ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 250, 19 September 1940, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

MAYFAIR THEATRE. “MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.” . “Mutiny on the Bounty,” Metro-Gold-wyn-Mayer’s sea classic;, is again showing at the Mayfair Theatre. A , picture that must take the highest place of all sea dramas. Three stars top a notable cast of more than 50 fetaured players. But Iho outstanding star of all is the sturdy little square-rigger “11.M.5. Bounty,” which figured in one of the most dramatic chapters of sea drama more than 150 years ago. “Mutiny on the Bounty,” a crowning production achievement of the late Irving G. Thalberg, is the sea adventure immortalised in the sensational book of Charles Nordholf and James Norman Hall. It is the true story of a scientific expedition of a group of men who rise in mutiny against the tyranny of their captain and who are eventually trucked down by the long arm of England's sea law and led back to ignoble death on a yardarm. Charles • Laughton, as Captain Bligh, fa.r surpasses any previous performance of his spectacular screen career. He gives the role of Bligh the breadth of life'that only the original Bligh could give' it. Clark Gable appears as tho loader of the mutineers, Eletcher Christian. “Mutiny on tlio Bounty” is a lie-man’s picture, but a he-man’s picture that women, ns well, will thrill over. Space forbids the praise deserved by the lingo east —Franchot Tone, as Byam; Dudley Digges, as Bacchus; Herbert Mundin, Donald Crisp, Eddie Quillan, Stanley Fields, lan Wolfe, Ivan Simpson. Do Witt Jennings, even Mamo and Maria, the native girls, and 50 more who make up the impressive cast. REGENT THEATRE. “THE GREAT VICTOR HERBERT.” A collector interested in American vehicles of the turn-of-tlio-century vintage would have uncovered a “gold-mine’ had he strayed on to tho Paramount lot during the filming of “The Great Victor Herbert,” the musical romance showing at the Regent Theatre. The expert would have found all manner of vehicles. There were Allan Jones and Mary Martin riding bicycles. There were handsome cabs and carriages, open and closed horse-drawn vehicles,, victorias, three-wheeled bikes and a 1905 motor-car. The studio property department, of course, was charged with the task of finding all of these various types of vehicles That’s what property departments are for. Like most studios, Paramount has a stock of carriages at a near-by ranch. They are brought into the studio whenever needed. ‘'Old-fashioned bicycles arc hard lo find, particularly the three-wheel-ed type. This has a main wheel in back, and two small ones in front, ■’ between which nestles a huge box used for deliveries. The motor-car, of course, is a museum piece. But numerous enterprising local motor-car dealers have old-type ears on hand, .which arc available to studios at neat rentals. Horses to draw the carriages are rented from an agency which makes a specialty of just that. There are malchcd blacks, roans, greys, and all the rest. There are sway-lacks, spavined relics and misfits of fall kinds. They’re good for laughs, yes, but they lead an easy life, with plenty of oats, between pictures.