ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 113, 11 April 1940, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

MAYFAIR THEATRE. “BRITISH INTELLIGENCE.” Espionage on an elaborate scale and subversive activities instigated by Germany were just as great a problem to tho Allies during tho Great-War as shells and submarines, but counter-measures adopted by the British Intelligence to stamp out a dangerous phase of war eventually succeeded in their objective. In the thrilling new Warner Bros.’ release at the Mayfair Theatre to-day, “British Intelligence,” espionage is the theme which has been woven into a super-exciting melodrama which relegates actual warfare to a ghostly position in tho background and brings to the fore the dangers that beset the espionage operatives. Boris Karloff, without his “horror” makeup but none the less a menacing figure with a scar from cheekbone to chin and a limp, and beautiful Margaret Lindsay are the chief spies of the piece. Karloff plays Franz. Strcndlcr, chief operative of the German Intelligence Service, and Miss Lindsay his counterpart, who is working for the British Intelligence. Helene, or Miss Lindsay, succeeds in convincing the German espionage chiefs that she is a faithful worker in the Fatherland’s cause when in reality she has been “planted” by the British in the hope that her “work’ for the. enemy will eventually lead her to Strendler.

Pictured against the colourful, actionadventure background of Amazon rubber camps, New Universal’s “Tropic Fury,” starring Richard Arlen and .Andy Devine screens to-day at the Mayfair Theatre. In the supporting cast are Beverly Roberts. Samuel S. Hinds, Lupita Tovar and Ix>u Morrill. Said to be alive with sus|Xmse and thrilling dramatic moments, “Tropic Fury” reveals a chapter in the plantation strife behind a great rubber monopoly, a chapter containing many situations declared to form a new premise for action entertainment.

Secret service men put foreign spies “on the spot” and the hero escapes a deadly mechanical spider in "Crashing Towers,” the third exciting episode of “The Phantom Creeps,” Universal's 12 chapter mystery serial showing to-day at the Mayfair Theatre with Bela Lugosi, Robert Kent, Dorothy Arnold and Regis Toomey.

STATE THEATRE. “AIEXICAN SI’JTFJRE.’’ Tempestuous Lupo Velez and lier inimitable style of comedy, combined with tho laugh-making proclititieo of the rub-ber-legged comic, Leon Enol, will commence to-morrow at, the State 'J heutre, when “Mexican Spitfire’’ will be seteened. The feminine firecracker, Lupe, plays the title role in this laugh-feast whicli divides its locale between New York and Guadalajara, Alexieo. A sequel to the star’s, leeent comedy, "The Girl From Mexico,” the current RKO Radio film again presents tho actress as a Mexican entcitamer married to Donald Woods, advertising man. 'J he plot of the story involves around the elfoi'ts of Linda Hayes, as the groom's jealous ex-fiancee, to break up the marriage so that she can marry Hie personable young man. In this cause she iius the support of Elisabeth llisdon, the groom’s snobbish aunt. On the oilier hand Leon Errol, Hie uncle, is heartily in accord with the marriage, although his blundering elloils to straighten out their mar.tal troubles always boonietangs. As a result of one ol their schemes which backfires, Lupe and the, uncle find themselves fleeing to Mexico. Errol to avoid arrest lor forgery and impersonation, and Lupe 1.0 obtain a quick divorce in the heat ot jealousy. Many ot the film’s most amusing scenes occur in Mexico and lay the foundation for the ensuing hilarious events which take place in New York when the couple retui'n there. They find Woods at a bachelor dinner on the eve of his marriage to his former sweetheart. A telegram arrives advising Lupe her divorce is illegal. 'J his is Hie spark which ignites a little bundle of feminine TNT. Gcorgd (J Brien is starred in "Legion ot the Lawless” as a two-fisted lawyer who is eve.i handier Mlh a Colt than with a law-book. This is established after lie has hung out his shingle in a frontier town whcic it develops that no lawyers arc wanted, and where a so-called V’igilante group attends to all the affairs of the district. Tile group is merely a cloak under which a small band of killers operate to terrorise the entire community. O’Brien decides to exterminate them. When a railroad surveys a new route through the town, the members of the gang ptun to drive cut the homesteaders and ranchers along the proposed right-of-way and file on the land for themselves. O'Brien endeavours to organise the intended victims, and this leads into the thrilling climax of the picture when ho single-handedly takes on the leader of the mob anil in a series of gun-battles manages to restore law and order to the community. |

REGENT THEATRE “DAUGHTERS COURAGEOUS.’’ “Daughters Courageous” will screen finally at 2 and 7.45 p.m. As a laughing, singing-, loving bar-room entertainer in a town of the Old West. Miss Dietrich plays opposite lanky James Stewart, one of the screen’s most male stars, who has the role of the shy young deputy-sheriff in "Destry Rides Again. ’ which screens at the Regent to-morrow. Miss Dietrich sees in the character a similarity to the one she portrayed in "The Blue Angel," the film which first lifted her to stardom. "Ever since then 1 have wanted to do another such role but until now I ve never had the opportunity.’’ Miss Dietrich says. “The first day I began work in ‘Destry Rides Again,’ 1 knew I had (he story I’d been looking for. It was fun doing it. the exciting action and the singing. Joe Pasternak, producer of “Destry Rides Again,” knew Miss Dietrich wanted to play such a role, but the star herself hail despaired of finding a suitable story and had gone to Europe with plans to make two pictures in Paris. While there she received a trans-Atlantic call from Pasternak, who described the story to her, and won her enthusiastic approval. She look the next boat hack to New York, and Hollywood. Incidentally, “Destry Rides Again” is Miss Dietrich's first picture since she became an American citizen.