REGENT THEATRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 December 1939, Page 2

REGENT THEATRE

“ICE FOLLIES OF 1939.” There was a large audience at the Regent Theatre last night when an excellent bill of fare was presented. Brilliantly presented the audience thrilled to the spectacular “Ice Follies of 1939,” a picture that has everything to recommend it. There are breathtakingly beautiful technicolour skating scenes for those who like pageantry in the films; a story with a Hollywood background and intimate glimpses into studio life; original songs destined to become popular. “The Ice Follies of 193.9,” deals with the story of a team of fancy skaters, portrayed by James Stewart and Lew Ayres. When Stewart marries Joan Crawford and adds her to the double act, trouble ensues. The loss of a job in a skating rink causes the girl to seek employment on her own and because of her unusual voice she.lands a film contract and signs it before she notices the “no marriage” clause buried in the legal terms. The three finally drift apart, Stewart to seek backing for his dream of staging an Ice Follies, Ayres to one night stands in skating rinks, and Miss Crawford to film stardom. Some of its elaborately staged numbers are in technicolour with the entire Ice Follies troupe participating. Among them are an Indian phantasy, a circus ballet, specialty performances and an elaborate finale of a Mother Goose fairy tale with Joan Crawford as Cinderella, Bess Ehrhardt as the Fairy Princess and Roy Shipstad as the Prince. “The Ice Follies of 1939" contains the happy combination of plot, extravaganza, and some of the best tunes to come out of Hollywood this season. It features Joan Crawford in the type of role which sky-rocketed her to screen fame, and in addition introduces her to audiences as a new find in. film songstresses. An outstanding array of supporting featurettes, include a beautiful Fitzpatrick travelogue, an extraordinarily interesting record of the work of Father Damien amongst the lepers of Malo Kai Island, Pete Smith on amateur broadcasters, and the latest Air Mail News.