Entertainments

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 308, 30 December 1939, Page 9

Entertainments

REGENT THEATRE—TO-DAY “GOODBYE MR. CHIPS.” Has the picture been .made that would please everybody? Few, if any, have claimed that distinction. It may be impossible, but if it is, there is at least one film that goes very close to achieving the impossible. It is “Goodbye, Mr. Chips.” If it does not appeal to every moviegoer, then the fault is entirely on the side of the person who fails to enjoy it. Other pictures of public school and university life have passed across the screen, met with approval, and left their impression on the fickle public, but none has succeeded in the manner of “Mr. Chips” in revealing with the skill of a surgeon the very soul of the public school. Even he who despises the “old school tie” and all that sort of thing must admire Mr. Chips, a man y/ho loves his fellowmen, even though they be rowdy, inconsiderate schoolboys, better than anything else in the world except, perhaps, his wife who taught him to give expression to this love. Many schools have their “Mr. Chips”—even in New Zealand, a country relatively young in tradition, there are schoolmasters whose association with one school lias extended over half a century or longer, men who have played an inestimable part in the moulding of thousands of human lives, men who always think of other men as they were as schoolboys, men who have caned the men who are at the helm of the nation to-day. To such as these “Goodbye, Mr. Chips” is a splendid memorial. We have happy memories of Robert Donat as the struggling young doctor in “The Citadel,” and still like to think of his performance in “The Ghost Goes West,” but these, lus earlier successes, are outshone by his incomparable acting in “Goodbye, Mr. Chips.” In particular, his portrayal of a very old but very energetic retired schoolmaster is peerless. An important part in the picture and in the life of Mr. Chips is played by Greer Garson, charming Irish-Scottlsh actress, who, as bis wife “Cathie,” is the embodiment of all the best one associates with womanhood. The author of “Goodbye, Mr. Chips, James Hilton, thinks this of the M.G.M. screen version: “An author’s dream fulfilled—a picture that does for bim practically all that he would like to do for himself if he owned a studio and had a million pounds to spare. METEOR—NOW SHOWING. ••ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES." “Angels With Dirty Faces," a sensational melodrama of the slum dlstrlcta, co starring the famous team of James cag 'ney ami Pat O'Brien and featuring the “Dead End" kids, Humphrey Bogart, Ann Sheridan and George Bancroft, now showing at tho Meteor Theatre. An intensely powerful story of two bos-s, brought up together in the slums, whose lives become widely divergent when one is sent to reform school for a prank m whieix both took part. He becomes a- bigtime gangster, Ills friend enters the priesthood. Their paths cross again when the gangster, part of the mob that runs the city, bucks the priest, who is heading a “clean-up” campaign, his object being to save the thousands of slum boys in his parish from lives of crime. The strong i bond between the two men makes their I conflict doubly exciting, and leads to the I unique and thrilling climax which lifts the picture high above the rank and file of gangster stories. i Advance preview critics have heaped praises upon the acting of the two stars, land upon the antics of that famous sextette of toughies, the “Dead End” kids. Ann Sheridan is said to handle her first i strong dramatic role with remarkable ability, and Bogart and Bancroft are hailed as the most menacing of menaces. MAYFAIR THEATRE—TWO-DAY SEASON ONLY “DAD AND DAVE COME TO TOWN” Seven years ago the famous Rudd Family was first presented on the Australian screen, after nearly 30 years of stage characterisation, in “On Our Selection" they made their screen debut in much the same way as they had delighted audiences for so longiover the footlights. In this film Bert Ba/ley as “Dad” was the fiery, blunt honest old rarmer—“Mum,” a comfortably padded homely old soul-i- ---“ Dave” awkward, gangling, slow spoken —“Sarah,” clumsy, with a drawling voice, and “country” screaming from her atrocious hat to her ill-shod feet—“ Joe,” shy and hesitant in speech, was the second Rudd son. But that was seven years ago. In the new Cinesound comedy, “Dad and Dave Come to Town,” tne Rudd Family has been modernised. In Bert Bailey, as “dad,” the change is merely in his clothes when he reaches the city, and bursts forth in his frock salon a vision of sartorial splendour. “Mum," as played by (Connie Martyn in this 1938 version, is still a homely woman. But a natural dignity and motherly sweetness gives her distinction when she joins in the family adventures in the city. “Jill” is a new addition to the Rudd Family. Played by Shirley Ann Richards, she is presented to the audience as a typical modern and educated country girl, who runs a dressmaking business in a country town. “Sarah,” Dad’s second daughter, is a very different characterisation to the “Sarah” of “On Our Selection.” Valerio Scanian, 18-year-old Sydney girl, makes her screen debut in this part. The scene where “Billy,” almost paralysed with nervousness, asks “Dad” for “Sarah’s” hand, is one of the comedy highlights oi the film. “Dave,” like “Dad,” is played by the man who originally portrayed this character in “On Our Selection”—Fred MacDonald. He is the “Dave” we all know. He is the eldest son. Ho is more mature, more set in his ways, than tho younger members of the family.

