ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 255, 25 September 1940, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

STATE THEATRE

“PINOCCHIO.”

In bringing his version of the childhood classic “Pinocchio,” to the screen as his second fulJ-langth feature, Walt Disney has happily combined the most outstanding >' characteristics of the original book with the unique appeal which the world audience has come to look for in every Disney character. The film shows at the Stato 'Theatre to-day. In tho original story of Pinocchio, the marionette who came to life, the title character was a brutish little rascal who not only tormented the kind old wood-carver. who created him, but killed a wise talking cricket that had lived in the house for over a hundred years, when the cricket tried to give him some good advice. Ho was selfish, and had practically no likeable qualities at all. He was bad for the sheer fun of being bad. Walt' Disney’s little puppet character, as dramatised for R.K.O. Radio release, has been endowed with all the typical Disney appeal without losing any mischievous qualities. Walt’s “Pinocchio". is bad more from an innocence of what is right and wrong than from anything else. In appearance, too, the Disney Pinocchio is different from the puppet who generally appears in old book illustrations. The original was generally depicted as a long, tank marionette, very simple in construction, with a face almost totally devoid of cliqrm. Tho Pinocchio of Walt Disney’s artists l).\s .a loveable little boyish quality not only in appearance, but in his voice and in his sincere but blundering effort to learn right from wrong.

REGENT THEATRE

“YOUNG TOM EDISON.”

All suspicion that Mickey Rooney is strictly an unusual personality rather than an actor will vanish when “Young Tom Edison’’ is seen at the Regept Theatre. Playing the great inventor as a youth. Mickey clearly establishes himself in the ranks of Hollywood’s “top notchers.’’ The picture tells a vivid story of the triumph of a typical boy and is so down-to-earth and human that it will bring a warm glow in the heart of many a boy and former boy and a tear to the eye of every sister and mother in the audience. There is a generous portion of comedy in tho story, comedy which Rooney does to perfection because it is genuine odyliood comedy. And the story has its dreams, its tears, its thrills and, above ali, its triumphs—the sort that brings an exultant lump into your throat, Mickey, of course, is superb, directed by the genius of childhood story director, Norman Taurog. The man who made “Skippy” certainly has topped the Academy winning effort of a few years ago. The east with Rooney ia outstanding. First, there is Virginia Weilder, who again proves site’s Hollywood’s leading child actress. As Edison’s sister site is a superb teammate fer Mickey. Fay Bainter is a perfect selection a 6 Edison’s mother and is rnagniiicent. George Bancroft playing Edison’s father, lias a rote totally unlike anything she has ever dono and one which may well spell “new career" for this, grand actor. Eugene Paljette, Victor Kilian, Bobbie Jordan. J. M. Kerrigan, Lloyd Corigan, John Kellog, Clem Bcvans, Eily Malyon and Harry Shannon round out an excellent supporting cast.