AMUSEMENTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20101, 22 November 1939, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS

"THE INVISIBLE MENACE,” AND “PENROD AND HIS TWIN BROTHER”

Last night's audience was thrilled and amused by the popular double feature programme at the Majestic Theatre. A combination of thrills and laughs and romance is the Warner Bros, mystery-melodrama, "The Invisible Menace,” with Boris Karloff a:; its star. No one need be afraid that he is going to see anything gruesome or spine-freezing just because the great Karloffs name is mentioned. As a matter of fact, there are as many laughs as there are nerve tingles in this movie—and Karloff does not even wear an outlandish make-up. He plays an ordinary, middle-aged civil engineer, and there is nothing horrifying about that breed. The picture—made from the successful Broadway stage play of the same name —deals with a murder in a Government arsenal, and cuts away, part of the time, to the island of Haiti, with its revolutions, voodoo jungle rites and the like. Eddie Craven, imported from New York to play the same part he did on the stage, and pretty, blonde Marie Wilson, provide the romance and most of the comedy. The associate feature is “Penrod and His Twin Brother," starring the Mauch twins, Billy and Bobby. In the story also arc the "Junior G-Men,” who made l.heir first appearance in "Penrod and Sam.” Other familiar and beloved characters appear—Rodney Bitts, the little cheat who tries to take Penrod’s place as No. 1 G-man; his father, played by Charles Halton, who is Penrod’s father’s boss; Frank Craven, again doing the part of "Dad Schofield”; Spring Byington, once more Penrod’s Ma, and of course, the amusing little black boy Vennan, played by Philip Hurlic.

KING’S THEATRE

RITZ BROTHERS IN “THE GORILLA.” The Ritz Brothers have turned detectives and you will have the time of your life watching them tracking down a weird man-killing beast in "The Gorilla," the 20th Century-Fox screen version of the stage “hit,” which began at the King’s Theatre yesterday. The action takes place in a house that is a maze of sliding panels. The time is something close to midnight—in the midst of a raging thunderstorm. The host, Lionel Atwill, lias just received a note from “The Gorilla" threatening him with murder at midnight! Into this scene wander those super-detectives, Harrigan. Mulligan and Garrity—the Ritzes, of course —and from then on anything can happen—and if does! It would be unfair to spoil the fun-and-lright feast that awaits one by revealing the story. Here is grand entertainment. It will scare you silly—with laughter. —“Four Feathers," stirring Drama in Technicolour: Friday.— All the pageantry and spectacle of military and tribal activity in the desert country of the Sudan during Kitchener's campaign is captured to perfection in the Technicolour film "Four Feathers,” which opens at the King's Theatre on Friday for a season of six days. Taken from the noted modern classic by A. E. W. Mason, the film proves another triumph for England’s leading film figures—Alexander and Zoltan. Korda. Stars of the show arc John Clements, a young Englishman, who ensures a great future for himself by reason of his role, Ralph Richardson, adding even more to his considerable reputation, C. Aubrey Smjth and June Duprez. Not only is this a spectacular piece of production, but it is also a tale of heroism and courage, of an. empire in the making. The most has been made of Mason’s material, and the story of the boy who was branded a coward and set out to rehabilitate himself has proved a very good drama when transferred to the screen. Bookings are very heavy.

REGENT THEATRE

"ICE FOLLIES OF 103!)” Now in its fifth day at the Regent Theatre, “The Ice Follies,” a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production, carries with it a strong appeal to the lover of the spectacular, and, being in Technicolour, the story has added distinction by reason of the colourful beauty of the settings. Despite the presence in the cast of such film personalities as Joan Crawford, Lewis Slone, James Stewart, and Lew Ayres, the story is a simple one. but it has a happy blending of pathos and humour. The two central figures emerge from the ranks of vaudeville performers at ice rinks to stardom, Joan, on the films and James in his own sphere. However, following their marriage, they found that they had not studied their astrology, for as the stars in the heavens they were miles apart. —Friday: “Four Daughters,” Greater Than “3 Smart Girls"— Everything that a picture should be, containing as it does almost every aspect of dramatic work, is "Four Daughters,” which will begin its Gisborne season at the Regent Theatre on Friday. Interesting first because of the appearance of the three Lane Sisters, Priscilla, Lola and Rosemary, it is also notable for the first screen appearance in Gisborne of John Garfield. The story deals with the life of four sisters, tells how their ambitions, so widely different, lead them into romance, disillusionment and final happiness. The box plans are now open.

OUTSTANDING FILM

“FOUR DAUGHTERS” FOR REGENT

A picture lhat .stars three sisters in fact as sisters in fiction, that introduces simultaneously two new and brilliant actors in the leading roles, and that has in strong supporting roles such fine material as Claude Rains, May Robson, Frank McHugh and Dick

MAJESTIC THEATRE