Entertainments

Manawatu Times, Volume 65, Issue 5, 6 January 1940, Page 9

Entertainments

REGENT THEATRE TO-DAY “TARZAN FINDS A SON!" “Tarzan Finds a Son!" fourth of the famous Tarzan jungle adventures, reuniting Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen U'Sullivan, brings a new character, Tarzan Junior, and introducing in the role live-year-old Johnny Sheffield, America’s most amazing child athlete. The boy plays the foster son of the jungle couple, swings through the aii' on vines with Welssmul- i ler, engages with him in thrills of underi water swimming, is rescued from a rhinoceros, and figures in other thrills. “Tar- I zun Finds a Son!" deals with the finding of a baby in a plane wrecked in the jungle. Tarzan and Jane adopt and rear it. A safari penetrates the jungle in search of traces of the plane to clear up a legacy and the child becomes the object of a plot by heirs who do not wish the youngster’s, existence known. Tarzan refuses to give up the boy, but Jane believes he should be returned for his birthright and tricks • her mate. When the party is captured by savages and brought to a torture chamber Jane helps the boy to escape to summon Tarzan who arrives with his chimpanzee and elephant cavalry. Thrills include the routing of the native torture orgy and amazing rescues from wild animals. When Weissmuller rides his elephant Queenie, Johnny rides Baby Be 6, smallest baby elephant in captivity. Players include lan Hunter, Henry Stephen- I son, Frieda Inescort, Henry Wilcoxon, Larane Day and Morton .Lowry. MAYFAIR THEATRE—TO-DAY “CONFESSIONS OF A NAZI SPY" This is the much-awaited film which has been a subject of wide interest ever since Warner Bros, started the production of it, the first really important motion picture document of Nazi espionage activities In America. Anatole Lltvak directed the film, which stars Edward Lj? Robinson and a brilliant supporting cast, including Paul .Lukas, Francis Lederer, Lya Lys—famous European film beauty, making her American debut—and many others. Although the particular characters and events are fictional, the espionage methods revealed > in the film are based on the facts brought out in the recent trials in America. Eeon G. Turrou, iormer U-. Man, who acted as technical adviser on the Warner Bros, photoplay, smashed one of the Nazi spy rings, and his intimate knowledge of tiie manner in which the spies operate has given reality and authenticity to the production. “Confessions of a Nazi Spy" is a sensational picture in the true sense of the word, because it is a vivid depiction of the menacing under-cover .activities fostered in a friendly country by the Nazi regime in Germany. In making the picture, Warner Bros, have used all the facilities at their command to bring the danger of these activities out into the open, and although the story of the film is fictional, there can be no doubt that the dangers are very real. Edward G. Robinson portray the G-Man who breaks the spy ring and brings four of the members to trial and conviction. Paul Eukas plays the doctor who heads the spy ring, and Eederer portrays a bungling Nazi informer. (Lya Eys, whose exquisite blonde beauty and dramatic ability make her one of the top European stars, makes her American film debut in “Confessions of a Nazi Spy.” METEOR THEATRE—TO-DAY “RIO" On the evening of their first wedding anniversary, Paul Reynard (Basil Rathbone) and his young wile, Irene (Sigrid Gurie> are celeoratmg at the cafe wnere iteynaru, a world financier, is arrested, following the exposure that he is a gigantic swindler. Reynard is convicted and sentenced to a penal colony in the tropics. To be near him, Irene, accompanied by Dirk (Victoi McEaglen), his bodyguard, goes to Rio wnere Irene obtains employment in a cafe. There Irene meets Bill Gregory (Robert Cummings), young American engineer, who is siowiy drinking himself to death, despondent over the disgrace which followed the collapse of a bridge lie was building. Irene prevails upon Roberto (Eeo Carrilo), owner of the cafe and a big ranchd, to give the young man a pob. Reynard escapes from the prison colony unci arrives in Rio to discover that Irene is ijhWlove with Bill. Angered, he threatens t,Q kill the young man but is restrained by Dirk, who warns him that the police are close behind. ■Therein lies romance, adventure, and the gutter of fascinating "Rio.” Also screening: - The Albury Pyjama Girl Murder presenting one of the world’s most baffling crimes. £SOO reward will be paid by the New South Wales police if you can identify the body.

