ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 217, 13 August 1937, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

MAYFAIR THEATRE. “GOOD OLD SOAK.” On the screen at the Mayfair Theatre at a 10.30 p.m. session to-night comes to life that unOorgettablo character, the Old Soak, immortalised by Don Marquis in his original novel. Wallace Beery now finds Ids greatest role in this characterisation. The picture, “Good Old Soak,” Irom Mctro-Coldwyn-Mayer, draws a cross-sec-tion of the America that was—the almost United States in the era of prohibition. Beery portrays the character of a smalltown philosopher who retires from active biii.iricui in order to locate the local speakeasies, The complications of the plot rcvolvo around a family neetegg that is stolen. Of course Old Soak is blamed. The mpnncr in which he restores the money and reunites the clan makes a story that provided many laughs for the audience. 1 Beery, in the leading role, utilises all of his innate knowledge of human nature and virtually lives the character conceived by Marquis during those confusing years of the dry era in America. In the supporting cast Una Merkel contributes another of her delightfully funny portrayals as Nellie; Eric Linden gives a sensitive warmth to the role of Beery’s son, Cieimnie; Judith Barrett enlivens the drama with her singing of “You’ve Got a Certain Something,” and Betty Furness scores in the part of Beery's daughter. Also not to he overlooked is the work of Ted Healy, Janet Beecher, George Sidney, Robert McWadc, and James Bush. J. Walter Ruben has directed the picture with a keen understanding of . small-town characters. When the picture was finished it was Beery who saw to it that a print of the, film was sent as his personal gift to Don' Marquis, an invalid now- recovering from a lingering illness.

KOSY THEATRE. “THE SCOTLAND YARD MYSTERY.” An atmosphere of intense thrill and mystery is created in a powerful detective melodrama now screening finally at the Kcsy. Entitled “The Scotland V arc I Mystery,it deals with the exposure of a tremendous life insurance ramp by the duel Inspector oi Scotland Yard, and, entailing a continuous tiuin ol intensely gripping incidents and gruesome moments, including scenes in a graveyard mid an undertaker’s. cannot possibly leave anything to he desired on the score of scnsacionalism, even try. the most devoted Joxcrs of sheer inlotiruma. The development of the story turns on the complaints of an insurance company that several heavily insured people have, within a short period, died ol heart failure, although previously certified as lit by the company’s medical advisei. The Cnief Inspector of Scotland Yard tacks a hand, and finds that the whole tiling is an outrageous swindle, conducted by none otbei than the Home Office pathologist. This man has discovered a serum which, wher* injected, produces a state of living death —the fate of his victims, for whoso bodies books are substituted on tmnal. whilst the men are revived with an anti toxin and sent abroad with a share of the insurance money. A tense climax shows how the villain is forced to use the antiloxm on the inspectors daughter, whoih he lias Kidnapped and injected with the serum, and now ho is finally caught ir_ the trap of his own fiendish invention after injecting himself to avoid tne police. The late Sir Gerald Hu Manner, whose recent death deprived the world of one of its greatest actors, gives in his finnl film a polished performance as the Scotland Yard Inspector.

“TRANSATLANTIC MERRY-GO

“Transatlantic Merry-Go-Round” is .*a pleasure cruise of mirth and melody which is now showing finally at the Kosv Theatre. Jack Benny heads the great cast as a genial master of ceremonies, broadcasting his. radio programmes from a palatial ocean liner plying between New York and Europe, aboard which: the entire action of the story takes place. ' Nancy Carroll is delightful as the star Benny’s troupe, and handsome blonde Gene Raymond scores as a young Raffles between Nancy and whom a charming romance develops.