THE PLAZA AND TIVOLI

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 429, 10 August 1928, Page 14

THE PLAZA AND TIVOLI

“THE DRESS PARADE”

A determined try,for realism on the screen is seen in the film “Dress Parade,” which was shown at the Plaza and Tivoli Theatres last evening. Military pictures we have seen in plenty, but this is one of the few ; stories of military colleges in which all the scenes are laid in the grounds, rooms and halls of the actual college around which the story is woven. “Dress Parade” tells of life at that remarkable and colourful Post, the West Point Military Academy. The interesting customs and traditions of West Point provide material for numerous comic situations, and at the same time l reveal the fascinating little inside angles of cadet life. “Dress Parade” is a picture boys will rave over but nevertheless is screened intelligently enough to ajDpeal to adults as well. The sequence of the arrival of the hero at the Point is a classic —the swaggering, condescending hero of amateur boxing, patronising the officers who sign him up, only to be put in his place and humiliated by second-year cadets. Nor is that all, for the producers of the picture have secured a diversity of actors to play the roles of cadets: Vic Donovan, the likable young cadet, who hasn’t caught the West Point spirit: Stuart Haldane, his rival, attractive and honourable; Dusty Dawson, a droll cadet from the South, and “Mealy” Snodgrass, the chubby comedy character, a cadet from the Middle West. William Boyd, a husky young chap who will be remembered for his part in “The Volga Boatmen,” is the principal character, and Bessie Love is the girl he loves and, incidentally, the daughter of the commandant. A picture of thrills and fast riding, “The Upland Bider,” was also shown, with that dynamic actor, Ken Maynard, doing daring “stunts.” The story tells of two rival ranches of the South-West, breeding horseswhic for the world’s market. One of these ranches specialises in a tough, reliable cow pony, while the other is endeavouring to replace it with another breed of Arabian strain. The question of superiority is settled by a cross-country race, in which there are seven participants, Ken riding Tarzan and falling over cliffs, swimming streams, riding at break-neck speed down steep embankments.

An excellent musical programme was provided by the Plaza Orchestra under the baton of Mr. C. Aves, who is in charge while Mr. Howard Moody is on tour with the J.C.W. ‘‘Rookery Nook” Company. The selections included “Breeze” (Berlin), “Magic Love” (Vanis), “Amour d’Antau” (Chansson), “Les Larmiers Rouges” (Marie), “Jeanette” (Ancliffe), “Caprice Militaire” (Rollinson), “The Triumph of Right” (Sorell), “A lu francee” (Tevrier), and “Reverie” (Schutt).