STATE THEATRE—TO-DAY DRAMATIC LOVE STORY i Ingrid Bergman, the beautiful young continental actress, is introduced to audiences for the first time in the new David O Sclznick production, “Intermezzo, a jEove Story,” in which she is co-starred I with Eeslie Howard and Edna Best. This 'new picture, a dramatic love story set in modern-day Europe, screens to-day at the State Theatre. Miss Bergman plays the role of the other woman in “Intermezzo, a Eovo Story.” The story, briefly told, concerns a world-famous violinist who returns home to Stockholm to rejoin hip wife and two children after a two years’ absence during which he became the sensation of continental Europe. Hoping to settle down to a quiet existence and to renew acquaintance with his family, he finds himself restless and anxious I for a.life of youth and gaiety. 110 urges I his wife to accompany him on a second j honeymoon to the romantic places which he visited on tour, but she explains that I her roots are in her homo and that her children need her love and guidance. When lie meets the lovely young pianist who teaches his daughter, he Is strangely attracted to her. He cannot resist her charms, and he goes off on another tour with her, leaving his family behind. How their affair finally winds up provides the film with an exciting and unexpected I climax. Mr. Seiznick assembled a cast of important names to surround the trio of stars who play the leading roles in ‘‘lntermezzo, a Eove Story.” Featured in the supporting roles are John Ilalliday, Cecil Kellaway, Enid Bennett and Eleanor Wesselhoeft. Also screening latest “March of Time” giving a cavalcade of the motion picture industry. Forty years of progress—yes terday, to-day and to-morrow. KOSY THEATRE—TO-DAY “TWO BRIGHT BOYS” Jackie Cooper and Freddie Bartholomew share co-starring honours in their new .Universal film, “Two Bright Boys,” the attraction now at the Rosy Theatre. Jackie is the penniless youth who defies an unscrupulous oil baron while trying desperately to drill a wildcat well on a rundown Texas farm. The natural charm and talent which have endeared him to millions are given lull opportunity for expression. Bartholomew's portrayal of the English stranger and the unwilling obstacle to Jackie’s plans, is more varied and finely done than any role he has played since “David Copperfield.” By turns he is a scoundrel, hero, traitor and then, in the climax, a brave friend who is willing to risk everything to prove hifc loyalty to a pal. Matching Cooper’s skill at every point in the narrative ho scores a personal hit. Alan Dinehart leads grim realism as the scheming oil baron who tries to steal Jackie’s land. Melville Cooper is especially effective as the Impoverished Englishman who has been reduced to gambling and cheating at cards ,to support his son, Freddie. Dorothy Peterson as Jackie’s mother, and J. M. Kerrigan In the role of a fire-eating old oil driller,, contribute to the general excellence of this splendid film. “A Romance in Flanders." Eots of the rousing old wartime songs are sung with all the enthusiasm of the Tommies on the mareh in “A Romance in Flanders," the second feature, the exciting drama of the twists of lile shown up years after the World War. Although the story of the film is laid In the present day the incidents which cause all the suspense originated during tne last war. Two friends, both sergeant-majors, were in loVe with the same woman. One won her heart and the other, jealous to the point of madness, engineered tile death, as he supposed, of his friend. The girt then married him. Twenty years alter the marriage the old adage, “A murderer always visits the scene of his crime, came true and the couple, with their little daughter came to Flanders. There they meet the old friend, very much alive and acting as a guide to pilgrims to the graves of Flanders. For the purpose of the story the action, shifts back to the war, and it is here that the old wartime songs come into their own. ‘‘Mademoiselle from Armentieres,” with its countless thousands of verses has a charm all of its own. “It’s a Eong Way to Tipperary,” “Pack Bp lour Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag,” “There’s a Eittle Grey Home in tho West,” Grey Mare,” and ail these other famous tunes take a new lease of life when a specially composed chpir of men's voices take up the familiar old refrains, swinging along a road in. Flanders. Chapter 4 of the new serial, “The Eono Ranger Rides Again,” completes the bill.