REGENT THEATRE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20120, 14 December 1939, Page 3

REGENT THEATRE

LAST NIGHT: “ST. MARTIN S LANE” .• ' v v< A remarkable glimpse of life in London is given in “St. Martin's Lane” the film drama which will be screened for the last time at the Regent Theatre to-day. The main role in the production is splendidly taken by the English actor Charles Laughton. who appears as a “busker,” one of the numerous band of struggling artists who make their living by entertaining theatre queues, while the other principal is Vivien Leigh, who has been chosen to take the part of Scarlett O'Hara in "Gone With the Wind.”

—To-morrow: George Fortuity in "Trouble Brewing”—

If laughter is the test, George Formby is one of the most populai comedians on the screen to-day. so far as Gisborne is concerned. "Trouble Brewing," which begins to-morrow, it George Fonnby’s funniest picture. The theatre is practically reserved right out and advance bookings are veryheavy, so that intending patrons should book their seats early. But the featured film is not the only attraction on the programme. Included in the short features is a featurette, “The Warning,” a subject produced in co-operation with the British Government. It is a study of modern Britain’s preparations to meet prospective barbarous onslaughts of Nazism. It not only stresses the efficiency of the lighting services, but graphically depicts the tremendous co-ordin-ation of the social services during wartime. It shows that no matter what type of disaster should strike a city when attacked by enemy bombers, services are available to meet any contingency. In George Formby’s film,

"Trouble Brewing,” the comedian gives a very good account of himseli in a role that suits his capabilities to perfection. He plays the part of an eccentric dumbwit, good-natured to the point of imbecility and with a penchant for bursting into song at the oddest moments. He works in the composing room of a London newspaper and is always getting into trouble. One of his crazes is crime detection, and in pursuance of this dangerous hobby he invents a crime, detector which lie tries out in the office. The first demonstration ; s disastrous. His subject is the olliee cat which, with paws covered with George's fluid strolls carelessly over a page of the pager dealing with the prevalent counterfeiting racket which is agitating the London police. This opening sequence sets the tone of the production, which, from this point moves off at a tremendous pace. Comedy and excitement are piled on top of each other, and the result is entertainment, of the merriest kind Melodrama runs riot, and in the hectic scenes that follow George is found stumbling all unconsciously upon the counterfeiters’ den. The variety and quick succession of the film's more exciting moments are among its best attractions, but at the back of everything is tiie personality of the comedian himself. The manner in which he combines broad comedy witli melodrama to produce riotous humour constitutes an object lesson in ability, which might well be studied by many a player with a great deal more screen technique than Formby can boast. Googie Withers acquits herself very creditably in the role of Mary Brown and Garry Marsh gives a good performance as the news editor who is in league with the counterfeiters. Others in the cast are C. Denier Warren as Major Hopkins, of Scotland Yard, Joss Ambler, as Lord Redhill, the newspaper proprietor who is discovered printing bogus bank notes on the counterfeiter's press. Plans are now

on view at the Regent Theatre. Telephone reserves must be picked up no later than 7 p.m.