ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 244, 12 September 1940, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

METEOR THEATRE. “REAVI’S LAST STAND. 1 ' '“Rewi’s Last Stand,” which is now showing at the Meteor Theatre, was privately screened in Wellington to an audience which included Mr John Grierson, tho Canadian Government film commissioner, who has produced many successful films. Addressing tho audience after the screening, Mr Grierson said that it was more important that New Zealanders should have produced that film than that they should see a hundred films from Hollywood. Not that good films wero not made in Hollywood, for they were, but because in the film they had just seen the nation had expressed itself. It was a good film, and he was surprised how near to producing a Ccvil B. do Mille spectacle Mr Hayward had como with the resources at his disposal. The speaker said ho realised the difficulties of creating a number of the scenes in “Rewi’s Last Stand.” The. film is based on tho Battle of Orakau, made famous by the reply of the Maori chief to tho soldiers’ offer of a truce that the Maoris would fight on for ever. A story of lovo between a half-caste girl and a pakeha has been woven into the authentic historic narrative to give the film a wider appeal than it would otherwise have. Tho battle is the film’s climax.

KOSY THEATRE. “CALL OF THE YUKON.” Love in the Arctic wasteland! A man and a woman . . . and two dogs. All four struggling against the elements of tho frozen north, and against tho even stronger forces of natural instincts. Ciuch is the compelling, thrilling story of Republic’s “Call of the Yukon,” adapted from James Oliver Curwood’s popular novel “Swift Lightning,” which shows at the Kosy Theatre to-day. Jean Williams (Beverly Roberts) has gone far into 'Northern Alaska for material for a novel which she is writing. The little Eskimo village where she is staying has been plagued by a roving band of wolves, led by a half-wolf, half-dog called Swift Lightning. The wolves have killed all wild life, and tho natives are forced to flee southward. Hugo (Lyle Talbot), a trader, tries to get Jean to leave with them, but she refuses. Gaston Rogers (Richard Allen) a half-civilised trapper, also stays. The only other living beings who remain are Firefly, a collie dog, who stays by the grave of his master, who has been killed; two bear ’ cubs that Joan has adopted, and Winkev, her tame raven. . “A Bride For Henry,” which shows at the Kosy Theatre 10-day, is excellent entertainment. Full of amusing situations and crackling dialogue, tins Monogram production is sure guarantee for limbless laughs. Tho picture, which is an adaptation of tho “Liberty Magazine” story, by Joseph Bentham, co-stars Warren Hull and Anno Nagel. Both players turn in first rate portrayals.