STATE THEATRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 January 1939, Page 2

STATE THEATRE

TWO OUTSTANDING COMEDIES. Tonight thei’e will be shown at the State Theatre two outstanding laugh pictures—“ Convict 99” and the “Jones Family.” In “Convict 99,” Will Hay, known as “Britain’s laughter maker No. 1,” will head the cast, being supported by Moore Marriott, Graham Moffatt, “Googie” Withers, Peter Gawthorne, Basil Radford, Wilfrid Walter, Denis Wyndham and other well known artists. It is an amusing story of how a professor gets a job as governor of a prison, being mistaken for a man from Australia who had been appointed. He arrives in the middle of a mutiny but ultimately the mistake is discovered and the professor receives full reparation. He then sets out on a campaign of reforming the prison policy. More comedy follows, and the picture may be described as a “perfect scream.” “Safety in Numbers,” sees the Jones Family in one of their greatest comedies. “Safety in Numbers,” introduces a new section of Maryville to Jonesites. Barton Springs, a suburb of the town, is discovered to be a spa of medicinal importance and the entire populace is aroused over the resort possibilities of the place. Mrs Jones is given a thirteen-week broadcast hour for a domestic advice programme by the Springs’ sponsors and Dad Jones heads the citizens’ investment committee. When the spring turns out to be a phony, the Joneses get a chance to prove —in a hilarious and exciting climax —that there is, indeed, "Safety in Numbers.” “Safety in Numbers” presents Jed Prouty, Shirley Deane, Spring Byington, Russell Gleason, Ken Howell, George Ernest, June Carlson, Florence Roberts and Billy Mahan in their usual family roles, with Marvin Stephens, Iva Stewart and Henry Kolker featured. Joseph Hoffman, Karen de Wolf, and Robert Chapin wrote the screen play from the original story by Dorothy Manney and Zena George, based on the characters created by Katherine Kavanaugh.