REGENT

Evening Star, Issue 23684, 18 September 1940, Page 5

REGENT

11l ‘ Disputed Passage,’ the drama which heads the bill at the Regent, Akim Tamiroff is seen as Dr “ Tubby .” Forster, and is responsible for another brilliant portrayal of the kind that has placed him to the forefront of character players. Beautiful Dorothy Lamour has the feminine lead, while John Howard makes a success of his biggest part to date. GARBO’S ‘NINOTCHKA.’ Superlative direction by Ernst Lubitsch aaid brilliant acting make ‘ Ninotchka ’ superb entertainment,. Greta Garbo’s first abearance in modern romantic comedy will be .seen at the Regent' on Friday. None hut Lubitsch would have had the courage to take the world’s great tragedienne.

Greta Garbo, and convert her into a comedienne; none but Lubitsch could have puled off such a master stroke successfully. In ‘ Ninotchka.’ Garbo portrays a Bolshevist agent who, in Paris on Government business, falls in love with a capitalist man-about-town, and has the time of her life like an ordinary human being—getting tipsy, doing the night clubs, and thoroughly enjoying every minute of it. All credit is due to the actress, too, for her excellence in this part, for none but an artist such as she could have exeouted it so successful,} 7 . Male lead is tilled by sleek Melvyn Douglas.