ENTERTAINMENTS

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20744, 2 March 1939, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

CURRENT PROGRAMMES ROXY THEATRE “Carefree” is a new musical hit I reuniting Fred Astaire and Ginger J 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 Hie screen has presented in recent months, and four sensational dance routines are woven into a spectacular film. It is all very entertaining, and will please admirers of the clever pair. “Checkers” provides melody, romance, humour and drama, with clever Jane Withers the centre of all the excitement. 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. THEATRE ROYAL “Let’s Make a Million,” deals in amusing and romantic fashion with the bonus given to veterans of the World War and what one man did with his. The man in this case was Edward Everett 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 ins secretary. The famous pixilated pair (Margaret Seddon and Margaret Me Wade) have other ideas on the subject and there is 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. “King of Gamblers,” an exciting drama, has a cast including Claire Trevor, Lloyd Nolan and Akim Tamiroff. “SINNERS IN PARADISE” “Sinners in Paradise,” which will head the new programme to-morrow, has a strong cast headed by Madge Evans and John Boles. CIVIC THEATRE Judging by the enthusiasm of the crowds which hav-e seen “The Adventures of Robin Hood” the film is very muclrto the popular taste. Photographed entirely in technicolour, it presents scenes that, for splendour and beauty, have rarely been equalled on the screen. The story, with its pageants, great banquets and feasting in the forest glades, lent itself to exploitation by the use of colour. Errol Flynn, in the title role, makes the famous hero of history and legend a vital personality. A word must be said for Frank Hill, the American archery expert, who does all the bow-and-arrow work for Flynn in the film. Some of his shooting is amazing, especially that at the contest for the golden arrow, where he splits the arrow of a rival into three pieces. Olivia de llavilland, as Maid Marian, Basil Rathbone, as Sir Guy de Gisbournc, and Claude Rains, as Prince John, are outstanding. STATE THEATRE “Charlie Chan at the Race Track” is a mystery story of what has been called the sport of kings, in whicn the Oriental detective comes to grips with some desperate criminals. Warner Oland acts convincingly as Charlie Chun, and utters the quaint Chinese proverbs in very amusing fashion, lie is supported by a very strong cast, including Keye Luke (the clever Chinese actor), Helen Wood, Thomas Beck and Alan Dinehart. The Him is very entertaining, with its mixture of thrills, romance and humour. “White Hunter” is a tale of adventure, by which the tense interest of the audience is held throughout. The scenes in the jungle are very thrilling, with their wild animals and narrow escapes. Popular Warner Baxter has one of his mosl attractive roles, and June Lang and Gail Patrick give good support. The outdoor scenes are particularly effective. REGENT THEATRE “Woman Against Woman” offers telling and amusing sidelights on the divorce problem. It relates the story of a husband (Herbert Marshall) who takes his second wife (Virginia Bruce) to his home town, where his first wife (Mary Astor) and child (Juanita 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 line actress. Miss Astor, in an unsympathetic role, is equally effective. “MARI E ANTOINETTE” “Marie Antoinette,” a spectacular production featuring Norma Shearer and Tyrone Power, will he screened on Saturday. It has caused something of a sensation elsewhere.