STATE THEATRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 December 1940, Page 2

STATE THEATRE

“ONE CROWDED NIGHT.” The programme tonight will be headed by that outstanding ing mystery drama, “One Crowded "Night.” “One Crowded Night,” deals with the happenings at a roadside lunch bar and tourist cabin rendezvous which stands on one of the trans-Ame-rican bus routes. The proprietors of the hostelry are the members of a respectable small-town family who have more or less run away from their home to escape from the wagging tongues of their neighbours. A son of the family has been imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, and rather than face the whisperings which followed his arrest the whole of the Mathews family migrated and are now trying to make a decent living out of catering for the tourists who pass by. There are several stories tied up in the main theme and each one is interesting and individual. There is Billie, who has left a 'questionable past to make good as the assistant at the lunch bar; there is Anne, who has hopes of the gay life, and who finds happiness in quite a different sphere; there are ma and pa, bravely trying not to regret their quiet existence of former years; there is the pretty passenger in the through bus who is overtaken by illness and has to be cared for by the family. And, above all, there-is Brother Joseph, the .Mahatma medicine man. The whole story works up to an exciting climax when guns play a prominent part. J. M. Kerrigan, as Brother Joseph, “the last of the individualists,” steals most of the scenes, but he is ably supported by Billie Seward,; Gale Storm, Dick Hogan and many others.

“LONDON CAN TAKE IT.” On Friday night the outstanding picture issued by the British Ministry of Information entitled “London Can Take It,” will be shown. It is a most inspiring picture dealing with the bombardment of London. The picture, whi”h has come by air mail, is the most outstanding war picture yet shown at the State Theatre, and its value is enhanced by the fact that it bears the stamp of British officialdom, thereby guaranteeing its genuiheness. This graphic film is sure to be greatly appreciated because of its inspiring message of British pluck find endurance. The big programme on Friday night will also, include a “March of Time,” dealing with America and Japan and the Pacific crisis.