AMUSEMENTS

Grey River Argus, 18 September 1948, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS

At the Opera House Now Showing: “Johnny O’clock,” starring Dick Powell and Evelyn Keyes. “JOHNNY O’CLOCK” Crammed with mystery, suspense, feverish excitement and some ot the most thrilling sequences ever brought to the screen are contained in the absorbing modern melodrama, “Johnny O’clock” (the most fascinating character you have ever seen) now showing at the Opera House with Dick Powell and Evelyn Keyes in the starring roles. In the film, Dick Powell is seen as the swaggering gambler, Johnny O’clock, who matches wits with the gambling fraternity and the law m the person of Inspector Koch (Lee J. Cobb). Koch suspects Johnny and his gambling partner, Guido Marchettis (S Thomas Gomez), of the deaths of Harriet Hobson (Nina Foch), a checkroom girl, and her boy friend, Chuck Blayden (Jim Bannon), a crooked cop. The dead girl’s sister, Nancy (Evelyn Keyes), comes to the scene for details of the crime and falls -for Johnny. That worthy attempts to.get her out of town but is beset by Marchettis’ gunmen. Marchettis, learning that his wife, Nelle (Ellen Drew), is in love with Johnny, shoots and wounds him when the latter comes to the gambling house for a split-up of the profits. From here on the film is whipped up to break-neck pace, exploding with such a surprise fmish that it will all but wrench the theatre seats from their moorings as a-result of the patrons’ excitement.

Regent Shows Now Showing: “This Time for Keeps” starring Esther Williams. Esther Williams, Jimmy Durante, Lauritz Melchior, Johnnie Johnston and Xavier Cugat and his orchestra take you on a delightful joy-ride in. M.G.M.’s light-hearted new technicolour musical, “This lime for Keeps,’ which is the current attraction at the Regent Theatre. ■ An adroitly written senpe about conflicts between an opera star and his crooner son; also between a . society girl and an aquatic queen, offers a tailor-made role for each of the stellar participants. Esther Williams dazzles in water routines which first made her famous. Johnnie Johnston is an attractive leading man, sings “S’no Wonder.” “I Love to Dance,” “I’ll Be with You in Apple Blossom Time,” “Easy to Love and “Why Don’t They Let Me Sing a Love Song.” Durante and Melchior contrive to break up the young romancers and later plot to bring them together again. Melchior sings “Easy to Love.” the charming “Danish Children’s .Song," “Donna E Mobile” and “Ora E Per Sempre Addio.” contrasted with such Durante d’tties as “Don’t Say it With Ink,” “Ten Per cent. Off” and his inimitable version of “Why Don’t They Let Me S ng a Love Song.” Others include Dame May Whittv in an amusing portrayal of a worldly-wise grandmother singing Dorothy Porter, dancing Tommy Wonder, Sharon McManus, Dick Simmons and Mary Stuart.