AT THE MAJESTIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 456, 11 September 1928, Page 19

AT THE MAJESTIC

COWBOYS AND MUSIC LIVELY ENTERTAINMENT Claimed to be musical masters of 37 j instruments, Mayfield’s Cowboy Band which made its first appearance at the Majestic yesterday, has struck a new and original note in musical entertainment. It is not a jazz band only. This remarkable combination serves up music in good form for those who want it v as well as snappy jazz numbers and topical musical hits. An outstanding feature of the entertainment is the stage setting. The atmosphere of a Western ranch has been reproduced with impressive fidelity, the cowboys being grouped picturesquely before a background of rolling "Western country stretching behind the rails of a corral. They wear the chaps, broad-rimmed hats and flaming neckerchiefs of the traditional Westerner that Zanc Gyey and Owen Wister have made worldfamous. Only the bulging six-shooter was absent! ' These cowboys are a versatile troupe. They handle all manner of instrument from the raucous saxophone to the violin with a dexterity and musical skill which found quick appreciation from the large audiences. In addition, they introduce a novel note by singing through small megaphones. The sparkling exhibition given by Fred Mayfield and his cowboy band, together with the comedy-drama, “The Patsy,’* which featured Marion Davies in a film of prolonged laughs, made an evening’s entertainment which pleased and was warmly applauded by large houses both yesterday afternoon and last evening. In “The Patsy,” Patricia, as a girl, was attractive, but she lacked personality. On acquiring that, by means of reading books which she kept under her pillow, she proved a human magnet and got her man. Thickly smattered with comedy, this in short is the story. The characters of the film -are all members of one family excepting a pair of boy “friends” for the girls. Mrs. Harrington is the mother, and undoubtedly the ruler of the house, while her great favourite is her eldest daughter. Father and Patsy are not altogether a popular pair, and when young men callers arrive Mother makes it her business to see that both her husband and yoLingest daughter are well in the backgrcftmd. Pat, however, has a great liking for Tony, who, on arriving at the home, is always driven toward the elder girl. Finally, Pat tackles Tony about the love business, and he tells her, in just a friendly way, that all that she lacks is personality, and he gave her some books to “swat,” in order to gain that. Patsy studied hard and ended up in nailing Tony himself. Throughout there is excellent humour in the film, and Marion Davies’s acting alone provides a continuous scream. Marie Dressier was excellent as the dominating Mrs. Harring- i ton. Ma Harrington had infinite re- j sources for getting her own way, but eventually father broke out and put her in her place. Another first-rate comedy element was given to the programme by Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, in "‘Soup to Nuts.” The laughable foolerj' of this pair as waiters was almost paralysing. A New Zealand publicity film gave interesting glimpses of the sword - fishing at Russell, and the Majestic News told the story of the world’s current history, Miriam Fauche, who was one of the screen’s highest paid artists seven 3'ears ago, has come out of retirement to enact an important role in Universal's ‘‘The Four Flusher,” featuring George Lewis and Marian Nixon. Others in the cast are Churchill Ross, Hayden Stevenson, Eddie Phillips, Burr Melntosh, Otto Hoffman, Patricia Caron, Jimmy Aye and Wilfred North. The picture was directed by Wesley Ruggles.