AMUSEMENTS.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 445, 29 May 1937, Page 8

AMUSEMENTS.

Plaza Theatre. “THREE SMART GIRLS” Deanna Durbin Is Radio’s Sensational Songbird They smiled encouragingly when she stepped up to sing. “They” were the technical crew on the Universal picture “Three Smart Girls.” screening at the Plaza Theatre, Stratford, to-night—a picture every cinema fan in Stratford has been waiting for. The crew had seen more than one experienced prima donna falter in her first film recording. The girl was 13 year old Deanna Durbin, noted radio soprano, making her screen debut. Instead of suffering from camera fright, which the technicians expected, Dehnna sang easily, as if she were just practising. Deanna, an American girl, was born in Winnipeg, Canada, December 4, 1922. When she was a year old, her parents took her to California. Vocal experts marvel that so young a girl should have such a finely developed voice. Deanna portrays the youngest sister of the “Three Smart Girls.”

Possessing a lyric soprano voice that electrifies all who hear it, little Miss Durbin makes her movie debut in one of the gayest comedy dramas ever to come out of Hollywood. “Three Smart Girls” deals with the madcap adventures of three lovely daughters of a New York millionaire who join in a conspiracy to break up their father’s romance with a fortune hunting beauty. Just to make- the film even more interesting, there is a triple romance woven into the narrative. The dialogue is brightly amusing, the situations get funnier by the minute and the songs will steal your heart away. The ravishing Binnie Barnes portrays the huntress of fortunes; Alice Brady is seen as her scheming mother Ray Milland helps ths “Three Smart Giris” prevent the marriage and wins the heart of one of the sisters, played by Barbara Read. Charles Winninger is the millionaire. Deanna Durbin is the youngest daughter. The other one is portrayed by Nan Grey, who is whirled into a romance with John King. You will be enchanted by the music, thrilled by the ftmance and convulsed by the humour of “Three Smart Girls.”

It is advisable to book early for this film.

King’s Theatre. “Without Orders” The'- rugged, mountainous country of the north-west forms the setting of “Without Orders,” R.KO Radio’s exciting romance of commercial aviation, which will screen at the King's Theatre. The producers have packed plenty of thrills and a notable amount of heart interest into the screen version of this Peter B. Kyne story, and a finely-chosen cast and excellent direction coinbine to make the picture an outstanding offering. The plot centres around- the professional rivalry of two transport flyers and their personal rivalry over a pretty air hostess. One of the pilots, the son of the owner of the lines, comes to work for the company after a sensational career as a stunt flyer, but his unfitness to handle a big transport plane Is evident to everyone but his doting father. The ffyer twice endangers the lives of his passengers by his foolhardiness and cowardice. A clever handled romance, and a gripping climax when a pinna Is lost in a storm over the Idaho mountains and the leckless pilot deserts his post, afford absorbing moments to film-goers. Robert Armstrong and Sally Eilers, in the romantic rolps oi an experienced pilot and his- stewardess, turn in finely char.ictlss/I portrayals Both are pilots ’n real life. Hilarious comedy played-against a background of a newspaper cameraman's adventures forms the. theme of “They Wanted to Marry,” RKO Radio’s latest screen romance, also bn the same programme. The picture deals- with the dizzy love affair between a roving photographer and a society heiress. The two fall in love soon after meeting at a fashionable wedding, but no matter road they take toward getting married, they wind- up in : the city gaol without benefit of matrimony.

This result is- discouraging tq the two participants, but it offers plenty of laughter -to the audience. The situations are further complicated by an indignant father, a timorous butler, a well-meaning friend and. last, I but not least, “Emily,” the hero’s tarrlir pitaen. l