STATE THEATRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 December 1940, Page 2

STATE THEATRE

“LILLIAN RUSSELL.” Alice Faye adds one more to her already formidable list of screen triumphs with her appearance in “Lillian Russell,” which will be finally screened tonight. It is a motion picture that brings out the strength of Hollywood, for “Lillian Russell” has everything. Drama, comedy, pathos, action, colour —all have been deftly blended to make a superb picture that will keep you absorbed and fascinated from start to finish. “Lillian Russell” revives many of the popular songs hits of her day.

“DANCE, GIRL, DANCE.” Adventures in the colourful life of a young Irish girl struggling for recognition and fame as a dancer, form the thematic basis of “Dance, Girl, Dance,” spectacular romantic drama of backstage life starring Maureen O’Hara, Louis Hayward and Lucille Ball, which will be presented tomorrow night. Vicki Baum wrote the original story. Miss O’Hara is cast as the dancer. Miss Ball plays a gold-digging chorine, while Haywood portrays a wealthy playboy who falls for Maureen, marries Lucille while on a spree, and then bounces back to his divorced wife, played by Virginia Field. In addition to the sterling performances of the three stars, the supporting cast, one of the best, includes Virginia Field as Louis Hayward’s society wife who divorces him (but when he is stampeded into marriage by the mercenary Lucille, she succeeds in getting him back); Ralph Bellamy as a dance impresario who finally discovers Muareen, brings her true love and a spectacular career; Mary Carlisle, Katharine Alexander,. Maria Ouspenskaya, Edward Brophy and Walter Abel, all of whom stand out prominently. Replete with lilting music and dances, this production presents in the course of its absorbing story a lavish ballet number featuring Maureen O’Hara, and two brilliant song-and-dance offerings by Lucille Ball to the music of “Mother, What Do I Do Now?” and “Jitterbug Bite.” Produced by Erich Bommer and directed by Dorothy Arzner for R.K.O. Radio, “Dance, Girl, Dance” includes in other important roles Ralph Bellamy, Mary Carlisle, Katharine Alexander, Edward Brophy, Walter Abel and Maria Ouspenskaya. There will be a series of splendid featurettes. This brilliant programme will be shown at 8 p.m. with a special late session commencing at 10.15 p.m.