ENTERTAINMENTS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21280, 26 November 1940, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS

TONIGHT’S PROGRAMMES STATE THEATRE How a big city was cleared of its racketeers by honest investigators and prosecutors is the theme of ‘Missing Witnesses,” featuring John Litel, Dick Purcell and Jean Dale. Written by American police reporters who knew the underworld—Don Ryan and Kenneth Garnet—the picture is an authentic exposition of the terrifying process of getting out of the way witnesses who might testify damagingly against desperate criminals. “Fools For Scandal” is about an American film star who under an assumed name is seeing the sights of London and Paris. That, of course, is Carole Lombard. She meets with a Baron who likewise is travelling incognito and keeping secret his rank. And that is Fernandi Gravet. Plenty of fun follows. THEATRE ROYAL A young writer goes to Mexico in search of romance and finds more of it than he expects in “Tropic Holiday.” Ray Milland is the adven-ture-seeking writer, while Dorothy Lamour is the girl who makes him forget that any part of the world still exists north of the Rio Grande. Others with important parts include Bob Burns, Martha Raye and Binnie Barnes. Six songs have been written for the picture, including “The Lamp on the Corner,” “Tropic Night,” “Tonight Will Live,” and “My First Love.” Two young people, head over heels in love, are rescued from making the worst mistake of their lives by a sentimental old musician in “Stolen Heaven,” featuring Olympe Bradna and Gene Raymond. REGENT THEATRE George Formby let loose in a Nazi U-boat provides some hilarious scenes in “Gunner George.” The sure-fire hilarities of the popular George are shrewdly interwoven into this story of the Secret Service and Üboat nastiness. The whole thing is genial nonsense, of course, but put over with such vigour that it is the ideal stimulant for the times. While George sings a ' number of saucy songs to his own ukelele accompaniment, it is his knockabout exploits which really highlight the production. The climax is riotous comedy in the burlesque manner. • “Cavalcade of Academy Awards” shows every award winner since 1928, with scenes from the pictures in which they make their success. CIVIC THEATRE “My Son, My Son,” created something of a sensation as a book, and its screen version is even more interesting. It is a great emotional drama. William Essex, the great novelist, has done everything humanly possible to make life beautiful and secure for his only son. Oliver. Oliver, however, has grown up to be a scornful and unscrupulous young man about town, cynical, brittle and unashamed. He manages to bring unhappiness U> the people who have loved him most. When regeneration comes, it is almost too late. Very fine acting is contributed by Madeleine Carroll as Livia Vaynol, Brian Aherne as William Essex and Louis Hayward as Oliver Essex. Featured roles are handled well by Henry Hull, Laraine Day. Josephine Hutchinson and Sophie Stewart. ROXY THEATRE “ My Little Chickadee ” is a very amusing comedy in which Mae West portrays a wise-cracking Chicago cabaret singer who causes a tornado of excitement upon her arrival in the wild and woolly wide open spaces. W. C. Fields is cast as a travelling medicine man and card-sharp who is fascinated by Mae and who struggles valiantly throughout the film to win her affections. Exploring a new motion picture field, the candid camera magazines that have revolutionised journalism during the past few years, “Exposed ” features Glenda Farrell and Otto Kruger. Heading the supporting cast are Herbert Mundin, David Oliver, Lorraine Krueger, Charles D. Brown, Bernard Nadell, Richard Lane and Eddie Anderson.