ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 138, 11 May 1940, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

KOSY THEATRE. “SPAWN OF THE NORTH.” A dramatic sloVy of two men whoso lifolong. friendship is broken by an Arctic fend but who are finally, reunited through a terrific sacrifice of one of them is told in “Spawn of tho North,” Paramount’s epic tale of romance, war and. heroism in frontier Alaska, George Raft, playing a role similar to the one which won him iionours in “Souls at Sea,” is the ne’or-do-wcil 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, fresh from his triumphs in “Jezebel” and “Blockade,”, plays Raft’s devoted friend and reluctant enemy, and Dorothy Lamour, in her' biggest dramatic role to date, will be seen as tho 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 mo socially. . .and me turning legitimate, too ! It’s a crime!” In his now role, Edward G. is no menacing, gun-toting, sinister underworld character this time. He’s a fellow who was a beer baron in dry days and now, since prohibition repeal, has been trying to ge.t along as a legitimate brewer. But he’s a dry at heart; lie’s never tasted his own brew. MAYFAIR THEATRE. “DEVIL ON WHEELS.” With Pat O’Brien, Ann Sheridan, Gale Page, John Payne and comical Frank McHugh in the leading roles, “Devil on Wheels,” a drama of automobile racing produced by Warner Bros. _ Studio, is now showing at the Mayfair Theatre. Hailed as one of Dio most exciting and romantic Aims over brought to the screen, “Devil on Wheels” forcefully depicts all the lure of the great American sport of car racing on world-fained tracks. The story concerns the efforts of Pat O’Brien, champion race driver, to make John Payne, his younger brother, continue witli college and not follow in his own footsteps. But John is bitten by the racing bug and bis added romantic, interest in Ann Sheridan, whom Pat dislikes, causes a feud between tho brothers, which comes to a climax in a race in which Pat’s best friend Frank McHugh is killed in a spectacular crash. Tho accident breaks Pat. Ho gives up racing and vanishes. Gale Page, Ij’at’s loyal girl friend, knowing if she is 'ever to locate Pat it would be at the annual Memorial Day speed classic at Indianapolis, goes there. She finds him at the track, a seedy,, broken figure. “Wolf of New York,” an exciting and thrilling mystery drama, with Edmuna Lowe, Rose Hobart and James Stcphc.ieson at the head of a large east, will bo the associate film.

Tho terrifying spectacle of a giant mechanical robot on I lie rampage and the fall of a burning building into tho sea, provido dramatic action in “Trapped in the Flames,” tho eighth episode of “Tho Phantom Creeps,” Universal’s 12-chap-lor serial which will be shown to-day at the Mayfair Theatre.

METEOR THEATRE. “TOWER OF LONDON.” In making “Tower of London,” which screens to-day at,the Moteor Theatre, the New Universal Studios have reinterpreted English history. As any student of Shakespeare or history knows, Richard’s malevolent career really did involve a good deal of calculated blood-letting. So “Tower of London” lias murders . and tortures a-plenty., i John Wyatt is hung up ■by the thumbs; branded with a red-hot iron; and stretched in the rack. The little princes plead pitifully for mercy; but are despatched. Lord do Verc is beheaded. The Duke of Clarence is thrown into the malmsey-butt. Henry YI is stabbed at his prayers. In' addition, a horde of miscellaneous and anonymous enemies of the Crown squirms groaningly under various sorts of physical violence. Who better than Boris Karloff to preside over such a carnival of sadism ? Mord is the name, the royal executioner tho trade. Mr Karloff trails a clubfoot and thirsts for gore, and he is ceaselessly on tho move. So is Basil Rathbone’s portrayal of the coldly echeming Richard. This is a deliciously cynical - character, a veritable Tartuffe of the British monarchy. Passages which do enkindle fugitive bits of drama are the drinking contest between Richard and the Duke of Clarence, who is represented by Vincent Price, and the hypocritical exchanges of good-fellowship between Richard and Edward IV. Others: in the cast include Barbara O’Neil (Elizabeth), Nan Grey (Lady Alice Barton), John Sutton (John Wyatt), Leo G. Carroll (Hastings), Rose Hobart (Anne Neville), Miles: Mander (Henry VI) and Ralph’ F’orbes (the future King Henry VJI).