Palmerston Picture Programmes

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 25, 30 January 1937, Page 8

Palmerston Picture Programmes

REGENT THEATRE—TO-DAY “THE GENERAL DIED AT DAWN” “The General Died at Dawn.” In this very sentence there is a sort or suppressed drama, an earnest of exciting metdents to happen. It is tile: title of the picture whicn will show to-day at the Regent Theatre. The him is the best of; its Kind since "Shanghai Express.” It istiie story of the lignt of a Chinese war! lord to steai a large sum of money, the; property of those trying to free- the pro-, vince which groaned under his tyranny, and to buy arms with it. The money is, entrusted to an American, oTiara (.Gary Cooper), to take to certain people in' Shanghai. The plot centres round his evenuui journey to that city. It tens how he fell to me charms oi another American, tnis time a beautiful girl, Judy Berne t.Madeleine Carroll), vnio was a party,; novvever unwittingly, to delivering him to. the war lord, General Yang fAkim Xumiroff). OTiara, Judy, Mr. W u, the agent in Shanghai who was working for an oppressed people (.Dudley Digges), Tang and others laid themselves on Tang's junk, where the story works up to a powerful climax. Eventually O'Hara linds that Judy has been true to him all the time anu the picture ends on tiiat note. The strength of the picture is in the intense drama which begins the moment the him begins and does not ease in tension until the final blackout. This drama throbs against a background which pojyerluliy portrays the mystery of tne East. On the one hand you have a train hold-up, where O'Hara is captured. Then you are taken to Shanghai, the super imposition ot the West on the unchanging Last, to a European hotel, where men ce murdered and extraordinary incidents nappen. You have the mysterious junk in tne harbour, mysterious in shape, sinister in intention, mysterious in its approach up a harbour itself one of the most sinister in the world, it is the scene on that junk, where the ’‘general died at dawn, where the actors give the best of their talent, in tact have most scope to do so. -It is a moving and fascinating picture in which the acting is far above the average. Cooper is at his best, whiie the audience will want to see more of the beautiful Madeleine Carroll. Tamiroff does wonderful work as Yang. MAYFAIR THEATRE “LONELY ROAD”—TO-DAY A fascinating love story, dashing adventure, thrilling gun-running, music, song and catchy humour makes "Lonely Road” a picture at once .exciting and highly entertaining. Commencing on Saturday and co-starring Clive Brook and Victoria Hopper, tr.e action of “Lonely ltoad” shifts from London to a Leeds Palais-de-Danse, Scotland Yard Headquarters, and sea coast locales, thus providing ample | variety of settings. Clive Brook, popular hero of a hundred films, in the role of an ex-commander of a submarine, now turned Secret Service, is refreshingly different from his customary Hollywood characterisations. He has starred opposite many famous sirens of the screen; Tullulah Bankhead, Marlene Dietrich. Liana YVynyard, Ruth Chatterton and Madeleine Carroll, but it has remained for this, his latest English production to present the real Brook, in the type of role he was born to play. The management announce a special engagement of Trevor and Dawn, famous Continental adagio dancers, on Saturday. KOSY THEATRE JACK LONDON’S MAGIC Jack London was /the master fiction writer of the last generation. His magic still lives to-day. One of his outstanding tales, “The Abysmal Brute,” has been adapted for the screen under the title of "Conflict.” This picture, starring John Wayne, is now at the Kosy Theatre. The dramatic narrative sets forth the struggle of two men for mastery. One of them is a treacherous prize-fighter who gains his jnoney by cheating the simple folk fit

small towns in the California of 1890. The . . other is a clean-limbed giant who defeats | the bruiser in exciting fashion. "Conflict” is a simple tale presented in the manner that Jack London wrote it. John Wayne, who gives valiant battle to the prizefighter, is the tall, handsome fellow who recently starred in "The Sea Spoilers.” ’ Playing opposite him is Jean Rogers, the lovely actress who scored in "Stormy,” "Flash Gordon,” "Ace Drummond,” and ‘Tailspin Tommy.” Laughs and Thrills i A murder mystery drama, doubly blessed by fine performances by an outstand--1 ing cast and a generous allotment of general hilarity, provides the splendid screen entertainment now at the Kosy Theatre in "Panic on the Air.” Lew Ayres, cofeatured with Florence Rice, is seen as a radio newsman, who comes into possession of a five-dollar bill bearing a strange crypJLic message. He investigates the history of the bill and discovers that the 1 various owners have met with death or violence. When he receives a mysterious message instructing him to deliver the bill to an attractive woman, his interest is further aroused. From this point the drama grows thrilling, for Ayres finds himself neck-deep in a murder mystery and in love at the same time. Also showing on the same programme, Buck Jones in "The Phantom Rider," episode seven* "/Stark Terror*”

STATE THEATRE “LADIES IN LOVE” Great screen stars, unlike heroes, are born—not made. The careers of Janet Gaynor, Loretta Young, Constance Bennett and Simone Simon would appear to make the above statement an incontrovertible fact. This famous quartette of feminine personalities, all of whom ap- | pear in "Ladies in Love,” Twentieth ; Century-Fox triumph screening to-day at ( the State Theatre, seemingly were destined for theatrical fame from early childhood, an interview during production of .the film revealed. Janet Gaynor, for instance, even as a young girl was termed . by the neighbours a “born actress.” When j Janet was a little girl and her parents took her to a theatre, the youngster would conic home and imitate everyone 'in the cast to perfection. Although this . remarkable talent would have led most ! girls to dream fondly of a career in the ‘ theatre, wtth Janei it worked out just in reverse. She did not want to be an actress, and although her mother urged her to attend a dramatic school, Janet preferred a secretarial career. When Janet and her family moved to Los Angeles, however, the glamour of the studios overcame her business instinct, and Janet began making the rounds of the studios, looking for work. An astute director picked her out of a crowd one day, gave her a small "bit”—and a career that was destined to lead Janet to the top of the stellar Hollywood ranks was launched. Loretta Young's family moved to Hollywood when she was only four years old but even at that age Loretta brQke into the movies. Producers were eager to have the winsome child in pictures, but Loretta's parents said “No, first she must be educated.” Her schooling completed, Loretta experienced no difficulties in obtaining roles and her rise was meteoric. In the case of Constance Bennett, there was really nothing for her to do but go on the stage. Her father, Richard Bennett, is one of the world’s great actors and her sisters are all famous in theatrical circles. Simone Simon’s career is a perfect example of the fact that an actress, even though she is unaware of her talent, cannot escape the hand of destiny. Simone wanted to be an artist. But. one day, while sitting in a Parisian sidewalk cafe, a motion picture director noticed her piquant face and exotic beauty She was just the type the director was looking for, and out of a clear blue sky Simone started on a career that made her the reigning favourite of Europe and then brought her to America, where she is being hailed as the most important discovery in years. Don Ameehe, Paul Lukas, Tyrone Power, junr., and Alan Mowbray are featured in the cast of “Ladies in Love.”