THE THEATRES

Southland Times, Issue 24240, 25 September 1940, Page 3

THE THEATRES

REGENT

“JUDGE HARDY AND SON”

Lewis Stone, Mickey Rodney and the rest of the famous Hardy Family make their final appearances at the Regent Theatre today in “Judge Hardy and Son,” eighth all-new adventure of the group. This time, instead of travelling, the , family stays home. Andy Hardy, son of the family, turns amateur detective to help his father in a law case, and becomes involved with three pretty girls who fill his life with trials and tribulations. The mother of the family becomes ill; for a dark hour they, fear they will lose her. It is in this episode that Andy inspires his father to a new courage in a poignant dramatic scene. Andy turns hero and pilots his sister across a raging flood to her mother’s bedside. But the crisis passes, the mother recovers, Andy extricates himself from the entangling girls, and all ends well. Stone, Rooney, Cecilia Parker, Fay Holden and Sara Haden, comprising the “family,” are all together in the picture

“SWEETHEARTS”

JEANETTE MacDONALD AND NELSON EDDY

Tomorrow and on Friday (two days only) the Regent management will present “Sweethearts,” which, filmed in technicolour, presents Jeannette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy in one of their most popular roles. The modem story, devised for them by Dorothy Parker and Alan Campbell from the Victor Herbert operetta, provides the stars with comedy characterizations. The picture has a bright plot, plenty of music, humorous dialogue, a strong supporting cast, and lavishly-staged scenes photographed in technicolour. In the story, Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy are two stars of the Broadway musical comedy stage, idolized by the public as much for their ideal home life as for their performances in the show which has been funning for six years. To the producer of the show the news of their intention to go to Hollywood sounds like the crack of doom. He and his librettist get their heads together and hatch a plot to keep the stars in New York. Their scheme is a subtle one, and very soon goes adrift, leading to a temperamental outburst on the part of the two stars, and a series of humorous complications. The tuneful music of the Victor Herbert operetta is worked into the development of the screen story.

STATE

LAST TWO DAYS OF “PINOCCHIO”

Repeating the triumph which he achieved with “Snow White,” Walt Disney has made “Pinocchio,” which screens finally today and tomorrow at 2.0 and 8.0 at the State, the story of the little wooden puppet which came to life and underwent many strange adventures, a delightful, fantasy in which the figures act with all the charm of those in the first full-length fairy tale. When Geppetto, an old toy maker, makes a wooden puppet and expresses the wish that it were a little boy, his wish is granted by a kind-hearted fairy and Pinocchio moves and talks. But there are disadvantages in this transformation, for Pinocchio immediately gets into a large number of scrapes. Attending the principal figure of the story are Jiminy Cricket, an amusing little object whose role is that of Pinocchio’s conscience; Figaro, a bold, bad kitten; Cleo, an amorous goldfish with Mae West instincts; and Monstro, an enormous whale, all of whom are fascinating characters. There is a good supporting programme.

“REBECCA”

FAMOUS NOVEL FILMED

Powerfully enacted and superbly produced, “Rebecca,” the screen version of the famous novel by Daphne Du Maurier, will begin its Invercargill season on Friday. So outstanding is this special production that it is too big for just one theatre, so will be screened at both the State and the Civic Theatres on Friday, Saturday and Monday. Primarily for mature types of filmgoers, it is one of the most remarkable films of the year to date, and will be talked of for a long time to come. The screenplay differs only slightly from the original book in its essentials, and it Joses nothing in the retelling. The story is developed in impressive fashion, for which high credit is due to the director, Alfred Hitchcock, who has few peers in his department in the motion picture world. Outstanding in the strong cast are Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine, the latter in her first big role. Olivier portrays a wealthy English squire, whose first wife, a faithless wanton, dies under suspicious circumstances. The woman he marries the second time, played by Miss Fontaine, is a sensitive, nervous girl, who feels the presence of the first wife as a real and tangible horror. She becomes more and more introverted, and the film works up to a powerful climax before happiness comes to the newly-married couple. Judith Anderson and George Sanders are also in the cast. Box plans for both the State and the Civic theatres are at Begg’s or the State. Immediate reservations are advised.

CIVIC

“Nurse From Brooklyn,” the first attraction on the Civic’s 6d and 9d programme at 7.45 tonight, drives home the emphatic lesson that crime does not pay. It reveals many of the hitherto hidden methods used by a police department in tracking down a hidden killer in a great city. Sally Eilers and Paul Kelly are starred in this G-man action thriller. In “Love and Hisses,” the second feature, Ben Bernie and Bert Lahr try to interest Walter Winchell in Bernie’s new French protege, Simone Simon, who is supposed to be a great singer. Bernie arranges a gag by means of which Simone is independently ‘discovered” by Winchell who gives her a tremendous build-up, unaware of her true identity or connection with Bernie. The song Simone is to sing at the opening of Bernie’s new night club was written by Dick Baldwin, struggling young tunesmith, who’ believes, through a misunderstanding, that . the old maestro is trying to steal it. In the meantime he meets Simone and their friendship ripens into love. Winchell arranges a national radio hook-up for his “find,” and at the end of the programme she reveals Bernie’s gag to him. To get even Winchell arranges a fake kidnapping of the old maestro on the opening night of his club. The film ends in a climax of hilarity. Civic prices tonight are: All stalls fid, circle 9d. The Civic announces that Daphne Du Maurier’s sensational novel “Rebecca” will be screened on Friday, at both the Civic and the State theatres. Plans for either theatre are open now at Begg's , or the State.

majestic

In a roistering, rough and tumble role, as the fighting, singing skipper of the “Marigold,” known in every port in the South Seas, George Houston, popular screen baritone and star of “Wallabv Jim of the Islands,” scores yet another hit in Action Pictures alltechnicolour “Captain Calamity,” now showing at the Majestic Theatre. George Houston is heard singing several stirring sea chanties. Universal’s action drama, “Inside Information,” the associate feature on today’s programme at the Majestic Theatre features Dick Foran, June Lang, Harry Carey and Mary Carlisle Dick Foran, cast as a new detective, volunteers to track-down a gang of jewellery robbers and is hampered in the execution of his knowledge of scientific detection against the opposition of a grizzly dog of the force played by Harry Carey. Plans are now on view at H. and J. Smith’s department store, Rice’s Majestic sweet shop and at the Majestic Theatre.

THE EMPIRE, RIVERTON

“Listen Darling,” featuring Freddie Bartholomew and Judy Garland, is a charming story, charmingly acted. It will be appreciated by everyone who is in sympathy with the humour and the gentle sentiment of childhood. This Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture will be presented at Riverton tonight. It is a comedy of childhood that will make every member of the family young again. The screen’s foremost juvenile stars appear in a comedy of modern romance.