STATE THEATRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 May 1939, Page 2

STATE THEATRE

“TRADE WINDS.” “Trade Winds” will be finally shown tonight at the State Theatre. “HOLD THAT CO-ED.” If you can imagine John Barrymore as a budget-bouncing, co-ed-chasing governor who mixes good football with bad statecraft, you will begin to get a rough idea of the uproarious nature of “Hold That Co-ed,” with George Murphy, Marjorie Weaver, Joan Davis and Jack Haley all contributing generously to what is probably the funniest comedy of recent months. Although they do not call it a musical, 20th Century-Fox has liberally punctuated the hilarious proceedings with several lively new songs. For those who understand American football there are some of the most exciting gridiron sequences ever screened. And for those who don’t there is Joan Davis—who turns out to be the world’s best goal-kicker and, as far as we know, the only female fullback in existence! In the story of “Hold That Co-ed” Barrymoe appropriates 10,000,000 dollars of the taxpayers’ money to build up the state university—and particularly, its football team, the idea being that a winning team will bring him trmendous publicity for his 'forthcoming election campaign. When Coach George Murphy protests that there ish’t good enough material for a big-league team, Barrymore promptly hires two man-mountain wrestlers to bolster up the line and then adds Joan Davis, who holds a long distance record for drop-kicking, to the backfield for good measure. The team is, of course, sensational. Besides those mentioned, the cast includes George Barbier, Ruth Terry, Donald Meek and Johnny Downs —all excellent in supporting roles.

“While New York Sleeps,” the other attraction provides many thrills and chuckles, in which Michael Whalen and Chick Chandler take a leading part. They find themselves involved in an exciting murder mystery and, in the course of their efforts to track down the culprit .they get ahead of themselves and plant the police on their own trail by solving the murder before it is committed. But the “victim” proves accommodating that way and manages to get himself murdered a second time. The entire cast, which also includes Robert Kellard, Joan Woodbury and Mai’c Lawrence, turn in excellent performances. Tomorrow night there will be a benefit given in connection with the flood lighting of the Memorial Park.