AMUSEMENTS

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 263, 24 November 1939, Page 1

AMUSEMENTS

“HEART OF THE NORTH’’ # “Heart of the North,” the Warner Bros, production in Toicimicokmr, which open's at the Regent Theatre on Saturday is a thrill-packed and completely authentic tale of that famous law enforcement body of the Canadian northwest, the Royal Canadian Mounted! Police. Produced on the lavish scale characteristic of all Warner Bros. Teelmicolour specials, the picture has all the elements required' hy a first-rate outdoor film-—uclventuro, action, sus pen,so, tlu* beauty and interest of unfamiliar landscapes, and a largj cast of popular players. Heading the list- are such well-liked performers as Dick .Foran, Gloria* Dickson, Gale Pago,' Janet Chapman, Allen Jenkins, Patrie Knowles and James Stephenson, and the elder character roles are in flic capable hands of actors like Russel Simpson, Joe Sawyer, Joseph King, Anthony Avorill and Arthur Gardner. The iirst thrilling episode in the story is the holding up hy a hand of outlaws of a little river steamer that is carrying priceless furs and miners’ gold from the trading post to civilisation. From then on the story details the clever identification by Foran, an officer of the “Motilities, ’’ of the “master mind” behind the hold-up.

Interwoven is* a 'love theme whose interest is heightened, hy the fact that one of the. girls, Gale Page, represents to F'oran. the lures of civilisation and sophistication, while the other, Gloria Dickson, represents all of the appeal of the untamed wilderness.

The screen play, based on a. novel hy William Byron Mo-wery, was written hy Loo Katz and Vincent Sherman, and the production was directed by Lewis Seiler. The gorgeous colours of under-sea life intensified through the fanciful use of Toohnicoloiir will delight the eye of audiences at the Regent Theatre when Walt Disney’s latest Silly Symphony' “Merbabies” opens on Saturday. 'This amusing and beautiful short feature, released hy RKO Radio, introduces some lovable new Disney characters in the form of the little son-children who hold ail under-water circus, substituting fish, snails and octopi for tli<' real inhabitants of the sawdust ling.

FAMOUS FARCE • C HARLEY’S AUNT” SPIRITED REVIVAL With just a gentle and irtislie touch of modern make-up in concession to the passage of time since she shocked and charmed the Victorians, with her pristine madcap frolics, “Charley’s Aunt”, has demonstrated! convincingly,.,

iii her Dominion tour tlia’r “there’s life in the old gal yet.” 'J lie Celebrity CVir.edy opening pcrfoim anon of the revival season in Auckhmd tva» charaeterised by gusts of laughter, indicating that the farce winch has been/'a joy to s. .oral .successive generations oi the ivegoers and acelaiined one of the world’s greatest funmakers., is still good for an enjoyable night’s fml/ /Many notable comedians have been associated with the title- role, in this, pioneer.Qf ulinasq|ierade comedies, but Don Niccl, who leads the present Australian and New Zealand combination, in no way suffers by comparison with past favourites, states an Auckland': paper. He has, or 'course, liis own following of admirers -from previous local performances,, but the masquerade, character acting required of him as “Dabs’’ and “Charley's A uni ’’ in this farce is far beyond the funny business demands of his former appearances. He rose admiralily to the occasion of keeping the character portrayal while at the same time losing no opportunity for hitting up the farcical note. That old musical comedy fav‘ourite Phil Smith was Nieol’s abl<s collaborator throughout the piece. A, quartet of talented, young players in leading roles of straight acting required! to emphasise l the farce were John Fleeting, Lane Patterson, Shirley Ann. Richards and .Mary Duncan, while in parts oil special intricacy the experienced) Charles Albert, Norman Barrington and Leal Douglas gave unostentatious strength to the performance. All these members of tke cast, as Well as Maisie Wallace, are favourites whose talent has been recognised li other roles, and they gave a spirited production.

Above nil, the (lash and brightness infused into a play whoso thrills were built, largely on Victorian moral inhibitions and displayed"' through a stage technique now outmoded was a triumph for players and producer. The difficulties of lengthy stage “asides” were cleverly surmounted by the east to keep the action and merriment running without halt or hitch.