NEW REGENT

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 378, 12 June 1928, Page 15

NEW REGENT

“WIFE-SAVERS” The very enjoyable comedies which have recently been made by Wallace Beery and Raymond Hatton have a worthy successor in “Wife Savers,” the latest comedy, which is now being shown at the New Regent Theatre. “Wife Savers” is a typical Beerj; and Hatton picture, showing these actors in further delightfully absurd situations. The story is laid on the FrancoSwiss frontier after the war, and concerns the unfortunate happenings of two soldiers in the American Army stationed there. The two soldiers are Wallace Beery as Louis Hozenozzle, the army cook, and Raymond Hatton, as a second lieutenant. Hatton, as an officer, is sought after by the girls, and has just chosen one fair damsel, Colette, played by Sally Blane, when he is called home. He leaves Colette in the tender hands of Beery, who, to safeguard the girl the more thoroughly, proposes to marry her. In the meantime the French general has had a fake order issued, stating that all unmarried women in the village must immediately take husbands. He then offers Sally the honour of becoming Madame Lavoris. She refuses, and writes a letter to Beery, telling him that she is in terrible trouble, and that he must marry her at once.

Hatton receives a letter from the tavernkeeper and the general that Beery, has double-crossed him by marrying Sally. He gets his discharge from the army and returns to the village to kill Beery.

In the tavern the mayor, the general and the tavernkeeper advise Hatton to challenge Beery to a duel. Then he can’t be sued for Wally’s death. Hatton challenges Beery to a duel, and the two have a terrific but bloodless encounter. Sally bursts into the scene and tells Hatton that Beery married her only to save her from General Lavoris. Beery and Hatton then both attack the general. Beery and Hatton shake hands and patch up past differences, and Sally goes into Hatton’s arms. An excellent supporting programme is also being presented, including a merry Clyde Cook comedy, “Should Sailors Marry,” and a New Zealand film. On the musical side also splendid entertainment is provided. At the Wurlitzer organ Leslie V. Harvey plays the “Toreador’s Song” from “Carmen” and Schumann’s “Traumerie.” The Regent Operatic Orchestra, under the baton of Arthur G. Frost, plays suitable incidental music and also an enjoyable novelty in variations on the simple tune, “Three Blind Mice.”