ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 40, 15 January 1938, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

METEOR THEATRE. “FRISCw KID.” One of fhc most dynamic and colourful dramas of the year, “Frisco Kid,” will be shown on the screen of the Aloteor Theatre to-night for the first trine locally with James Cagney heading the all-star cast. Warner Bros, have produced a number of pictures with historical backgrounds and authentic as well as outstanding characters, such as “Silver' Dollar,” “I am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang,” “1 wenty Thousand Years in Sing Sing" and others. But none surpasses “Frisco Kid" in the intensity of its action, in exciting episodes, in its flaming colour and picturesqueness. Set on the Barbary coast of old San Francisco in the early fifties it is a story of the tumultuous gold rush days when adventurers from the world over congregated on ‘Frisco’s waterfront. In this seething hellhole were gathered criminals, cut-throats, murderers, gamblers, women of the demimonde and every typo of human shark who lived by preying on his neighbour. There a band of crimps would slip knock-out drops to an innocent sailor, knock him cold with a billy, rob him of the stake he had saved to prospect the goldfields, and attempt to shanghai him. But the shanghai artists caught a tartar in one indomitable sailor, who after escaping from their net, shanghaied the very crimp who had slugged him and in a terrific hand-to-hand battle slays the man's partner with the sharpened iron hook of his own false arm. James Cagney has the most powerful role of his screen career as this sailor, a crude, ignorant, but dominating character with a driving force and a magnetism that not only wins his battles with the underworld, but eventually the love of a beautiful and talented woman of the underworld. Cagney gives a sterling performance, making of this character a living, breathing human figure cn the screen. Margaret Lindsay, as the girl,, gives a fine and artistic portrayal in this picture. Her impasisoned plea for the life of the man she finally confesses she loves brought tears to the eyes of spectators just as it did inercy from the vigilantes in the story. Ricardo Cortex is outstanding in his characterisation of a famous underworld gambler who rises to power by throwing in his lot with the sailor, but is eventually wiped out by the hangman’s noose of the vigilantes. A fine portrayal of the flashily-gowned and beautiful but evil common jaw wife of the gambler is given by Lili Damita, the exotic screen beauty. Others who give excellent performances in important roles include Donald Woods, in the juvenile role; Barton Mac Lane, as a resort keeper; George E. Slone, as Solomon Levi, a second-hand clothing dealer; and Joseph King, as the city's political boss. REGENT THEATRE. “WALTER WAGNER’S V.OGUES OF 1938.” Too seldom are films produced that are so different that they start a new trend in motion pictures. Such a picture is “Walter Wagner’s Vogues of 1938,” which screens to-night at the Regent Theatre. It is a completely unique production that combines a story rare in dynamic pace and hilarious comedy. The lavishness of its production and its pictorial beauty, in which the power of the modern technicolour camera shows new technical refinements, reaches its peak to date. Warner Baxter and Joan Bennett head the dazzling array of stage, screen and radio stars in this gay romantic tale of Manhattan which incidentally offers glimpses of this year’s fashions in fun, dances, music and gowns. The film, which introduces the gorgeous Walter Wagner Models, garnered in the producer’s search for the “most photographed girls in the world,” casts Baxter as head of the House of Gurson, New York’s most fashionable dressmaking establishment, while Joan Bennett is seen as a lovely debutante who jilts a millionaire-,(Alan Mowbray) on her wedding day to become a mannequin. Helen Vinson is seen as Baxter’s extravagant, stage-struck wife, and Jerome Cowan is the shady producer who stars her in a flop show, which she has persuaded friend husband to back. Contributing generously to the general merriment are the reliable Mischa Auer, playing a penniless Russian prince whom the jealous Alowbray sets up in a rival fashion establishment in order to ruin Baxter. Baxter’s selfish wife’ quits him when he fails to save Cowan’s show. Joan and Baxter realise their love for each other, and just as Mowbray is about to achieve his wicked purpose and send Baxter to the wall, Baxter hits on aniil-lion-dollar idea —he stages a huge fashion show called “Vogues of 1938,” with singers, dancers, onterlainera, models, etc., using the sets salvaged from the show he backed. It is a tremendous hit —and the day is saved for love. Wagner has lined up an array of entertainers for the production numbers; among them are George Tapps, Virgina Cherrill, Fred Lawrence, Gloria Gilbert, the Olympic Trio, the Wiere Brothers, Rocco and Sauller, the Four Hot Shots and Victor Young and his orchestra. Others who score in the splendid east are Marjorie Gateson, Dorothy McNulty, Alma Kruger, Polly Rowles, Maria Shelton, Iledda Hopper and Roman Bohncn. The production, which was spiritedly directed by Irving Cummings, introduces several singable new song hits, including “That Old Feeling," which is credited to Lew Brown and ’Sammy Fain; “Lovely One,” by Frank Loesser and Manning Shcrwin; “Red Hot Heat” and “Fall Fashion Forecast,” by Louis Atler and Paul F. Webster. The production is released through United Artists. “Walter Wagner’s Vogues of 1938” is smart, fastpaced, dazzling entertainment.