REGENT THEATRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 March 1940, Page 2

REGENT THEATRE

“ON BORROWED TIME.” Celebrating his thirtieth anniversary in motion pictures with one of the outstanding characterisations of his career, Lionel Barrymore comes to the Regent Theatre tonight in the picturisa.tion of last season’s great Broadway stage success, “On Borrowed Time.” As the loveable, old, outspoken Gramp. Barrymore marks a new milestone in his amazing record. It is Gramp who desperately fights Death in order to prevent the young grandson he loves from falling into the hands of a scheming and unscrupulous aunt. That is the simple outline of the story which is full of warm humour and of thoughtprovoking and inspiring imagery. An exceptional cast surrounds Barrymore. In the role of the mysterious stranger, Mr Brink, personification of Death, is Sir Cedric Hardwicke, noted British stage and screen personality. The role of Pud falls to eight-year-old Bobs Watson, most talked-of youngster of the year. Beulah Bondi is the devoted Granny, Eily Malyon the hypocritical Aunt Demetria, Una Merkel the warmly human maid, Marcia. Entertainment highlights include the fishing escapades of Gramp and Pud in their old rattle-trap of a car, the humour of their first appearance together at church, the grim feud they wage with Aunt Demetria, the thrill of trapping Mr Brink in the apple tree. And, finally, there is the catch in the throat at tragedy, offset by shiny-eyed rapture at the disclosure that Death is not so fearsome a personality as he had first appeared. Splendid supports complete the programme.