ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 43, 19 January 1938, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

MAYFAIR THEATRE. “WHIPSAW.” As the first of the important now pictures which bring Myrna Loy to _ tho screen after ' her European holiday, “Whipsaw,” in which she shares starring honours with Spencer Tracy, screens at the Mayfair to-night. It takes its place among tho mofe important now season screen offerings. Miss Loy and Tracy present a starring team of unusual power. In this new picture she portrays a fascinating qaember of an international ring of jewel thieves and Tracy is a secret service' agent w’ho tries to trap her through romance. The roles are ideally suited to tho players and tho story makce a perfect combination for intriguing entertainment. The delightful whimsy which Miss _ Loy first evidenced in “Tho Thin Man” is apparent again in large measure in this new picture. Sho brings to the role a lightness and a spontaneity that is delightful to witness, and with the banter of fasttalking Mr Tracy, the story moves swiftly and surely to, a totally unexpected and thrilling denouement. With the stars is a notable east 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 offoctivo as a Missouri farmer who is bewildered by the simultaneous arrival in his household of twin babies, Mies Loy and Tracy. William Ingcrsoll as a country doctor is extremely effective. Produced by Harry Rapf and dirocted by Sam Wood, from a screen play by Howard Emmett Rogers from an original story by James Edward Grant, “Whipsaw” is an important now Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contribution to tho 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” screens to-night. 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 Patsy Kelly, Charley Chase, Quinn “Big Boy’.’ Williams, Edward Brophy, 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 new idea in screen comedy construction and one that provides thrills as well as plenty of laughs.

KOSY THEATRE. “THE HIGH COMMAND.” Now showing at the Kcsy Theatre Associated Talking Pictures proudly present “Tho High Command,” a stirring adaptation of Lewis Robinson’s powerful dramatic romance, “The General Goes Too Far,” the story of a small band of Jlritishcrs in a far-flung outpost of tho “Empire. Lionel Atwill in tho role of Major-General Sir John Sangye, V.C., dominates the picturo with a flawless, highly impressive performance, while Steve Geray and James Mason arc also excellently cast. Lucie Mannheim as Diana Cloam reveals the beauty and subtlety of her art in this colourful story, which provides engrossing dramatic entertainment amidst unusual tropical settings. Diana Cloam, gracious and beautiful, returns to Port Mamba, a West African garrison town, where her husband is a prosperous trader. On the voyage, Major Carson, a medical officer, had paid her'attention, but on arrival he is cold-shouldered for his cousin, Captain James Hcvcroll, an officer of tho garrison. It transpires, that Cloam is a first-rate rotter—unbearable to live with, and thus a previous attachment between Diana and Hevorell is renewed. Major-General Sangye, commanding .the garrison, has his youthful stop-daughter, Bolinda, with him, and Carson makes a play for her. When warned by Sangye to keep off, Carson reveals that he knows tho secret of Belinda’s birth, that Sangye is her real father- —that he was her mother’s lover—and that he shot tho husband dead during an ambush in Ireland at the time of the Sein Finn rebellion. “SONG OF THE CITY.” A story with tho flavour of to-day’s headlines is on the screen at the Kosy Theatre in “Song of the City,” written by Michael Fessicr, crack newspaper man. The narrative deals with a reckless, likable youth who loses his money in a stock deal. Determined that ho will not marry for money ho starts for San Francisco. Crossing tho bay ho is washed overboard. An Italian fisherman picks him up and takes him home. There the boy falls in love with tho fisherman’s daughter, but before their love progresses, far tho rich girl finds him and insists that ho go aboard her palatial yacht to recuperate. Heartbroken, the Italian girl sails for Italy to study music in the hope of forgetting the American in a career. The ship catches fire and first to respond to its SOS is the yacht. The two arc thrown together again when the youth salvages love from the doomed ship. Recognising that this is tho real thing the girl of wealth steps aside. REGENT THEATRE. “NIGHT MUST FALL.”

Adopting a technique of story construction that is entirely new on the screen, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer introduces a novel picture in “Night Must Fall,” which screens at the Regent Theatre to-night. The film is a daring venture in the production field, but even more experimental for Robert Montgomery who deliberately chose to drop his accustomed heroic roles for the characterisation of a pathological killer. His performance is remarkable from every standpoint. There is no element of mystery in the narrative. It is the peculiarly effective account of a youth whose mind is bent on crime. The situation is complicated by the romance between him and Rosalind Russell as a girl who finds herself in the unenviable position of loving a man whom sho knows to be had. The background of the story is a country carnival and a small hotel, where most of the action occurs. Hunt Stromberg produced tho film with Richard Thorpe direoting. An idea of the importance which M-G-M attached to the picture is indicated by the fact that Stromberg was the man who produced “Rose Marie,” “The Great Ziegfeld.” “After the Thin Man” and other notable screen triumphs. Montgomery played in “The Last of Mrs Cheyney,” “Piccadilly Jim and similar successful films. Miss Russell is remembered for her outstanding work in “Craig’s Wife” and “Rendezvous.” In the cast are players from tho original stage company who appeared in the play for 55 consecutive weeks Among them are Dame May Whitty, Merle Tottenham, Matthew Boulton and Kathleen Harrison. Alan Marshall and E. E. Clive also have prominent roles.