STATE THEATRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 August 1940, Page 2

STATE THEATRE

A DOUBLE PROGRAMME. The splendid double programme at the State Theatre will be finally shown tonight. The first feature is “The Man Who Wouldn’t Talk.” This 20th Cen-tury-Fox film is an unusual, powerful drama that holds one spellbound from the moment the strange central character comes on the screen until the final dramatic denouement. “Free, Blonde and 21” is the other feature and this absorbing 20th Century-Fox drama is brimful of love, laughter and excitement. Joan Davis adds her very special brand of comedy as the hotel maid and Chick Chandler is her taxidriver boy friend. “AN ENGLISHMAN’S HOME” Tomorrow night there will be shown that outstanding picture “An Englishman’s Home.” A thrilling spy drama. “An Englishman’s Home,” was adapted from the play by Guy du Maurier, which was originally written to warn England of the perils of unpreparedness. As a play “An Englishman's Home” was first banned on the ground that the invaders might be identified with the Germans. Special uniforms were invented, and the play was put on and accepted as “being worth more in the cause of national service than all the speeches ever made.” In Berlin it was hissed off the stage. The story of “An Englishman’s Home” deals with the typical Englishman (Edmund Gwenn) who is firmly convinced that all these ridiculous war preparations are so much waste of good money. Unwittingly, however, his home harbours an enemy spy. Betty Brown (Mary Maguire), his impressionable young daughter, completely falls in love with the spy, with whom she arranges to elope. Meanwhile, whilst the Brown family are celebrating the old man’s birthday, the spy receives his brders. The swift capture of the house by armed parachutists dropped from enemy planes, the unmasking of the spy, the murder of old Brown, the escape of Betty’s fiancee and his dash to his army unit, the British air fleet warned, the destruction of the Brown’s home with its radio and the confusion of the enemy attacking London, and the final view of the armed might of Great Britain, lift the picture to a terrific climax. The distinguishing virtue of “An Englishman’s Home” is that, in addition to being highly acceptable propaganda, it is at the same time an example of first-rate entertainment. This is due solely to the delightful performances of a well chosen cast. Edmund Gwenn (of “The Good Companions”) offers an incomparable picture of a typical Englishman. Mary Maguire is his daughter, and others in the cast include Geoffrey Toone, Richard Ainley and Paul von Henried. "An Englishman’s Home” is a timely offering and a thrilling contribution to our patriotic effort.