AMUSEMENTS.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 439, 21 May 1937, Page 8

AMUSEMENTS.

Plaza Theatre. “THEODORA GOES WILD” There are many reasons why you’ll find “Theodora Goes Wild,” which screen at the Plaza oa Saturday, Monday and Tuesday, gay impeccable entertainment, but above all is the revelation of Irene Dunne as a glamorous, captivating comedienne. Many believed Miss Dunne commanded such versatility but few dared believe she could be so completely charming, so deftly subtle as a light comedy artist. “Theodora Goes Wild” has the flavour of “It Happened One Night” plus the delightful nonsense of “My Man Godfrey.” It’s action is fast, punctuated with rich directorial touches by Richard Boleslawski. ■Until she writes several sophisticated novels under a nom-de-plume for-her own amusement which unexpectedly leap into the best-selling class over-night, Miss Dunne is just a Small town nobody whose most notable achievement is playing the church organ. Despite the fact that the world is clamoring for a look at the woman-of-the-world author, her publishers refuse to disclose her true identity. It is the happy-go-lucky illustrator of her books, played to a turn by Melvyn Douglas, who Anally discovers her secret and realises that her every move Is a pose. He follows her to her home town and it is not long before they have fallen in love. When Miss Dunne openly shouts this fact to her neighbours, the illustrator disappears. Forced to take matters into her own hands, the star deliberately follows him to Manhattan and, designing her approach from the pages of her own novels, participates in a series of adventures which Anally bring the young man to his senses. -

King’s Theatre. “A Star Fell From Heaven” Joseph Schmidt, the diminutive Continental tenor, makes his second appearance in the British film, “A Star Fell From Heaven,’’ studiously fashioned to fit. his style and appeal, which will screen at the King’s on Saturday and Monday. What he may lack in inches, and the conventional form of romantic screen allure, he certainly makes up for With his singing- f? ■ , , In what may be correctly called a semi-pathetic role, with a touch of Pagliaccism about it, he essays a stud-ent-vocalist wKose voice! is eventually employed to “double” for the one lost by a popular screen star. Although he achieves fame after the “showdown,” that is bare consolation for the fact that the girl of his heart is won over by the film Romeo. The action embodies some wholesale guying of film production methods. We are regaled with the presence of the producer, never at a loss for a malapropism in the cause of publicity, the übiquitous “yes man” and so on. George Graves, W. H. Berry, famous London musical comedy actors, and Steve Geray extract some grand fun as stuido types. Billy Milton, Judy Kelly and Iris Hoey also have important roles.