AMUSEMENTS

Opotiki News, Volume I, Issue 30, 6 May 1938, Page 1

AMUSEMENTS

THE LAST OF MRS OHEYNEY ' J A-. - The glittering star triumvirate of Joan Crawford, William l’owcll and Robert Montgomery comes to the De Luxe screen on Saturday in Metro-Goldwyn-Maycr’s urbane and highlypolished screen translation of Frederic Lonsdale’s stage success, “The Last of Mrs Cheynev.”

It is hardly necessary to say that the combination of three of M-G-M’s most triumphant prsonalities in the sparkling Lonsdale comedy is a highly successful, one.

Miss Crawford is perfectly cast as the "Mrs Cheyney” of the, /story. Dressed "to the teeth” in some of Adrian’s most striking creations, she makes credible, amusing and decidedly intriguing the character of the American girl who has set her heart on being a “lady,” and given the opportunity to do so., makes- the most of it, with somewhat, unexpected results.

To Powell is given the role of the butler, Charles, and this departure from the popular actor’s more recent portrayals gives iresh evidence ol his versatility and. the wide range of his acting talents. Montgomery’s role might have been- made to order for' the jaunty, dashing and slightly cynical Lord Arthur Dilling is exactly the type of role in which this star is at Ins best.

Others who stand out include the delightful Jessie Ralph, Nigel Bruce, Colleen Clare, Bonita Hume, Ralph Forbes, Aileen Pringle and Melville Cooper.

The plot of “The Last of Airs C’heyney” revolves about a young American widow who crashes London society and is sought after in marriage by two of Mayfair’s most eligible bachelors. At a fashionable house party a priceless rope of pearls vanishes and Lord Dilling, one of Mrs Oieynev’s suitors, traces the theft of the pearls to the! lady herself. It is when he of-

fers lier an insidious altrnatiye to facing the police that the real character of the girl is made apparent. In

the end it is discovered that Mrs. Cheyney’s butler is the actual thief but the complications which bring .about this final denouement afford the onlooker a full hour or inore oflaughprovoking entertainment.'