ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 183, 6 July 1937, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

KOSY THEATRE. “JUNGLE JIM.” Adventure in dark, mysterious Africa beckons to you. Jungle Jini, whose exploits you follow with such interest in the newspaper feature strips, is in the movies now. At the head of his. safari, he is penetrating deep into the jungle on a dangerous mission and he invites you to follow him in this, his latest advcnurc. The screen version of Jungle Jim has been produced by Universal in a story of 12 chapters. The* first instalment screens finally at the Kosy Theatre to-night. Grant Withers, cast as Jungle Jim, makes a convincing hero. The feminine lead is played by beautiful and talented Betty Jane Rhodes, radio star who i* duplicating her success on the air in pictures. She plays the part of Joan, the Lion Goddess, who. raised in the jungle, hats an uncanny newer to control lions. The natives worship her and recognise her as their ruler. She falls heir to a huge fortune in America and two safaris start into the jungle to find her. One is led by Jungle Jim, who wants lo help her claim her inheritance. The other i* headed by three villains who want to slay the girl *o that they can have the money for tliemsclvc*. Naturally these men are Jungle Jim’s enemies. And lie has still another deadly foe. He is the sinister Cobra, an escaped convict whose safety in his jungle retreat depends oil Joan’s power over the natives. His life depends on the girl’s remaining in ihc jungle and he will do anything to keep her there. So, Jungle Jim is pitted not merely against the usual perils of the African wild# —lions, tigers, elephant*, and fierce native tribesmen. He lias to fight these murderous men as well. “CALIFORNIA STRAIGHT AHEAD.” Until recently nobody saw any romance in the rolling fleet- of transcontinental trucks that roared over highways during the n’ght. They were prosaic things, just machines, until Universal told the story behind the fleets. The story of the human beings who kept the trucks rolling. The struggle between a trucking company and a railroad. The pulsing dramatic battle of man against man: of man against machne. The underlying heart throb story of a girl who wanted a man lo win and helped him do it'. All that is told in “California Straight Ahead,” Hie film now screening finally at the Kosy Thealre.

MAYFAIR THEATRE. “LOVE FROM A STRANGER” If it is thrills and excitement, you are. seeking then see Ann Harding and Basil Ralhbono in “Love From a Stranger,” the most, thrilling drama of (lie year, screening finally at the Mayfair to-night. Make no mistake. This is not ju*t a “horrific” film but an intensely interesting, brilliantly acted study of the macabre. “UNDER COVER OF NIGHT.”

Mystery and romance placed in the peaceful atmosphere, of a great college combine in an. excellent new drama from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, “Under Cover of Night,” screening to-rnorrow at the Mayfair Theatre with Edmund Lowe featured. Lowe introduce* an interesting type of detective, this time a college graduate returned to the scene of his youth to solve a series of mysterious killings in the faculty. Florence Rice, the daughter of Grantland Rice, famous sports commentator, scores in the loading feminine role. This young actress appears to be definitely cn route to stardom in the near future. “Under Cover of Night” presents a new type of mystery story and Lowe creates a new sort of detective. The audience is given each clue as lie comes upon it and accordingly follow* him in the process of solution, step hv step. It is a clover technique and ha* proved it* popularity. In the unusually distinguished supporting cast arc Dorothy Peterson. Henry Daniell. Nat Pendleton, Henry Kolker, Dean Jagger. Theodore von Eltz., Sara linden, Frank Rcieher. Maria She.ton. a recent Hollywood discovery, Zeffio Tilbury, and Harry Davenport. The romance in the story i* the love between Miss Rice and Dean J agger, who arc involved in the college murder* ami are eventually brought together by the persistent detective. Lowe, in Jr* new characterisation, achieves one of his finest, in a long •series of notable pictures. “Under ('over of Night” was directed by George 13. j Seitz, and the original story was written by Bertram Millhau*cr.