MIRTH AT THE PLAZA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 45, 23 February 1939, Page 5

MIRTH AT THE PLAZA

“THE COWBOY AND THE LADY” SPARKLING COMEDY ROMANCE The first of the new season's pictures from United Artists is "The Cowboy and the Lady,” which was produced by Samuel Goldwyn, who has in the past provided many of the screen’s finest achievements. It is a romantic love story richly endowed by the presence of two first-class cinema stars, Gary Cooper and Merle Oberon, and is to commence screening at the Plaza Theatre to-morrow. All who love pictures embellished by a strong dramatic story, sparkling with comedy, top-notch acting, beautiful settings, splendid direction, and bright dialogues, will find this new Goldwyn production highly entertaining. Against the lavish setting of Washington drawing-rooms and Florida mansions, contrasted with the pictorial beauty of the western plains, “The Cowboy and the Lady” unfolds a heartily-told story of the debutante daughter of a Senator, played by Merle Oberon, who is whisked summarily away to bask on the Florida sands while a night-club scandal is brewing in which she is involved. Becoming bored with the conventions and restrictions of a socialite’s existence, she goes out on a “blind date" with her maid and cook. The feminine trio land at a rodeo show, and there Merle is paired with bronzed and robust Gary Cooper, appearing as a cowboy hero of the golden west. The romance between the two is spiced with comedy and farce, and gallops ?n to an unexpected climax. Cooper, as the strong, silent type of hero, who drily sees through the sham and glit,er of so-called cafe society, returns to .he kind of role which first made him :amous. Back in a ten-gallon hat, ligh-heeled boots, dungarees and roll-zour-owns, he turns in his most stiring and dynamic performance to iate. Merle Oberon, cast as a gay md witty modern of the upper crust, nriches her role with fine timing and i beautiful sense of comedy. The econd leads are capably played by ’atsy Kelly and Walter Brennan, who urn in some excellent comedy scenes, ’he story, penned by the practised ands of S. N. Behrman and Sonya ■evien, moves along at a gay and apid pace, and the authors have oven into their script strong emoonal scenes of compelling and tnovig drama.

Charles Winninger Again. Plans for production of Deanna Durbin’s new starring vehicle, “Three Smart Girls Grow Up,” are being speeded with the return to Universal City of the producer, Joe Pasternak. Simultaneous with Pasternak’s return from New York City, it was announced that Charles Winninger had been cast to re-enact the role ot father which he played in the original “Three Smart Girls.” Nan Grey and Helen Parrish have been definitely set in the sister roles, with Miss Parrish in the part originally played by Barbara Read. Henry Koster, who scored a sensational success with lhe original production, will direct. “Three Smart Girls Grow Up.”

Fay Bainter. Columbia has signed Fay Bainter well-known stage and screen actress to play the name role in “Old Mrs. Leonard and Her Machine-guns,” which will be placed in work in the near future, with Ben Stoloff directing. The script is by Richard Mailbaum and Gertrude Percell, from the original story by George Bradshaw and Price Day. Fred Kohlmar is the producer. Miss Bainter, who for many years, has been a successful Broadway player, began he screen career with “Quality Street.” Her latest film, In which she is featured, is “Jezebel,” and just prior to that in “Mother Carey’s Chickens.” Her last stage success was the Broadway production of “Dodsworth,” in support of Walter Huston, with whom she later toured in the same play. * * * * Britishers on Broadway. British actors are popular on Broadway, New York. During recent months no fewer than three were starred in current production* - Robert Morley in “Oscar Wilde" (by the brothers, Leslie and Sewell Stokes); Raymond Massey in “Abe Lincoln in Illinois” (Robert Sherwood's work) (the first production of the Playwrights' Company, Maxwell Anderson, S. N. Behrman, Sidney ; Howard, Elmer Rice and Robert E. Sherwood, who last season decided to form an independent producing unit): and Maurice Evans in “Hamlet.” The Wilde play dealt with the downfall of the famous man; the Lincoln play was an episode story of Lincoln from his early Ann Rutledge days to his selection as President; and the Shakespearian tra gedy was the first uncut Hamlet New York had seen. It negan at 6.30 each night, with a half-hour intermission for dinner.