STATE THEATRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 May 1941, Page 2

STATE THEATRE

“TIN PAN ALLEY.” Stirring with romance, laughter, memories and melodies of the unbelievable street that makes the whole world sing, “Tin Pan Alley,” 20th Century-Fox film which stars Alice Faye and Betty Grable, opens tonight at the State Theatre. Jack Oakie and John Payne head a great featured cast of topnotch entertainment-makers, which include Allen Jenkins, Esther Ralston, the Nicholas Brothers dusky dancing stars, and Ben (Shadrach) Carter. With some of America's greatest popular song writers of yesterday and today contributing their best and biggest hits, “Tin Pan Alley” is said to surpass any musical since “Alexander’s Ragtime-Band.” Briefly, “Tin Pan Alley” narrates the experiences of two shoestring song publishers, Jack Oakie and John Payne, whose songs achieve prominence after Alice Faye sings them. Alice and John fall madly in love but a split comes when he pays more attention to his songs than to lovely Alice. They are rejoined in London, however, when war is declared. Paced at a rapid tempo and set in a background of those stirring years of strife, “Tin Pan Alley” smashes into a thrill-packed finale which climaxes its sweeping drama. With the whole cast turning in grand performances, “Tin Pan Alley” is a not-to-be-missed screen treat.