ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 142, 16 May 1940, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

METEOR THEATRE. “LAW OF THE PAMPAS.” The romantic Argentine background of the new “Ilopalong Cassidy” outdoor drama. “Law of the Pampas,” is enhanced by four now songs with a strong Latin flavour, which will be heard for the first time when the Paramount film shows at the Meteor Theatre to-day. The numbers, which were written especially for the Clarence E. Mulford range story, are: “Habancro,” “Rosita,” “Los Gauchos” and “La Jornada.” In addition, “Fantasia Argentina,” probably the most popular of all native tangos, will be used in a special dance sequence featuring Steffi Duna, William Boyd’s new leading lady. Besides Boyd and Miss Duna, the cast of Paramount’s “Law of the Pampas” includes Russel Hayden, Sidney Toler, Sidney Blackmer and the King’s Men. popular radio quartet. The story concerns the adventures of the ' “Bar 20’ foreman when he goes to Argentina to deliver a herd of prize cattle and runs into a scries of mysterious robberies and killings. “SEVENTEEN.” When a young" man’s fancy turns to romance, he has apparently, ge the old adage suggests, reached the age of seventeen. Such a young. man is portrayed by Jackie Cooper in Paramount’s “Seventeen,” Booth Tarkington’s famous classic adapted for the screen, which shows at the Melcor Theatre to-day. As a small to,wn lad who is acutely conscious of approaching manhood, Jackie finds himself in the throes of a Jove when a beauteous and highly sophisticated voung lady from the big city arrives in town. STATE THEATRE. “SHIPYARD SALLY.” Gangway for Gracie! With a highlight of the film showing the queen of comedy of the Continental singing and dancing to a number called “I’ve Got the Jitterbugs!” Gracie Fields screens at the. State Theatre to-day in American swing time. The picture is her latest hilarity hit. “Shipyard Sally,”, and a hit it is! The inimitable, hoydenish Gracie singt> a number of other tunes in the film, all old favouries such as “Annie Laurie,” “Danny Boy” and others, to the rich delight of the audience. For when Gracie sings, she puts a song over like no one else can. Starred with her in the 20th Century-Fox release is Sydney Howard, . while prominent in the cast is the engaging young Oliver Wakefield, British comedian, who recently won fame on the American radio with his “double-talk.” Meet the happy newlyweds who found love in an office but lost it when they moved in that little rose-covered cottage and were swamped by the high cost of “Society” living! They are Stuart Erwin and Marjorie Weaver, typical American couple of “The Honeymoon's Over,” 20th Century-Fox comedy which shows today at the State Theatre. It’s a sure-fire, down-to-earth comedy that’s crammed full of incidents, experiences and adventured that might happen to anyone or his neighbour in Blanktown. Told in a fastpaced, modern manner, this true-to-life tale presents the Todds as a misguided young couple who live beyond their means and provider- more hilarious fun than many a comedy seen here in many Weeks. As a struggling young advertising man who gets further into trouble by trying to extricate his wife from he.r innocent • financial jams, Stuart Erwin, master of the bewildered grin, has one of' the most humanly funny roles of his career. REGENT THEATRE. A‘‘THE WOMEN.” The one-hundrcd-pcr-cont feminine cast of “The Women,” starring NormaShearer, 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 feminine animal cast as well. All saddle horses, dogs and cats appearing before the camera had to be of the “gentler sex, and somo 25 blue-bloods of this variety wore required. Every animal in tho picture is of the feminine sex. These include three monkeys, Stupid, Dizzy and Featherb-ain, 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 new picture has Norma Shearer in her first sophisticated modern _ role since “Riptide,” Joan Crawford in her first “heavy”, role; and Rosalind Russell in a striking characterisation as a vicious gossip. George Cukor directed.