ENTERTAINMENTS

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20992, 20 December 1939, Page 4

ENTERTAINMENTS

TO=NIGHT’S PROGRAMMES

THEATRE ROYAL “The Dominant Sex,” screen version of Michael Egan's record-breaking play, features Phillips Holmes and Diana Churchill. Women all over the vorld will sympathise with Angela Shale, the young wife who starts her married life intending to keep the independence of her single days and who finds herself in perpetual conflict with her husband as the result. Men will understand the problem of the young husband, Dick, who, hankered after an old-fashioned wife, a real home, and a baby. Brilliant with the pace of a fast game of ice hockey, “Idol of the Crowds,” features John Wayne and Sheila Bromley. The highlight of the picture reveals two evenly matched ice hockey teams battling in the rink at Madison Square Garden. CIVIC THEATRE “The Adventures of Robin Hood* 1 will commence a return season tonight. This spectacular story of adventure, bringing the great British hero to life on the screen, maizes a tremendous appeal to an audience. It is full of thrills, romance and humour, and holds the tense interest of the onlooker throughout. Errol Flynn makes an ideal Robin Hood, and opposite him is beautiful Olivia de Havilland. Excellent character studies come from Basil Rathbone and Claude Raines. The film is in beautiful technicolour, which adds to its attractiveness. “THE SISTERS” “The Sisters,” adapted for the screen from Myron Brinig’s bestselling novel of the same name and co-starring Bette Davis and Errol Flynn, will be screened on Friday, with two special sessions—B p.m. and 10.30 p.m. It not only recreates a period that is well-remembered by everyone above the age of 35 to-day but it ranges from a little town in Montana to San Francisco, New York and London. ROXY THEATRE Most horrible inheritance in history, a man-made, destructive monster, is handed down to Basil Rathbone as title player in the new dramatic shocker, “Son of Frankenstein.” Boris Karloff re-creates his monster characterisation of “Frankenstein” and the “Bride of Frankenstein,” and Bela Lugosi is teamed with him as a broken-necked, maddened shepherd. Josephine Hutchinson is the girl in the case. Bobby Howes, the musical comedy star, and Jean Gillie, the beautiful English film actress, are the madcap stars of “Sweet Devil.” The story concerns the calf-love of a pretty typist (Jean Gillie) for her rather pompous employer (William Kendall), and the dilemma into which she gets when his harum-scarum partner (Bobby Howes) comes along and captures her heart. REGENT THEATRE “Clouds Over Europe” is as much a comedy as a topical spy drama, with Ralph Richardson playing the outstanding role of his career. As the Scotland Yard sleuth he is perfect. Whilst the film deals basically with the burden of Empire, it highlights the activities of a humorous Secret Service investigator, who alone in the United Kingdom believes that there is something more than mere coincidence in the disappearance over a year’s span of four bombing ’planes on trial flights to test secret War Department apparatus. Since no one else takes him seriously, though Major Hammond soon stops taking himself that way, the picture follows suit. There is excitement enough—what with enemy agents operating a motor-disabling ray from a camouflaged trawler, and with Laurence Olivier and his captive pilots making a bold dash for freedom, and with one of His Majesty’s destroyers steaming to the rescue. STATE THEATRE “Melody For Two” is a sparkling comedy, with an unusual theme. It has nothing to do with the theatre or the usual backstage stuff. Its theme is the stiff competition that exists between musical organisations and individual performers whose works are heard on the radio—the competition being especially keen when it comes to trying 1 for the well-paid spots on the big national networks. Patricia Ellis is the lovely girl who helps James Melton and his organisation to victory. Patricia reveals for the first time that she can sing as well as act. Winifred Shaw’s husky contralto voice is familiar to all picture-goers as the one that made famous such numbers as “Lullaby of Broadway” and “The Lady in Red.”

“Sally of the Regiment” comprises thrills, humour and romance very entertainingly. Anna Lee and Wallace Ford head the strong cast.