog Dfumraond s’ wedding day! That's the situation in. “Bulldog Drummond’s Bride,” Paramount's' new detective thriller, which concludes to-night at the Majestic Theatre with John Howard and Heather Angel. The associate comedy, "Million Dollar Legs," is a bright college story with the snorting background of crew-racing. Also shiny and bright are the talented youngsters who annear in the film. They inemde Betty Grable, Jackie Coogan, Joyce Mathews, Donald O’Connor, -Larry Crabbe and John Hartley. To-morrow: “Within the Law” and Revival of “Topper”—

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's modernised version of Bayard Veillcr’s magnifisent stage drama “Within the Law will commence a season at the Majestic Theatre to-morrow at 1.45 and p.m. The new picture retains all the powerful drama and vivid romance of tile play but is stiictlv up to the minute. Ruth Hussey is superb in tiie role oi Mary Turnot, created on the stage by Jane Cowl. Tom neal has the male lead, and a strong cast includes Paul Kelly, Paul Cavanagh and Rita Johnson. The story is the same but now unravels in the atmosphere of modern Manhattan. Mary Turner, a department store salesgirl, is gaoled lor a theft she did not commit. She swears vengeance and studies law in prison. On gaining her freedom she joins a band of racketeers who prey on a store owner. She meets his son and the boy falls in love with her. She even marries him, then discovers that she loves liifn. They are involved in a crime and the police are closing in. At the psychological moment the racketeer leader, played by Kelly, steps in and assumes the blame to save the boy. The moral now, as n 1912 when the play was produced on Broadway, is simply that crime does not pay. "Within the Law” will be supported by repeat screenings of “Topper.” Based on the superb whimsy of the screen plav, adapted Iron) Thorne Smith’s sensational novel. "Topper,” the brilliant talent of the principals provide uproarious fun and fast-mov-ing action from the opening scene until tla.' final fade out. The programme will include the final chapter of “Treasure Island.”