NEW REGENT

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 603, 4 March 1929, Page 15

NEW REGENT

“EXCESS BAGGAGE” An entrancing story of the romance of the vaudeville stage and the movies is now being shown at the New Regent Theatre in “Excess Baggage,” William Haines’s great picture. Eddie Kane is a juggler and acrobat in small time vaudeville. He is deeply in love with Elsa McCoy, of “Dunn’s Dancing Dames.” Elsa, sharing his optimistic conviction that, be is headed for “big time,” marries him. But five years later they are still struggling along on small time with an only moderately successful act of their own. Eddie still loves Elsa, but he realises miserably that she thinks him a failure. Chance gives him an idea for a sensational finish to their act. A rope is stretched from the dome of the theatre to the stage. Eddie slides down it, turning a somersault backwards on the way. It is a nerve-racking experiment, and the first time he tries it only the thought of Elsa waiting for him at the bottom gives him courage to continue. This spectacular finish puts them on the big time circuit. On the night that Eddie receives his first offer, Elsa is approached by the motion picture idol, Val Derrico, with an offer to support him in his next picture. Elsa, who feels herself merely excess baggage as far as Eddie’s act is concerned, is anxious to accept. Seeing that, Eddie agrees, although broken-hearted at the idea of their separation. So he opens on big time without Elsa. Deprived of her presence he loses his nerve and has to abandon the stunt. It means the end of all his hopes. As he sinks, Elsa rises. It is_ Eddie who becomes excess baggage now. Elsa doesn’t wish him to accept small time engagements, so he is compelled to live on her money and keep in the background, as marriage is not advisable to rising stars.

A second big picture is screened in “Honour Above All,” starring Leatrice Joy and Nils Asther. The programme also includes a number of bright songs by Alec Regan, and new music by Mr. Maurice Guttridge’s orchestra.