AMUSEMENTS

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 268, 8 December 1939, Page 1

AMUSEMENTS

“THE AMAZING DR. GLITTERHOUSE’’ 1 Echvard Or. .Robinson comes to the screen of tho .Regent Theatre To-night and Saturday in tvhat lie has described as the most fascinating role of his career—the* truly extraordinary title character of “The Amazing Itr. (.-litter house,” a. bizarre crime film with hilarious undertones of comedy based by Warner Bros, on the London and New York stage hit of the same name. it is the tale of a distinguished surgeon who embarks up-V-pn a career of crime in order, so be T says, to studly the mental and physical " .reactions of' criminals during these moments when they are perpetrating their ciimes. lie becomes unsuccess fnI a criminal ;in the course of his allegedly scientific dual existence as lie is a surgeon. In fact, Jiis facile brain soon enables him to become tho leader of a bigtime band of robbers previously dominated by Humphrey Bogart and for whom Chi ire Trevor is the tylishly garbed “fence.” Leading Ids band in one big robbery niter another, the doctor seems to manifest a strange- zest for his illegal enterprises until lie is suddenly brought up short by arrest for the murder of Bogart, who had threatened blackmail. IMaccdi ou trial for his life, the doctor escapes the penalty for the murder lie has undoubtedly committed by a shrewd manipulation of the psychology of the jurors. It is one of the strangest denouements ever related in any film, hut convincing nevertheless and highly amusing. ‘‘TUIIII OVERLAND EXPRESS” “The Overland Express,” Buck Janes’ film describing the establishment of the cross-country puffy route from St. Joseph, AIo., to Sacramento, Cal., screens to-night and Saturday at the Regent-Theatre. Set against the turbulent background of 1861, of California geld, and untjtttiedl Indian savagery. Cast as a liard-riding buckaroo who dreams of delivering mails across a continent more rapidly than the accepted stage-coach, Buck convinces the owner of a Sacramento gold mine to finance Ids venture.- He establishes relay stations, with agents and horses, only to watch them disappear under the savage onslaughts of Bill Hawley, owner of the cross country stage coach which now possesses a. lucrative mail franchise. Buck’s pony express, with its faster time, stands to win that franchise, -null Hawley and Ids desperadoes light to prevent 'financial ruin. Their efforts to keep Buck from carrying out his scheme fail, and the renegades kill his young friend, Tom Furness, played by Carlyle Moore. “The Overland Express” is finally established, hut not before Buck has brought Hawley to justice, quelled an Indian uprising •plotted by the man, and ridden his -pony express route alone, maintaining •the ten-day schedule t needed to attain the government mail contract.