ENTERTAINMENTS

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20743, 1 March 1939, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS

| CURRENT PROGRAMMES BTATE THEATRE There is no more popular character on the screen than Charlie Chan, and in “Charlie Chan at the Race Track” he is seen at his best. It is a mystery of what has been called the sport of kings, in which the Oriental detective comes to grips with some desperate criminals. Warner Gland acts convincingly as Charlie Chan, and utters ; the quaint Chinese proverbs in very ! amusing, fashion. He is supported by !a very strong cast, including Keye | Luke (the clever Chinese actor), i Helen Wood. Thomas Beck and Alan | Rinehart. The film is very entertainI ing. with ils mixture of thrills, romance and humour. i “ White Hunter” is a film of a | totally different kind, but equally exciting. It. is a tale of adventure, by which the tense interest of the audience is held throughout. Popular Warner Baxter has one of his most attractive roles, and .Tunc Lang and Gail Patrick give good support. The outdoor scenes are particularly effective. REGENT TKEATRE Timely in its theme, entertaining in its presentation, refreshing in its adult characterisations, “Woman Against Woman” offers telling and amusing sidelights on the divorce problem. A picturisation of Margaret Culkin Banning’s story, “Enemy Territory.” the film relates the story of a husband (Herbert Marshall) who takes his second wife Virginia Bruce') to his home town, where his first wife (Mary As tor) and child (Juanita j Quigley' still live. In the hands of this skilled trio the story is deftly woven, with Mr Marshall drawing a compelling portrait of the husband who finds the happiness of his second marriage threatened with disaster. Miss Bruce, as the second wife, who has the courage to see the problem through, shows herself a fine actress. Miss Astor, in an unsympathetic role, is equally effective. CIVIC TMEATRF “The Adventures of Robin Hood” is a very fine film in colour, with Errol Flynn in the title role and j Olivia de Havilland as Maid | Marian. Other important roles j are filled by Claude Rains as the I treacherous Prince John, Basil Rathbone as villainous Sir Guy, lan Hunter as King Richard, and Patric Knowles and Alan Hale as outlaws. The story is filled with breathless adventure, mighty men and mightier deeds, and lovely ladies. Robin Hood lived, according to the legends, at the end of a century of adventure that has no equal in history or fUdion. 1 Richard the Lion Hearted was King of England, but was absent for long periods while he led his knights to the Crusades. leaving his villainous brother John in charge of his throne. It ws the era of the joust, of the lance and sword and the bow and arrow, of rough fun and rougher warfare, and of men who fought magnificently. THEATRE ROYAL “Let’s Make a Million” is a very amusing story, in which Edward Everett Horton and the famous “Pixilated Sisters” are again seen together. The story deals with the bonus given lo veterans of the World War and what one man did with his. The mart in this case was Horton. He wanted to use it to bolster up his business and to use the surplus to get married to charming Charlotte Wynters, who plays the role of his secretary. The famous pixilated pair (Margaret Seddon and Margaret McWade) have other ideas on the subject, but after a series of hilarious goings-on, which brings the whole local American Legion Post into the picture, together with a pair of stock swindlers and a “deadhead” oil well, Horton finds himself richer than he even thought he could be. “King of Gamblers,” an exciting drama, has a cast including Claire Trevor, Lloyd Nolan and Akim Tamiroff. ROXY THEATRE “Carefree,” featuring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, and “Checkers,” with Jane Withers leading the funmakers, will be screened to-night. Melody, comedy, romance and dances form the basis of “Carefree,” the new musical hit reuniting Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. A group of Irving Berlin tunes and lyrics; a cleverly contrived romantic triangle of a psychiatrist, an actress and a lawyer; some of the funniest situations the screen has presented in recent months and four sensational dance routines are woven into a spectacular film. In “Checkers” Jane Withers is at her uproarious best. Stuart Erwin and Una Merkel are featured in romantic roles and Marvin Stephens plays Jane’s first screen “crush.” As a slick horsetrader Stuart has been courting Una for seven years, and exciting and amusing things happen.