PRINCESS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 205, 18 November 1927, Page 14

PRINCESS

“LOST AT THE FRONT” A comedy is always one of the most difficult pictures to review adequately, because of necessity most of the dramatic rules are put aside. The laugh is the thing, and everything works toward that end.

‘‘Lost at the Front,” at the Princess Theatre, with George Sidney and Charlie Murray co-starred, intrigued the present interviewer because of its novelty. Such things as the radio invention that was supposed to aid Germany to win the war, the efforts of a New York cop to get it away from his Krause, the saloon-keeper; their adventures in Russia with the women’s Battalion of Death; their experiences in the trenches and their efforts to escape dressed as peasant women, form a series of excruciatingly funny episodes. Sidney and Murray are twin kings of mirth. They have the knack of gaining laughs by all methods —from slapstick to pure characterisation. Del Lord directed the picture; he has been an ace director with Max Sennett. Frank Griffin wrote the photoplay, which is presented by John McCormick for First National Pictures. That’s all that is necessary. No need to go into detail as to any features aside from the laughs and they are there aplenty. One must not forget the good work of pretty Natalie Kingston, in the feminine lead as a Russian sculptress. She is one of the Baby Stars for 1927, chosen by the Wampas, famous Hollywood organisation of movie writers.