STATE THEATRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 March 1939, Page 2

STATE THEATRE

“STRAIGHT, PLACE AND SHOW.” RITZ BROS. ATTRACTION. The great attraction at the State Theatre tonight will be “Straight, Place and Show,” the Ritz Brothers’ latest comedy. Richard Arlen plays the apex of an attractive triangle— Ethel Merman keeps singing her songs to Dick and they keep reminding him of Phyllis Brooks. The Ritzes take charge of the romance and things soon get completely out of hand. The role of a millionaire sportsman in “Straight, Place and Show” is no out-of-the-or-dinary portrayal for Arlen, even though his recent screen appearances have been on the open ranges of the wide West. In his more than 70 Hollywood productions Arlen has played roles varying from a Chinese coolie to a South American engineer. He found his greatest change in that he had to hate horses for the new rolei He is engaged to Phyllis Brooks, who is such a rabid horse-fancier that Arlen plays second-fiddle to her stable pets. Exasperated by this state of affairs, he offers his fiancee a wager. If her favourite mount, Playboy, wins no races within three months she must give up horses. If he does win, then, says Dick, “I will build a stable off the bedroom!” Playboy loses; and here is where the Ritzes come in. Arlen presents the horse to them and the fun begins. Phyllis breaks off her engagement to Arlen and tries to buy Playboy. But the Ritzes have promised not to sell him. In order to raise the entry fee, and incidentally to insure Playboy’s winning, the Ritzes engage in some tall and hilarious promoting on the eve of the big race, getting themselves involved with what Runyon would call some very desperate characters indeed.