King George Theatre

Hutt News, Volume 2, Issue 47, 1 May 1930, Page 5

King George Theatre

Marion Davies Scores Renewed Triumph as French Peasant Girl. ••Marianne," a Merry Entertain-

ment.

Marion Davies marches. right into fresh triumphs in " Marianne," -her now Metro-Gol'dwyn-Mayer starring vehicle which opens on Saturday at the King George Theatre. Incidentally it is Miss Davis' first all-talking, picture.

"With, her usual vivaeibusness and gay drollery, the eonieddenne enacts one of the most difficult roles of her;career and emerges with new honours for an incoonparable performance. And. her voice is very pleasing.

As the courageous French peasant girl who mothers a brood of wet orphans as well as the regiment of "Allied, soldiers who billet in tb.er barnyard, the dainty star brings a sparkling characterisation that at once charms and captivates. She is right at home in the hilarious comedy" moments which afford her aa opportunity for another screaming male impersonation when she dons a French officer's uniform to save her sweetheart from gaol.

"Marianne" is ah ideal vehicle for Miss Da vitas, and it is apparent that she gave her characterisation the benefit of studied skill and. thoughtful deliberation. Indeed, it is by far the most exacting part she has yet e^say-

er <i, moving with a breatii-^taking swiftness from the heights of comedy- to a sudden tragic climax.

"Marianne" it develops, believes her French lover dead in> the war und is

willing to accept hci* Allied soldier sweetheart when <he. urges her to return home with him. ' Just as she is about to admit her love .for him, her French lover, blinded in tth.e conflict, returns. ,

Remorseful ; and. moved deeply, by pity she resolves to send her American-sweet ■heart -away1, giving her- life: to caring £qx. the' blind man. Hej however, senses her real love for the other man, and realising what a burcie nlhe would be to-! her, finally sends her back to the arms of her new sweetheart.

This pietUTe wilL.be hailed with joy •by-Miss.- Davis's universal army of fans, and may be listed as one of those iilms you cannot afford to miss.

Several songs 3iave been composed for the picture, . and these, together with many musical interludes, smart dialogue, and the soldiers' wise-cracks, keep the audience in a constant state of laughter and appreciation.

"Hollywood Revue" is Dazzling

Production

Vaudeville, Musical Ooinedy and Extravanganza with Gorgeous Settings, rojlled

into One Stupendous Screen Show.

N"ew songs, new darices by stars of screen, and stagey lefts of "gags'/ and abundant laughs, tuneful melodies and sparkling dialogue-—and don '.t forget •the girls.

"The Hollywood Eovuc," a huge | musical s-peetacle staged and screened Jpy Metro-G-oldwyn-Mayer, which has its •first showing in Lower Hutt next Tuesday night and for three more nights, at the King George Theatre, has them all. It has everything. * It is a radical departure from the motion, pictures to which we have become accustomed, even in .this talkie 1 epoch

It is a revue, a huge vaudeville sßiotv for young and old alike, staged witk gorgeous settings, twenty musical numbers, a huge dancing chorus and a * galaxy of stars "in the greatest cast ever assembled for one motion picture. Marion Davies appears as a singer and dancer in a highly amusing sketch called '' Tommy Aitkins on Parade.'' Who knew befoTe that s&e was an expert tap dancer? But sihe is, rivalling the best that the musical comedy stage has to offer. She is supported by a male chorus of sixrfooters. John Gilbert and Norma Shearer are also, on the bill. They do a romantic bit from Shakespeare and then jazz it up to modern, tempo. ' Bessie Love appears in her own singing and dancing act —as Bessie Love. One of the hit songs of the show is •herte. It couldn't be anything but, a hit wihen Bessie sings it, , Conrad Nagel makes his screen singing debut and is the interlocutor of a minstrel number. William Haines makes you laugh with one of those "gags" for which he is famous. Buster Keaiton, frozen faced comedian, appears before t>he. sound camera and microphone for the first time, and does an Egyptian snake dance. It's immense. .. ' Karl Dane and George K. Arthur are there with one of their "gags." Joan Crawford croons- a song in a heant-<tugging manner and dances as only Joan Crawford can. t Marie Dressier and Bolly Moran, famous comediennes of screen and stage are teamed as funny women for the first • time. Charles King, Broadway baritone, who made this screen debut in "The Broadway Melody"; "Ukelele Ike" (Cliff Edwards), famous revue star and recording artist; tihe Brox Sisters, singing harmonists, glorified by Ziegfeld in his New York proauctions; Nata-cha Naifctova, startling adagio dancer in her exceptional act; and many others all add their talent to this huge spectacle making it the greatest collection of stage and screen artists ever assembled for one production.

Gus Edwards, famous fox -his song revaes in vaudeville, and his short talking picture musical subjects, not only appears in person but is the author of fouj» melodies, you'll want to hear

egain* ' ■'