ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 137, 10 May 1940, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

STATE THEATRE. “PACK UP YOUR TROUBLES.” With joyous Jane Withers the bravest little Ma’amsello in ail France and those roisterous Bitz Brothers in the army, yon are promised a whole kit bag of fun —and thrills too —in “Pack Up Your Troubles,” the new 20th Century-Fox comedy,, which screens to-day at the State Theatre. The Ritzes arc a trio of vaudeville actors who enlist . and find their way to France on a transport as nuroemaids to a herd of army mules. Their nemesis is a hard-boiled Sergeant named “Angel Face,” who works overtime keeping them busy. Jane is the gay little AJa’ainsolle who befriends the Ritzes and adopts their baby-mule, Margie, and she provides the picture with plenty of thrills when she finds a chance to save her long-lost father. When “Angel Face” makes things too tough’ for the Ritzes, they take time'out to write a letter to the General, him that he’s running his army all wrong. The result provides the picture with what has been described as one of the funniest surprise endings ever screened. Jane offers two delightful ndw impersonations in “Pack Up Your Troubles”—George M. Cohan, singing “I’m A Yankee Doodle Dandy,” and Eva Tanguay, singing “I Don’t Care!” Jane also sings a song entitled “Who’ll Buy Aiy Flowers,” written by Sidney Clare and Jule Stync. Lynh Bari is seen as a lovely spy, Joseph Schildkraut plays Jane’s Dad, Stanley Fields is cast as “Angel, Face,” and others prominently featured in the cast are Fritz Leiber and Lionel Roycc. “Pack Up Your Troubles” was directed by IL Bruce Humbcrstone from an original screen play by Lou Brcslow and Owen Francis. Sol ’M. Wurtzul acted as executive producer., REGENT THEATRE. “THE WOMEN.” Tho one-hundred-per-cent feminine cast of “The Women,” starring Norma Shearer, Joan Crawfod and Rosalind Russell, is no joke. The film, opening at the Regent Theatre to-morrow, not only boasts of a human cast of 135 females, but a fominino animal cast as well. All saddle horses, dog-s and cats appearing before the camera had to t:e of the “gentler” sex, and some 25 blue-bloods ol this variety were required. Every animal in the picture is of the feminine sex. These include three monkeys, Stupid, Dizzy and Featherbrain, which appear in the fashion show dressed in costumes duplicating those of the stars. Even photographs and art objects are all feminine. Books used in the library are all by women writers and no title is used which refers to a man. Based on the Broadway hit play by Clare Booth, the now picture has Norma Shearer in her first sophisticated modern rolo since “Riptide,” ('Joan Crawford in her first “heavy” role, and Rosalind Russell in a striking characterisation as a vicious gossip. George Cukor directed. KOSY THEATRE. “SPAWN OP THE NORTH.” A dramatic story of two men whose lifelong friendship is' broken by an Arctic feud but who are finally reunited through a terrific sacrifice of one of them is told in “Spawn •of the North,” Paramount’s epic tale of romance, war and heroism in frontier Alaska. George Ralt, playing a role similar to the one which won him honours in “Souls at Sea,” is the ne’er-do-well but captivating adventurer of the Northland, who flaunts every law of Alaska but gives up everything for his lifelong friend and the girl he loves. Henry Fonda, tresh from his triumphs in “Jezebel” and “Blockado,” plays Raft’s devoted friend and reluctant enemy, and Dorothy Lamour, in her biggest dramatic role to date, will be seen as the typical gallant women of the North country. “Imagine the hide of those coppers,” reasons Edward G. Robinson in Warner Bros, hilarious comedy, “A Slight Case of Murder.” “Just because they find four dead guys in my apartment they want to ruin me socially. . .and me turning legitimate, too 1 It’s a crime!” In his new role, Edward G. is no menacing, gun-toting, sinister underworld character this time. He’s a follow who was a beer baron in dry days and now, since prohibition repeal, has been trying to get along && a legitimate brewer. But he’s a dry at heart; he’s never lasted his own brew. r