ENTERTAINMENTS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21196, 20 August 1940, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS

TONIGHT’S PROGRAMMES | ~ STATE THEATRE Smith Ballew,.hard-riding, straightshooting, sweet-singing man of the range, gallops on to the screen in “Panamint’s Bad Man.” Unusual in many respects, not the least being that the story is credible, the roles well-played and the whole splendid entertainment, this new film dispenses with the threadbare pay-the- : mortgage-and-save-the-girl plot and ! introduces a brain-trust technique j that is a welcome change in favour I of thrilling open-air excitement. | The efforts of a fortune-hunting j society mother to wed her unwilling daughter to an ineffectual young j millionaire when the girl is deteri mined to marry a milkman, is amusj ingly depicted in the new romantic i comedy, “Maid’s Night Out,” in j which Joan Fontaine and. Allan Lane ' have the leading roles. REGENT THEATRE j Hazel Ascot, who at the ago of nine years is llie champion dancer | of England, heads the cast of “Talk- ' ing Feet,” a British picture which is ! proving to be an outstanding fav- | ourite with New Zealand picturef goers. Hazel not only dances peri fectly but is also able to sing and act i well. Among the supporting play- ! ers are such stars as Mark HamI bourg, William Heughan, Dave Bur- ; naby, Enid Stamp-Taylor, John ; Stuart, Jack Barty and Kenneth j Kove. Mark Hambourg is the famI ous pianist who toured New Zealand i some years ago. Pie presents a unique I mini-piano ensemble featuring him- | self and 14 clever juveniles. William ■ Heughan, the famous Scottish barii tone, is also well known to New Zealanders, and his number, “The MeetI ing of the Clan,” in which he is supported by the Seaforth Highlanders’ Band, is magnificent. The Three Cockney Comedians are responsible for much comedy, and the Eight Dancing Boys and the Dagenham Girl Pipers are champions at their art. THEATRE ROYAL The mysterious murder of one of his servants and the subsequent kidnapping of an English scientist, who has just discovered a formula for the manufacture of diamonds, set John Howard off on another exciting adventure in “Bulldog Drummond’s Peril.” Playing the role of the amateur detective once again, John Howard leaves his bride in order to track down leaders of the world’s most powerful diamond syndicate, who are resorting to desperate measures to protect their fortunes. Harold Lloyd, the bespectacled comedian, leads the funmaking in the amusing comedy, “Professor, Beware,” in which he plays the part of an absent-minded professor whose ability to get into trouble provides the chief, comedy in the new film. CIVIC THEATRE “Intermezzo,” featuring Leslie Howard and Ingrid Bergman, will be ! screened today. | “Intermezzo” tells the story of a ! great love that made a man forget j wife and child and seize happiness with a girl who had bewitched him. But it is not the usual “triangle” type of story, for the girl realises that the romance must end and her method of seeking a solution brings the story to a very dramatic climax. It is the story of a great artist enmeshed in human forces which engulf him. Special interest attaches to the film because of the outstanding cast—lngrid Bergman, a Swedish actress, who is very lovely, acts with distinction, and makes the part of the girl very appealing. Leslie Howard, whose work is always distinctive, is the artist, and gives one of the finest characterisations of his career. Edna Best completes the triangle, and, as usual, is very sincere. John Halliday and Cecil Kellaway are two other players who are prominent in the cast. “Intermezzo” will please all film-lovers. ROXY THEATRE “The Cat and the Canary,” an exciting thriller, and “Call a Messenger,” featuring the Dead End Kids, will be screened today. In the matter of transforming a | great mystery play to the screen—the j play in question being John Willard’s ; “The Cat and the Canary”—-the pro- | ducers have made every effort to ' make it the greatest comedy-mystery jof the year. Bob Hope, leading j screen, radio and stage comedian, is I seen in one of the starring roles, and j lovely Paulette Goddard plays the starring role opposite him. With Bob ; in the cast, there had to be plenty of j gags, and according to aIL reports, Bob is at his gagging best in this one. “Call A. Messenger.” which blends laughter, action and suspense, deals : with the adventures of a band of i street kids who go to work as mesI senger boys and make good in spite ; of themselves.