AMUSEMENTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 August 1931, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS.

IVKRYBODYS PICTURES. NORMA SHEARER DAZZLING IN “LET US BE GAY.” Moral: .Don’t pass by a caterpillar some day it will be a beautiful butterfly! This may be drawn from “Let Us Be Gay,” Norma Shearer’s new Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer starring vehicle which opens to-night at the Princess Theatie. Rod La Itocque is dashing as the hus-band-Lothario in the Picturisation of the play, and Marie Dressier—grand old' buffoon—is simply splendid as the eccentric dowager who keeps things moving in and out of the picture. This is another of Marie’s triumphs in a semi-straight characterisation and she lets no opportunities slip by. Hedda ■ Hopper Hackett and Sally Eilers are the young love birds .> who find everything all right when it’s alt over, but pretty hectic while Noi'ma is out vamping the other ladies at a very warm week-end party. Gilbert Emery is a capable Townley and Tyrrell Davis is a blithering poet qjuite effectively. The exquisite star walks right out in front of the camera—and the whole, wide world—apparently without a speck oi makeup, her lul'ir in kid curlers, pinch-nose spectacles on her lovely nose and a dowdy wrapper to complete this domestic 'ensemble. Ah, to be sure she makes up for it when she emerges from a divorce as a butterfly from a cocoon, more beautifully gowned and toileted than ever before; a more glamorous Nonna than we have ever known'. And daring too is the theme upon which this picture, is motivated, | not so naughty, perhaps, as her i last picture, but inclined ever so. spicily to intrigue, smart sophistication so reminiscent of things gayly. Continental. Happily, this is one of Miss Shearer’s finest performances, certainly, one of her smoothest and most adept characterisations. Again Robert Z. Leonard is credited with direction. Leonard, we are reminded, ' also screened “The Divorcee,” with ‘ which this new picture has something in common—marital wreckage based upon infidelity. }