ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 136, 9 May 1940, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

KOSY THEATRE. • “UNDER COVER OF NIGHT.” Grim mystery among a group of scientists at a university,, and solution of a hauling crime by the tiny clue of a pet dog’s rubber ball are the exciting elements in “Under Cover of Night,” detective story in which tho audience plays detective alongside the detective on the screen In the now Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer picture, showing at the Kosy Theatre today, Edmund Lowe creates the newest detective character of the screen as Christopher Cross, sleuth. Murders in a. college provide a bizarre ■ background for tne action-packed play. Lowe’s role is an entirely new departure from the conventional screen detective. Florence Rice, actress-daughter of 6ports writer Grantland Rice, plays the heroine. Hal Roach, the'producer, who teamed the international favourite, Laurel and Hardy comedy duo, may well believe he has discovered a feminine team that will assume as great importance, if the laughter that will be provoked by Patsy Kelly and Lyda Roberti in “Nobody’s Baby,” the Hal Roach-M.G.M. feature comedy which shows to-day at the Kosy Theatre is any indication. Patsy Kelly is the outstanding comedienne of the screen with her infectious, blunt and hilarious humour. Lyda Roberti, on the other hand, comes out in an entirely new role with an unusual comedy streak.

STATE THEATRE. “ESCAPE TO PARADISE.” In “Escape to Paradise” Bobby Breen demonstrates again that his is one of the finest voices the screen has to offer. But in this particular case, the boy,-.now a husky young fellow of 12, also proves that he has learned a great deal about acting in his four-year career and his portrayal of a light-hearted, mischievous South American lad provides an ingratiating piece .of entertainment. Bobby breaks completely with all his former types of characterisations and as “Roberto,” a boy who can’t help exaggerating every time he opens his mouth, motivates a swift moving and story that features ro mance, adventure and hilarity. It Bobby’s inability to stick to the truth that makes Kent Taylor, an American playboy visiting the Soutli American town of Rosarito, overnight become a hero of the community, and which starts his romance with Maroa Shelton. Once a deceit, started by Bobby, has been established it taker all Taylor’s quick wit to maintain it and eventually even that cannot prevent an expose. , Interwoven into this activity if a colourful presentation of South American big business. Bobby’s exaggerations finally undo the damage they have causeo in, the first place and Taylor, vindicated, gives up his. career as a playboy and settles down to marriage and a life of trade, Taylor gives an excellently paced performance: lie and Miss Shelton, the iatter playing a Lalin-American senorita, are ideally oast as a romanctic team. Joyce Compton, as a dizzy blonde who is after Taylor herself; Robert O. Davis as a European business man, and Pedro De Cordoba, as a plantation owner, give splendid portrayals. REGENT THEATRE. “BEAU GESTE.” Co-starring Gary Cooper, Ray Milland and Robert Preston as the brothers “Geste,” Paramount’s new, adventurecrammed, excitement-filled production of “Beau Geste” will screen to-day at the Regent Theatre. Based on the great novel by P. C. Wren, tho picture tells the roaring, lusty 6tory of three gallant brothers who endure dangers and hardship in the French Foreign Legion because their loyalty to each other will not permit the finger of suspicion to point to any one of them as guilty of the theft of a valuable sapphiro, stolen from , their guardian. Brian Donlevy, Susan Hayward, J. Carrol Naish, Donald O’Connor and ;James Stephenson are prominent in' the supporting cast. Many other well known players will be seen l in important roles and thousands of extia players will be seen in the thrilling sequences in which a wild desert tribe attacks a Foreign Legion outpost, Fort Zindcrneuf. William A. Wellman, who brought “Men With Wings” to the screen last season, produced and directed tlie picture. Robert Carson is the author of the screenplay.