REGENT THEATRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 September 1939, Page 2

REGENT THEATRE

“THE GIRL DOWNSTAIRS.” Gay, whimsical comedy forms .the background for the romantic story of “The Girl Downstairs,” starring Franciska Gaal and Franchot Tone, which will be finally shown tonight. “HUCKLEBERRY FINN.” Huckleberry Finn, boy roamer of the Mississippi, goes through his amazing adventures, read by millions in Mark Twain’s sequel to “Tom Sawyer,” in the person of Mickey Rooney, in his first solo starring vehicle, which opens tomorrow at the Regent Theatre. An elaborate production was provided for “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” much of it filmed on the Sacramento River, which serves for the Mississippi in the picture. Richard j Thorpe, who directed “The Crowd Roars,” guided the production with a deft touch. Mickey is Huck Finn to the life. His character might have stepped direct from the pages of the book, which the pictures follows with fidelity. His attempts to aid a runaway slave to freedom; his adventures with the “King” and “Duke,” a pair of comical swindlers; the negro’s sacrifice of his own freedom to save the boy’s life; and the mad dash by steamerdown river to save the slave from a mob of lynchers are among the dramatic highlights, and the absurd “Romeo and Juliet” performance with Mickey as Juliet and Walter Connolly as Romeo, is the comedy peak. Connolly and William Frawley are the two swindlers of the story. Jim, the slave, is compellingly played by Rex Ingram, noted negro actor, who played “De Lawd” in “Green Pastures.” The heiresses whom Mickey saves from the swindlers are enacted by Lynne Carver and Jo Ann Sayers. Minor Watson plays Captain Brandy, the slave-run-ning steamer captain, and Elizabeth Risdon, Victor Killian, and Clara Blandick lend excellent supporting characterisations to the heart-warming story.