Cosy Theatre, Woodville

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 308, 30 December 1939, Page 10

Cosy Theatre, Woodville

“ROSALIE” TO-DAY AND TO-NIGHT Eye-filling with enormous sets and beautiful ballet numbers, gay with charming Cole Porter tunes beautifully sung by Nelson Eddy and quickened to top speed by the magic tap-dancing feet of Eleanor Powell, “Rosalie” is a musical of extraordinary entertainment power. Nothing is missed to make this a picture to remember. The stars arc not only splendid in their separate singing and dancing specialties, but as lovers they are easy to look at and extremely effective dramatically. And they are supported by cast, each member of which gives a flawless performance. It is really hard to make a choice between Frank Morgan, a king with a roving eye and a talent for ventriloquism; Edna May Oliver, a grim queen who keeps the amatory ideas of her king well in check; Ray Bolger, who is oven more remarkable than usual in his presentation of comedy dance numbers; and that fascinating blonde newcomer from Budapest, Ilona Massey. Look out for this most personable lady with the dimples and the lovely voice. Much more will be seen and heard her. One will go away humming “Rosalie” and “In the Still of the Night,” Eddy’s top songs, but there are many others. And applause must not be forgotten for the great ballet direction of Albertina Rasch. It is to be doubted if there has ever been a greater dance number than that staged in the “Kingdom of Romanza, ” a set so large it almost beggars description. It can be readily believed that it is Hollywood’s biggest set of the year. On Monday, New Year’s Day only, George Sanders is featured as Leslie Charteris’ famous fiction character in “The Saint Strikes Back.” With him is Wendy Barrie, Jonathan Hale, Jerome Cowan and many others.