ENTERTAINMENT

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21231, 30 September 1940, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENT

TONIGHT’S PROGRAMMES CIVIC THEATRE Telling of the farcical experiences of a man who becomes an unintentional bigamist, “My Favourite Wife,” is grand entertainment for those who like their comedies to be of the ultra-sophisticated type. Cary Grant and Irene Dunne, the comedy team of “The Awful Truth,” give all that might be expected of them, Grant endeavouring vainly to explain to his “bride” why their honeymoon is being indefinitely postponed while his wife in the next room plans busily as to how she may persuade her husband that the seven years she spent on a lonely tropical island with a virile specimen of manhood (played by Randolph Scott) were entirely blameless ones. The complications of the plot turn out to be so mirthprovoking that the audience is kept in hilarious mood.

ROXY THEATRE “Rulers of the Sea” is a tensely interesting story of the first voyage across the Atlantic of a steam-driven vessel, and the difficulties of an engineer in his struggles to prove that it can be done. Will Fyffe gives a great performance as the engineer, a visionary but a practical man, too. Douglas Fairbanks, as the man who believed in him and loved his daughter, also scores a great success, and the rest of the cast give good support. Adventure, thrills, romance and humour are provided in the film. “Public Cowboy No. 1” is a stirring story of the West, with all its life, colour and thrills. Gene Autry fills the title role perfectly, and sings delightfully. Opposite him is charming Ann Rutherford “Blue Danube Waltzes,” played by the National Philharmonic Orchestra, is also screened. STATE THEATRE Picture-goers will doubtless recall the thrills of a picture released several years ago called “Dr. X.” It dealt with the infamous exploits of Dr. Maurice Xavier, who eventually got his deserts in the electric chair. Now, in “The Return of Dr. X.,” Doctor Xavier has been brought back to life—if you can call it living when a person, brought back from the grave, goes around ghoulishly murdering people and draining their bodies of blood in order to maintain the spark of existence in his own being. Picturing the hilarious adventures of a travelling salesman and a runaway heiress in a story which blends music with gay romance, “Oh, Johnny, How Yon Can Love” is very entertaining. Tom Brown and Peggy Moran carry the love interest. THEATRE ROYAL “Hopalong Cassidy,” adventureloving range hero of the West learns how life is lived in the cattle country five thousands miles South, in romantic Argentine, in his action thriller, “Law of the Pampas.” This picture, which features William Boyd as “Hoppy,” is the first of the group to be set far from the home corral. Four songs are introduced — “Habanero,” “Rosita,” “Los Gauchos,” and “La Jornada.” When a young man’s fancy turns to romance, he has apparently, as the old adage suggests, reached the age of seventeen. Such a young man is portrayed by Jackie Cooper in “Seventeen,” Booth Tarkington’s famous classic.

REGENT THEATRE A couple of fellows daub themselves with paint so that they can get something to eat at a native feast in the South Seas town of Kaigoon, and the most amusing and exciting things happen in “The Road to Singapore,” with Bing Crosby, Dorothy Lamour and Bob Hope in the starring roles, and a supporting cast headed by Charles Coburn, Judith Barrett, Anthony Quinn and Jerry Colonna. The two lads who don the paint are, of course, Bing Crosby and Bob Hope, who spend their time in the picture basking in the tropics where they hope—yes, they really do!—to avoid matrimony. But, of course, when Bing gets a chance to croon to Miss Lamour and Bob can keep her amused, the boys are soon off on the wrong track again. All the trekking down to the land of Goona-Goona comes about when Bing and Bob get back in port after a voyage on one of Bing’s father’s boats. Then there is the trouble with Bing’s father (Charles Coburn), and his fiancee (Judith Barrett), who think that he should settle down. The climax is a very amusing one.