STATE THEATRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 October 1940, Page 2

STATE THEATRE

“LITTLE OLD NEW YORK.”

The boisterous town of the good old days, when cows roamed Fifth Avenue and a barmaid —or a lady—could win a man like Robert Fulton, are brought vividly to life on the screen in Darryl F. Zaiiuck’s production of “Little Old New York.” the 20th Cen-tury-Fox film, which was presented to a large audience at the State Theatre last night, with Alice Faye, Fred Mac Murray, Richard Greene, and Brenda Joyce heading a splendid cast. This robust, romantic drama casts Alice Faye in her most colourful role as the fiercy belle of the waterfront who fell headlong in love with handsome Robert Fulton —and went after him, while the whole brawling waterfront cheered her on. Mac Murray is seen as the .burly shipbuilder engaged to build the Clermont, after Fulton’s model for the first steamboat; Greene is seen as the dashing inventor himself; and blonde Brenda Joyce has the role of the lovely girl who loved him, helped him to attain his dream in the face of ridicule, and who later became his wife. Others’ prominently featured in the cast are Andy Devine, Henry Stephenson, and Fritz Feld. Directed by Henry King, “Little Old New York” offers the most spectacular production of the pro-ducer-director combination which gave to the screen such unforgettable films as “In Old Chicago,” "Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” “Stanley and Livingstone,” and “Jesse James.” Before the actual filming of “Little Old New York” began, the director, his assistant, and a camera crew spent a few weeks in the east photographing old New York backgrounds and scenes along the Hudson for the production. They also did a vast amount of research on the history of the town and the career of Robert Fulton.

A strong programme of supports includes close-up shots of the British Fleet putting the Italian fleet to flight, after having seriously damaged enemy vessels, and variety of other interesting pictures.