STATE THEATRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 April 1939, Page 2

STATE THEATRE

“THE YOUNG IN HEART.” The chief feature at the State Theatre tonight will be “The Young in Heart.” However much one may grumble at the shortcomings of films in general, there is no doubt that production is becoming more and more sophisticated. “The Young in Heart” is a measure of that. Five years ago, a story of the type would have been treated as a sort of sentimental spree, sending audiences out into the street with handkerchiefs to eyes. But the present Selznick picture emerges as a gay comedy, with some overtones of tender emotion. In places, the score is witty, too. A fantastic arrangement of Chopin’s “Funeral March” accompanies Roland Young’s reluctant advance down a corridor to take up his first job. He sells cars, which go by the trade name of the Wombat. Every time a Wombat appears on the screen, a twisted version of “The Ride of the Valkyrie” is heard. Mr Young and Douglas Fairbanks Junr., as a ne’er-do-well father and son, have some dialogues of fantastic funniness—sheer flimsy nonsense, which they convey to the audience in brilliant style. For instance, they peer over a wall, and, while watching some workmen excavating with a steam shovel, they allow this sight to lead them into a mock philosophical discussion. o>i the problems of life and labour, ’as though they were idly observing an ant heap. Roland-Young is a magnificent comedian; and this character of spurious

gentility gives him great scope for drollery. Billie Burke is more attractively feather-brained than ever; and that is saying a good deal. Mr Fairbanks, Janet Gaynor, Paule’tte Goddard, and-Richard Carlson make an appealingly droll quartet of young people. Two people are outstanding in “The Cowboy and the Lady.” One is the star, Gary Cooper, and the other is the veteran, Harry Davenport, who produces his glorious “jitter-bug" act. A particularly successful scene in,this decidedly light entertainment is where the sentimental cowboy, having married the lady, is expecting her to arrive at the ranch. Like so many of Gary Cooper’s films, this release may be described as a triumph of personality.