ENTERTAINMENTS

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21367, 11 March 1941, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS

TONIGHT’S PROGRAMMES ROXY THEATRE “San Francisco,” with Clark Gable, Jeanette MacDonald and Spencer Tracy, and “The Millionaire Playboy,” will be screened today. They live again—“Blackie Norton,” “Mary Blake,” “Father Mullin’’ and “Jack Burley”—in the never-to-be-forgotten production “San Francisco.” Pictured here are Clark Gable, Jack Holt, Jeanette MacDonald and Spencer Tracy in their famous roles from this mighty production. Thrill again to the glorious singing of Jeanette MacDonald and the dramatic earthquake scenes! Joe Penner’s fun film, “Millionaire Playboy,” presents the radio, stage and screen comedian in another of his popular roles. Linda Hayes, a “Gateway to Hollywood” find, plays the heroine among the dozen beauties who aid and abet the merry-making. CIVIC THEATRE Against the background of California in 1820, with its glorious scenic panoramas, its mission stations, its haciendas, and fiestas, the story is told in “The Mark of Zorro” of a young man daring to set himself in opposition to a vengeful and powerfully entrenched governor whose oppression of the people is backed by the intrigue of a wealthy coterie. All the charm of the Scarlet Pimpernel adventures is reproduced in a new setting, when Don Diego (Tyrone Power), with his trusty Toledo blade and a black mask, enters the lists. Tyrone Power invests the role of Don Diego, alias Zorro, with dashing charm and a vitality that impresses the audience by the sheer daredevilry of his bandit exploits, following upon the vapid foppishness assumed by him in his known character of Don Diego. Basil Rathbone, Linda Darnell, Gale Sondergaard, Eugene Pallette, and J. Edward Bromberg give splendid support. THEATRE ROYAL Destroyers at full speed in stormy seas, attacks by swarms of aircraft, multiple quickfirers, machine guns and heavier weapons blazing at them, and a duel between a cruiser and a disguised merchant ship are some of the impressive scenes that provide authentic atmosphere to a thrilling spy story in “The Luck of the Navy.” Geoffrey Toone is the Commander hero whose sealed orders are the object of the machinations of a gang of spies unwittingly entertained as guests in the house of a retired Admiral. Judy Kelly is the Commander’s fiancee, whose knowledge of Morse signalling saves more than one difficult situation. Superimposing a fast-moving story on a background of social condition and principle, “I Stand Accused,” is stirring entertainment, replete with drama, thrills and romantic interests. STATE THEATRE Comedy and romance are combined very entertainingly in “Wife, Husband and Friend,” which costars Loretta Young and Warner Baxter. The story concerns itself with the hilarious misunderstandings which result when a lovely wife, who has loads of money, a beautiful home and a grand husband, decides that she wants one thing more, a career as a singer. The film is based on a novel by James M. Cain, famous novelist who wrote such best-sellers as “The Postman Always Rings Twice” and “Serenade.” “Wife, Husband and Friend” is gay comedy set against a modem background of alluring music. There are no fewer than eight song-hits in “Melody and Romance,” starring Hughie Green and his Gang, and most of them are rendered by the talented and youthful members of this famous music-hall act. REGENT THEATRE “Pride and Prejudice” is delightful entertainment. As the film tells tiie popular Jane Austen story, the Bennett family—lather, mother and live daughters—lives an uneventful existence at lovely Mery ton, with nothing *to disturb its calm but for some l'ear on mother’s part that her handsome and gifted daughters might not have sufficient opportunities to make suitable matches. This dovecote is put in a flutter by the arrival of Mr Bingley (“£SOOO a year, my dear!”) and his friend Darcy at a neighbouring house. Bingley and Jane Bennett are soon very much in love, and despite some setbacks and Mr Darcy’s rather stiff-necked opinion of himself, he and Elizabeth are soon touched with the same pleasant but worrying complaint. Interest from here on centres on the unravelling of the two major loveplots. filled out and made human by the life-1 ike characterisation,, o X the Wlluifi cost.