ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 212, 7 August 1937, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. ‘‘COD’S COUNTRY AND THE WOMAN.” Another tcchnicolnur film of tho outdoors, “Cod’s Country and tlie Woman,” will screen at the Regent Theatre tonight. It is fully up to the standard set by “’I he Trail cf the Lonesome I'ine,” and its natural colour is seen to full advantage in some magnificent scenes of the mountainous country of the American backwoods. The story opens with Steve Russett, played by George Brent, being recalled from Paris by his elder brother (Robert Barrat), who is manager of the Russett Lumber Company. Steve escapes from his brother's camp in an aoroplanc, but is forced down near, the rival camp of Jo Barton, who proves to be an attractive girl, played by Beverly Roberts. In a desperate feud for transportation rights Steve takes the girl’s part, first against his brother's gang and then against the rebelling Barton lumberjacks. Events reach a thrilling climax when hundreds of logs jam in the river and Steve is forced to dynamite them in the face of rifle fire from tho rival camp. The picture closes witli a happy reconciliation between tho two companies. In the leading role George Brent plays a part that requires both the eophistication of a “playboy” and tho virile strength cf a woodsman, and tiis interpretation is an excellent one. Beverly Roberts gives a pleasing portrayal. Tho supporting east includes Barton Maelane, Alan Ilalc, Roscoc Ates and El Brendel. STATE THEATRE. “SEVENTH HEAVEN." The honours of “Sevcnlli Heaven’’—and there arc plenty of them for all concerned ■ —are divided primarily between the t.roliiondously moving picturisation of tin's, tho tenderest romance of our timo, and tire fact that in it emerges fully an actress destined to be known as tho greatest star on tile screen —Simone Simon, co-starred with James Stewart in the Twentieth Cen tury-Eox production which opened yesterday to crowded houses at Palmerston North’s popular and leading theatre, tho State. For the background cf “Seventh He avon,” Twentieth Century-Fox has recreated a vivid and picturesque Alontmarte, set in tho turbulent days of 1914. jin tho huge, subterranean Paris sewer, Chico spends his working days, scornful of tho Providence that failed, first, to make him a street washer, and, second, to briny him a fine, intelligent wife. Chico saves tho waif, Diane, from a beating, and also from gendarmes who would arrest her for thowing wine in the face of a cafe cus tomor who annoyed her. To do this, he has to pose as Diane’s" husband, and the gendarmes announeo that they will check up on him. Forced to live up to his story, Chico takes Diane to his garret, where the vista of the stars at night makes him forget tho day-long toil in the dank sewer. When war breaks out., and Chico is called to the army, he realises that he is in love "with tho waif lie befriended, and pledges to return to her in spirit at 11 o'clock every day. Despile news of Chico’s death, Diane continues to keep,her tryst, a faith that loads to one of the screen’s great emotional moments in a powerful conclusion to the tenderest lovo story of our time.