ENTERTAINMENTS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21204, 29 August 1940, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS

TONIGHT’S PROGRAMMES

STATE THEATRE “Hot Water” brings back the popular Jones Family. When Shirley Deane leaves for the big city to buy her trousseau for her forthcoming wedding, the house seems rather empty despite all the rest of the Joneses still being very much in evidence, and Dad gets an attack of community spirit, with exciting results. A modern Svengali, whose hypnotic powers make a sensational bareback rider of a timid young man who is afraid of horses, motivates much of the hilarious action in “I’m From the City,” Joe Penner’s comedy vehicle. The circus big-top is the background for the early action of this film in which Penner is seen as the mesmerised star equestrian. THEATRE ROYAL “Prison Break” is a thrilling drama based on the struggles of a paroled convict to rehabilitate himself. Barton Mac Lane is seen as the unfortunate man who endeavours to “go straight” while the forces of society seem to conspire to prevent him from earning an honest living. “The Rage of Paris” presents the petite Danielle Darrieux as a little French girl who lands in New York, broke and jobless and takes a job posing in the nude for a famous artist. But in her excitement at landing a job she snatches up the wrong address, with amusing results “THE OLD BARN DANCE” “The Old Barn Dance,” with the singing cowboy, Gene Autry, heading the cast, will be screened tomorrow. REGENT THEATRE “Broadway Melody of 1940,” starring Fred Astaire and Eleanor Pcfrell contains such leavening of comedy and by-play that the dancing and other spectacle sequences are splendidly tied together. Frank Morgan plays a heroic role in this respect, and is ably aided by George Murphy, lan Hunter, Florence Rice, and Lynne Carver. The dancing of Mr Astaire and Miss Powell, however, is the film’s feature—that and the singing of Cole Porter’s songs “Begin the Beguine,” “Please Don’t Monkey With Broadway,” “Between You and Me,” “I’ve Got My Eyes on You,” and “I Concentrate on You.” MR SMITH AT WASHINGTON “Mr Smith Goes to Washington,” with Jean Arthur, James Stewart. Claude Rains and Edward Arnold, will be screened tomorrow. CIVIC THEATRE “Invisible Stripes” is a very strong drama, with interesting dialogue and intriguing situations, and holds the tense interest of the audience from the first reel to the last. The “invisible stripes” of the title are very powerful and the working out of the unusual theme, and the development to the thrilling climax keep the audience “guessing.” George Raft can always be depended upon for excellent work, and in this story he gives his best. William Holden and Humphrey Bogart, two other gifted players, also have prominent parts and fill them capably. “SWANEE RIVER” “Swanee River,” popular old song, forms the basis of a colourful story of minstrels and river boats, with Don Ameche and Andrea Leeds in the leading roles. It will be screened tomorrow. ROXY THEATRE Johnny Weismuller and Maureen O’Sullivan have the leads In “Tarzan Finds a Son,” which deals with the finding of a baby in a plane, wrecked in the jungle. Tarzan and Jane adopt and rear it. A safari penetrates the jungle in search of traces of the plane to clear up a legacy and the child becomes the object of a plot by heirs who do not wish the youngster’s existence known. When the party is captured by savages and brought to a torture chamber Jane helps the boy to escape to summon Tarzan who arrives with his chimpanzee and elephant cavalry. “Stronger Than Desire,” is a combination of happy married life, legal intrigue, a blackmail plot growing out of a flirtation, and a murder mystery. “THE BEACHCOMBER” “The Beachcomber,” featuring Charles Laughton, and “Little Accident,” witV Baby Sandy, will be screened tomorrow.