ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 42, 18 January 1938, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. “WALTER WAGNER’S VOGUES 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 finally 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 tochnicolour 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 Cursott, 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 hop show, which she has persuaded friend husband to back. Contributing generously to the general merriment are the reliable Miseha Auer, playing a penniless Russian prince whom the jealous Mowbray sets up in a rival fashion establishment in order to ruin Baxter. Baxter’s selfish wife quits him when ho 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 a niil-lion-dollar idea —he stages a huge fashion show called “Vogues of 1938,” with singers, dancers, - entertainers, 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 'lapps, Virgina Cherrill, Fred Lawrence, Gloria Gilbert, the Olympic Trio, the Wiere Brothers, Rocco and Saulter, the Four Hot Shots and Victor Young anti Ilia orchestra. Others who score in the splendid cast are Marjorie Gateson, Dorothy McNulty, Alma Kruger, Polly Rowles, Maria Shelton Ilodda Hopper and Roman' Bohnen. The production, which was spiritedly directed by Irving Cummings, introduces sevoral singable new song hits, including “That Old Feeling,” which is credited fco Lew Brown and Sammy Fain; “Lovely One,” by Frank Loesser and Manning Sherwin; “Red Hot Heat” and “Fall Fashion Forecast,” by Louis Aller and Paul F. Webster. The production is released through United Artists. “Walter Wagner’s Vogues of 1938” is smart, fastpaced, dazzling entertainment. MAYFAIR THEATRE. “WHIPSAW.” As the first of the important new pictures which bring Mvrna Loy to the screen after her European holiday, “Whipsaw”’ in which she shares starring honours with Spencer Tracy, opens a.t the Mayfair to-morrow. It lakes its place among the more important now season screen offerings. (Miss Loy and Tracy present a starring team of unusual power; In this now picture she portrays a fascinating member of an international ring of jewel thieves and Tracy is a secret, service agent who tries to trap her through romance. The roles arc ideally suited to tho players and the story makes a perfect* combination for intriguing entertainment. The delightful whimsy which Miss Loy first evidenced in. “The Thin Man”, is .ap-. parent again in .large measure ill, this pew. picture. She brings to the role a hglitness and a spontaneity that in delightful to witness, and . with the banter of fasttalking Mr Tracy, the story moves swiftly and surely to a totally unexpected a'nd thrilling denouement. With the stars is a notable cast including Harvey Stephens, William Harrigan, John Qualon, Robert. Warwick, Irene Franklin, Lillian Leighton, Wade Botelor and many others, each of whom contributes an outstanding performance. Qualen. in particular, is unusually effective as a Missouri farmer who is bewildered by the simultaneous arrival in his household of twin babies, Miss Loy and Tracy. William Ingersoll as a country doctor is extremely effective. I’roducrd bv Harry Rapf. and .directed by Sam Wood, from a screen play by Howard Emmett Rogers from an original story by James Edward Grant, “Whipsaw” is an important new Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contribution to the season’s entertainment, and merits attention. “KELLY THE SECOND.”

For comedy entertainment at its best, you need go no further than the Mayfair Theatre where “Kelly the Second” opens to-morrow. It is a refreshing and delightful comedy feature with a bit of an Irish flavour administered by such popular sons and daughters of old'Erin as Palsy Kelly, Charley Chase, Quinn “Big Boy” Williams, Edward Brophv, Pert Kelton and others. Romance, flying fists, racketeering and high humour motivate professional advancement of a ham and-egg fighter under the.tutelage and sponsorship of his soda-jerking sweetheart. It presents a now idea in screen comedy construction and one that provides thrills as well as plenty of laughs. It. is perhaps needless to state that the inimitable colleen comedienne, . Patsy Kelly, once again “runs away” with acting honours in a highly competitive field of talent. Close runners-up tire Chase, Brophy, Harold Hul>er and Miss Kelton. The former is first seen as a kindly neighbourhood chemist of the old-time apothecary type.