STATE THEATRE—TO-DAY “THE REAL. GLORY.” Samuel Goldwyn's latest production, i “The Real Glory” is reported to be the best action picture produced since “The : Lives of a Bengal Lancer.’’ Six-foot Gary Cooper and the lovely dark-tressed Andrea Leeds provide the romantic interest in this stirring story of the Philippines. Henry Hathaway, who directed Gary Cooper in “f’he Lives of a Bengal Lancer,” also directs in "The Real Glory,” which shows at the State Theatre to-day. The picture unfolds a thrilling and exciting tale of adventure and romance with a series of most exciting scenes filled with swift action and tense suspense. Gary Cooper plays the type of heroic outdoor role which has made him the prime favourite with motion picture lovers, portraying a doctor who has joined the constabulary in the Philippine Islands. The story of “The Real Glory” was transferred to the screen from the novel by Charles L. Clifford, and dramatises the bold era of adventure and turmoil which reigned in the Philippines following the Spanish-American war after the American army was evacuated and the islands were over-run by religious native terrorists. Andrea Leeds is the heroine. David Niven, who recently gave magnificent performances in “The Dawn Patrol” and “Wuthering Heights,” plays an important and amusing role as Cooper’s rival for the heroine. Niven is now becoming almost as popular as Cooper in romantic and heroic roles. Reginald Owen, Broderick Crawford and Kay Johnson are also in the cast. “The Real Glory” is one of Goldwyn’s finest production triumphs. He built panorama after panorama of thrills in the lavish Goldwyn manner, culminating in a breathless climax of the ! spectacular dynammiting of a dam that saves thousands from death by thirst and pestilence. KOSY THEATRE “SMASHING THE RACKETS" A most revealing story of underworld intrigue and of the efforts of law cn : lorcement agencies to combat racketeer- , j ns- unfolds on the screen at the Kosy Theatre when “Smashing the Rackets shows to-night. This RKO Radio film is unique in the fact that it shows the cause of an important social problem as it exists to-day, and also vividly illustrates how it may be solved by concerted co-operation between citizens and legal machinery. Presenting Chester Morris, Frances Mercer, Rita Johnson and Bruce Cabot in tne ’ four leading roles, “Smashing the ; Rackets” deals with a sensational racket ; purge in a large city. The dramatic story also throws light on the clever system employed by organised racketeers in defrauding the public, particularly business ’ men who are forced by intimidation to 1 pay heavy tribute for so-called “protec- * tion.” The iron-fisted methods used by 1 Morris, as the special grand jury prosecutor who has come up from the ranks of [ I G-Men, in gaining evidence that sends the l gang chieftains up the river, is realistical- ' ly and absorbingly revealed. A dual ronuance is threaded throughout the dra- ’ matic plot. Frances Mercer is cast as a 1 society girl in love with Morris, while ’ Rita Johnson is seen as Miss Mercer’s sister who becomes innocently involved 2 with the underworld when she falls in love * i with a racketeer baron, Bruce Cabot. 5 I A bitter clash between modern gang'sters in high powered' limousines and 1 sheriffs of the West on horseback provides ’ 'a new story twist in Action Pictures “The ' Old Corral,” the second attraction, star- * ring the world’s most popular star, Gene t Autry, with Smiley Burnette and Hope 2 Alanning. A sterling supporting cast ap--2 pears with Gene Autry. These include Lou Chaney, junr., and Hope Manning. The third chapter of the new serial, “The Lone Ranger Rides Again,” completes the bill.