REGENT THEATRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 June 1939, Page 2

REGENT THEATRE

“IF I WERE KING." A romantic rogue from the Paris underworld becomes ruler of France because he killed one of the King’s enemies in a street brawl, makes love to a haughty princess in defiance of royal authority, rallies the half-starved people of Paris to the defence of a king who has all but forgotten them, and drives a powerful enemy from the very gates of the city in Paramount’s “If I Were King,” Frank Lloyd’s glorious story of Francois Villon, which will be shown tonight at the Regent Theatre. Ronald Colman, in the most romantic role he has ever played, will be seen as France’s great medieval hero whose verse caused the proudest hearts in the realm to flutter and whose courage rallied the Paris populace into battle against the Duke of Burgundy. His sweetheart is Frances Dee. star of “Wells Fargo,” Frank Lloyd’s brilliant production of a season -ago. It took the producer-director Frank Lloyd only five minutes to decide upon the man he wanted for the role of King Louis XI of France in “If I Were King.” There was only one actor in all Hollywood for the part of the cynical and eccentric monarch, and that was Basil Rathbone. Rathbone, who curled up his moustache and went to work as the chief menace in “Marco Polo” and “Tovarich,” now has a role in which the villain and sympathetic character are peculiarly mixed. This famous character actor was born in South Africa and began his theatrical career in Shakespearean roles, his best known being that of “Romeo” in “Romeo and Juliet.” A really fine supporting programme includes: “Moments of Charm,” a musical classic in glorious technicolour. featuring Phil Spitalny and his all-girl orchestra; a Popeye cartoon entitled “Goonland;” a Paramount Pictorial, with items of charm and interest, and the latest Newsreels. There will be a matinee on Monday afternoon.