STATE THEATRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 April 1939, Page 2

STATE THEATRE

“CHARLIE CHAN IN HONOLULU.” The attraction at the State Theatre tonight will be “Charlie Chan at Honolulu,” marking the first appearance of Sidney Toler in the role of Earl Derr Biggers’ famous Oriental sleuth. A veteran of long experience on both stage and screen, Mr Toler, you will doubtlessly recall, was selected to play the popular character only after an intensive search that required months of patient effort, interviews with many of the leading names of films and the theatre, and literally scores of screen tests. The final choice, it may be said, could not have"been better. Toler, resembling the popular conception of the detective to a remarkable degree, nevertheless imbues the role with his own personality. The Chan witticisms fall easily from his lips and, in the enthusiastic appreciation of the audience, it is easily recognisable that 20th Century-Fox has found an able actor to carry on the great film tradition of Charlie Chan's adventures. “Charlie Chan in Honolulu,” presents a challenge to Chan in his own home town—an audacious killer daring to strike almost on the sleuth's very doorstep. While Chan is visiting a daughter at the hospital, where she is shortly to present the sleuth with his first grandson, a call comes to Charlie’s home: a man has been murdered on a boat in the harbour. Then follows thrilling scenes. Phyllis Brooks. Sen Yung. Eddie Collins, John King, Claire Dodd, George Zucco, Robert Barrat and Marc Lawrence are featured in the cast surrounding Toler. Collins in particular merits mention for several convulsing comedy scenes. It, must, be very quiet in Maryville these days. Maryville is, of course that average little American town which is known all over the world at the home of the Jones Family. And the reason il must be pretty quiet there .in: i now is because the Joneses arc spending a fortnight in the country. Things ill be anything but quiet, however. on Hie screen of the Slate Theatre tonight, '..liei-e '-Down on the Farm" will reveal thai even in the comparative tranquillity of the bucolic life, the Joneses can somehow manage 1o stir up more trouble and c-xi-i lenient than all your neighbours put together! This is the eleventh picture in doth CenturyFox's popular Jones Family series and it's undoubtedly their best. 1