AMUSEMENTS

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 216, 4 August 1939, Page 4

AMUSEMENTS

“EVERYBODY SING” DELIGHTFUL MUSICAL Such stage and screen headliners as Allan Jones, .Judy Garland, Fanny Hi ice. Reginald Owen, Billie Burke, Reginald Gardiner and Lynne Carver join hands i () contribute a wealth of musical and acting talent to “Everybody Sing.” which screens at the Regent Theatre on Saturday and Holiday. “Everybody Sing” is one ol the most original and inleetious musicals yet to reach the talking screen. ’There have been countless ii'in.-dcals before but “Everybody Sing” lias the distinction ami originality of being the screen’s first- “swing” musical, and under the deft direction of Edwin 1.. Marin, it literally .swings across the screen with a lilting, ingratiating and hn-po.v-go-lucky quality which establishes a warm intimacy with aildiences which some of the more elaborate musicals have been unable to achieve.

The plot involves a madcap theatrical family whose husband is jealous of his wile’s leading man. whose daughter is constantly expelled from school because she disrupts her classical music lessons by “swinging” the most serious music, and whose servants, particularly the chef, pay more attention, to their theatrical aspiratiens than to their household tasks. ’When it looks as though the lather’s play will be a “Hop”, the daughter and servants take the situation in hand, get up a successful play themselves, and save the <la.v.

01 course, in n comedy like litis, it is not so much the plot that matters a.s it is the performances, and in this respect " Five ry body Sine;” is superlatively equipped with a wide variety oi talent. Allan Jones as the musical chef lias a made-to-order role ami lends his superh voice to such songs as the “(Quartette from Rignletto.” ‘‘On With the Show.” “Cosi Cosa” and ‘‘The One L hove.” The remarkable youngster. Judy •Garland, playing the .“swing-struck” daughter of the family, sings “Swing .Mr. .Mendelssohn,” “Down on Melody Karin.” “Sweet. ( hariot” and “I 'Wanna Swing.” Then there, is tho inimitable Kauny Brice as the maid, with a miinher all her own entitled, “Qnainty, Dainty .Me.” Only Fanny Brice could sing this and it is one of the highlights of a musical minbfeast. Reginald Owen and Billie Burke are irresistible' as the theatrical husband and wife, while other outstanding performances are contributed by Reginald Gardiner and Lynne Carver. On the same programme Hoot Gibson will he seen in a thrilling Western drama “Rainbow’s Knd”;....and Larry (Buster) Crabbe plays the role oi a courageous detective in “Red Buriy” the exciting new serial which opens at the matinee, on Saturday.