AMUSEMENTS.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 363, 18 February 1937, Page 8

AMUSEMENTS.

Plaza Theatre.

“Man Who Could Work Miracles.”

The brilliant Alexander Korda-H. G. Wells partnership, which was responsible for “Things To Come” has now produced a comedy, "The Man Who Could W’ork Miracles,’ 'which will be shown at the Plaza Theatre, Stratford, to-day. Following the vivid drama and grim prophesies of “Things To Come,” filmgoers will receive a pleasat surprise in “The Man Who Could work miracles. He starts in a small funniest and most spectacular comedies ever produced. Roland Young in the leading role gives a grand performance in the light, whimsical vein for which he is famous. George Me-Whirter-Fotheringay is a humble draper’s assistant who suddenly finds himself possessed of the power to work miracles. He startts in a samll way by producing rabbits and commanding tables and chairs to float in space. But he becomes more ambitious. Falling foul of the local constable, he banishes that worthy to Hades. He becomes Intoxicated with power, and in a thrilling climax calls upon the earth to stop rotating. That is the end of Fotherlngay’s reign, for the gods take away his miraculous power, and he is left as he was before —an Insignificant nobody.

“Poor Little Rich Girl.”

"The Poor Little Rich Girl,” starring Shirley Temple, opens in the palatial mansion of Michael Whalen, father of the little miss. Shirley has no mother but her father has provided a veritable regiment of aides-de-camp whose sole duties are to look after her. If Shirley dares to sneeze—off she must go to bed while a doctor is called to prescribe for her ‘’alarming bold.” Shirley, as you can imagine, is none too pleased with this state of affairs and persuades her father to send her to boarding school.

While Witting for the train, Shirley slips? away from her nurse, Sara Haden, and wanders along the street playing a game of make-believe Miss Hatfen, in the meantime, is the victim of an accident, and during the following days in which Shirley

seeks adventure, the little girl is not missed by her father. A touching series of events final culminates in Shirley being adopted by a pair of aspiring radio entertainers, Alice Faye and Jack Haley. Miss Faye realises That Shirley is. no' “orphan” as she has told them, but Haley recognises Shirley's talent” as just what the act needs. The team is a knock-out in its audition and is hired by Claude 'Gillingwater—the strongest business rival of Shirley’s father! How Shirley brings success to Haley and Miss Faye, romance to hetdaddy and Gloria Stuart and happiness to crabby Claude Gilllngwßter makes her most human and heartwarming story. Five melodious new song hits—and really hits!—are featured in the production. The numbers, all authored by those famous Hollywood songwriters, Mack Gordon and Harry Revel, are “When I’m With You,” “But Definitely,” “You’ve Gotta Eat Your Spinach, Baby,” “Oh, My Goodness” and “Military Man.” Darryl F. Zanudk appointed Irving Cummings to direct the film and B G. Da Sylva associate producer. It. shows at the Plaza Theatre on Saturday and Monday next.

King’s Theatre.

“Luckiest Girl in the World.”

Running up the comedy scale from amusing to uproarious, and containing a tender love story with a new approach. Universal’s first rate laugh hit, “The Luckiest Girl in the World,” opens to-day at the King’s Theatre, featuring Jane Wyatt and Louis Hayward.

The picture relates. 1 the misadventures of a strong-willed heiress who shares kitchen privileges with a dashing young cavalier. The lively drTjgue sparkles with gay humour and the sprightly situations keep getting funnier as the story unfolds. Jane Wyatt’s refreshing personality and excellent acting are reveal, d to splendid advantage in the title role. Jane tells papa she wants to marry a moneyless tennis player and father takes the final dive into matrimony. Off Jane goes to the city to prove she Is right. Then she meets the aforementioned cavalier, in the person of Louis Hayward. He doesn’t play tennis but he is pretty keen in a love match. There is just enough romantic moonlight to bewitch the pair, make Jane forget her first swain and weave a spell over the audience. The fun becomes faster, more furious and boils over when Nat Pendleton adds his rib tickling antics as a private detective who couldn’t trail his own shadow. The narrative bubbles along to a hilarious climax under the expertly humorous direction of Edward Buzzell, who has turned his comedy talent to good account in filming “The Luckiest Girl in the World.”

“The Luckiest Girl in the World” is taken from the Ladies’ Home Journal story, “Kitchen Privileges” by Anne Jordan. The screen play was written by Herbert Fields and Henry Myers.