ST. JAMES' THEATRE.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20175, 2 March 1931, Page 6

ST. JAMES' THEATRE.

"SWEETHEARTS AND WIVES." A good farce, with some admixture of the crime thriller, can be countod on for a host of amusing and exciting situations, and "Sweethearts and "Wives," at the St. James' Theatre this week,' combines these qualities with a gusto that makes for entertainment. A young wife is amusing herself with 8 man friend, but as soon as it seems that her husband may find her out, all thoughts of love fly from her mind, and she is intent only on retaining his confidence in her l'he ■ lover wonders what he had ever seen in her. but, though he is keen to Bet her back to her home in time to avoid ■the wrathful husband, circumstances prevent" them. Their car really breaks down, they go for assistance to, an inn (the story is set in France),- and fall- Into the hands of a gang of thieves, who, while acting with all courtesy, first commit a murder m the next room, and then run off in the car. To add to the awkward situation, almost the first person to turn up is ; a well-known divorce detective, who is quickly followed bv an inspector of police and his assistants.The two lose all hope of getting away, £ but with the aid of an adventuress who had been on other business—connected with a diamond necklace— they keep the detective fronr finding out what he seeks. .In .the end, by an ingenious" device, ? the wife is not compromised, the lover finds a new interest in the adventuress, who in her turn retains thediamonda, while the only person who does not, get what he wants is the detective. _ The east, comprising Billie Dove, 0I ' V « ® ro °^' tn 4 n f. Hyams, is first-rate, and picture is sure to hold'the interest from start to finish. The second featureof the programme is "Courage." It is the story of an-attempt made by a fatherless faim v to .ro." thl "S® for themselves, because they believe that their mother is incompetent. There ls.soma good work in the portrayal of cirl at "the difficult age," and of an im possible "dame"' but on the > hole it is rather over-sentimental.