ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 47, 24 January 1938, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

METEOR THEATRE. “UNDER YOUR SPELL.” Lawrence Tibbctt, gloriously singing three new songs headed for the nation’s hit list, brilliantly cast against. .a background of riotous comedy provided by Gregory Ratoff and Arthur Treacher and a rough-house romance with Wendy Barrie, in his newest and greatest musicalcomedy romance, “Under Your Spoil,” 20th Century-Fox triumph. The new songs, written by Broadway’s rhythm kings, Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz, give a lilt and a swing to the picture that is new to the screen. “Under Your Spoil,” “My Little Mule Wagon” and ‘Amigo” arc titles certain to grace every orchestra's request list. In a role very closely paralleling real life, the world-famous baritone is cast as a popular singer, kept so busy by his vigorous manager, Gregory Ratoff, that his every moment is filled with a continual round of engagements, endorsements and publicity stunts. Manager Ratoff gets away with murder (of the English language), but finally his protege has enough of the supcr-ultra-salesinanship and flees out West to resume his former occupation as a cowboy. Accompanying Tibbctt to the wide open spaces is Arthur Treacher, wildly comic as a coldly formal English manservant who loses his reserve on a Western reservation and turns cowboy. Pursuing Tibbctt to the wide open spaces is Wendy Barrio, as a coldly formal society girt who loses her heart on a mountain top and turns romantic. Between hit tunes and howls the plot dashes on to the roughest, mest laughable ending ever seen, a grasping;, hilarious climax with Tibkett’s golden voice soaring on to tlie lust glorious fade-out. Darryl E. Zanuck selected Otto Ludwig Preminger, noted European theatrical impressario, to direct the flint with John Stone as associate producer. Frances Hyland and Saul Elkins wrote the screen play based on stories by Bernice Mason and Sy Bartlett. “SHOW THEM NO MERCY !” Climaxing her rapid film advance during the past year, Rochelle Hudson has been awarded the only feminine role of importance in 20th Century’s gripping anti-crime picture, “Show Them No Mercy,” now showing finally at the Meteor. Miss Rochelle Hudson and Edward Norris enact the young couple trapped in the cabin of a gang of murderous abductors, while a nation-wide search is being carried on for their captors. The picture, produced under the personal supervision of Darryl E. Zanuck, is a soaring, . enthralling indictment of crime, a visual argument lo the effect that those who live by violence must come to a violent ending. MAYFAIR THEATRE. “THE GAY DESPERADO.”

A rare treat is in store for music-lovers when Pickford-Lasky’s “The Gay Desperado” brings Nino ' Martini. famous singing star of opera, radio and films, to the screen at the Mayfair Theatre to-night. “The Gay Desperado” completely discards the conventional plot formula for films starring famous singers and toils a fastmoving romantic story of a gay and glamorous Mexican bandido who sings his way out of a succession of difficulties, saving his life and winning the girl by the magic of his voice. Among the numbers sung by Martini in the film are “The World Is Mine To-night,” written by Holt Marvel and George Posford, and already popular on the air, anti “Adios Mi Tierra,” another original number written by the singer’s accompanist, Miguel Sandoval. The Verdi aria. “Celeste Aida,” is the highlight of the operatic music, and three famous Mexican songs, “Clclita Undo,” “Lamento Gitano” and “Estrellita,” complete the star’s diversified repertory in the film. “DEVIL’S SQUADRON.” The test pilots, unsung heroes of aviation, are held up for well-deserving pats on the back and recognition of tlie'.r valorous deeds in a film that is scheduled to screen to-night at the Mnyfa‘ir ( Theatre. 1 It is Columbia's roaring drama, “Devil’s Squadron,” and it stars the square-jawed Richard Dix. Dick Grace, one of the world’s foremost aviators, who has come into tite limelight for his hazardous stunt ing and crashing of ’planes for the moviys, w’i'ote the story.

KOSY THEATRE. “LAUGHING IRISH EYES.” Singing is not only Phil Regan’s artistic vocation, hut his hobby as well. ‘Ho began it when he was a child. He was the leading tenor of his high school Gleo Club. When hardly out of his ’teens his public singing in New York City launched him on a national broadcasting career, which made his voice known and loved tfy millions. “Laughing Irish Eyes,” starring Regan with a new hit Irish comedian, Walter C. Kelly, xaudoviilo veteran, and Evelyn Knapp, will present golden-voiced Phil in tile first of lua onlarged singing screen roles now at the Kosy Theatre. In the idyllic setting of Ireland’s green hills and lovely country lanes, Regan is presented us an athletic young blacksmith who vocalises us lie pounds his anvil Kelly, American prizefight promoter, and iiis daughter, pick Regan for 'their choice —but both for diiierent reasons. Such old Irish favourites, seldom heard on the screen as “Londonderry Air,” “Bless You, Darlin’, Mother” and “All My Life,” not forgetting (he theme song, “Laughing Irish Eyes,” are sung by Regan, und poured into tiie heart of the spirited and udorubie Irish lass. “THAT’S MY STORY.” The romantic comedy drama, Universal’s “That’s My Story,” now at the Kosy Theatre, describes the adventures of a reporter who prides himself on his nose for news until lie sticks his beak into a hornet's nest of trouble. The narrative brings to the, screen the fierce rivalries .of news reporters, as well as the humorous sil nations into which some of their assignments thrust them. The picture details ihe efforts of newspapermen lo interview a beautiful toreli singer, accused of killing a millionaire playboy.