NEW REGENT

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 575, 30 January 1929, Page 17

NEW REGENT

“SKIRTS” This evening will see the final presentation at the New Regent Theatre of tho two pictures, ‘‘The For bidden Woman," starring Jetta 'Goudal, and “Beyond the Sierras.” starring Tim McCoy. After a long absence from the English screen, Sydney Chaplin returns in an hilarious English comedy, “Skirts,” released through Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and coming to the New Regent Theatre to-morrow. In. most of Mr. Chaplin’s successes since his memorable "Charley’s Aunt.” in which theJ action centred about his impersonating a middle-aged woman, the star has been given roles in which he has to wear female habiliments during at least some parts of the action. This he does in “Skirts,” too, though his female impersonation in this film takes up a minor pant in the action of the play. The story centres about a young bridegroom who is left alone when his bride’s mother takes her daughter off with her to London, and the resulting complications which ensue when he and his friend, also a mofnentary “widower,” fjt. eri/iine to make hay while the sun "shines, and go off for a good time. • Much of the hilarious comedy takes place in a popular London cabaret, where the two “free souls” immediately betake themselves as soon as they find themselves “wifeless ” In the cast with Mr. Chaplin are Betty Balfour, Nancy Rigg, Annie Esmond, Edmond Breon, Diana Wilson, Clifford McLaglen, and Enid Stamp p’aylor. The film is based on a former stage success, “A Little Bit of Fluff.” The second big picture to-morrow will be “Skyscraper,” v *»n a new comedy team of William Boyd and Alan Hale, in a plot that is mostly farcical, but has elements of drama. Their characters are well shown, and both them and the skyscraper settings strike a novel note. New music will be played by Mr. Maurice Guttridge’s Regent Operatic Orchestra.