FUN AND FANCY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 648, 27 April 1929, Page 19

FUN AND FANCY

THE “GATECRASHER” AT PLAZA ALSO “CASE OF LENA SMITH” One o£ the best romances in recent months, “The Gate Crasher,” featuring Glenn Try on and Patsy Ruth Miller, opened to large audiences at the Plaza and Tivoli Theatres yesterday. It is everything that entertainment should be. It has a delightfully refreshing romantic theme, embellished with the usual Tryon quota, of laughs. The story is a rapid-lire staccato of laughs, put over almost with the speed r»f a. rivptinp- machine. It concerns an amateur small town detective who falls in love with an actress, follows her to New York and sets to work to solve the robbery of her jewellery. The story rushes through its hilarious situations in the theatre, in a spectacular night club and in the star’s apartment, iryon is better than ever at putting over his irresistible brand of humour. Patsy Ruth Miller adds to both the beauty and hilarity of the photoplay, while T. Roy Barnes is a great comedy foil for Tryon. As Lena Smith, fought against, stripped of her child and gaoled, Esther Ralston has the strongest dramatic role of her screen career in “The Case of Lena Smith,” which Josef Von Sternberg directed, and which is the second big picture on the programmes at these theatres. This star, known as “Paramount’s '••a-eous blonde,” should be the most elated person in Hollywood for being given the leading role in this tragic romance of a Hungarian peasant girl, and also for the opportunity to work under the direction of Josef Von Sternberg, who has produced four consecutive successes for Paramount within the last year and a-half. In the vivid holiday costume of the peasant girl, Esther Ralston has dropped her dancing pumps for red 'eather boots, her tight-fitting evening ?owns for 15 petticoats and her diamond necklaces for black and rose head shawls. Tn the Prater, the Coney Island of Vienna, where she goes for adventure. Miss Ralston wears this interesting costume. The story tells of a village girl who falls madly in love with a son of the old nobility. He refuses to marry her. and she is forced to steal her child from a benevolent institution and fly back to the poor village she had so scornfully left. Among the interesting supporting perns which are also shown is one of the latest of the bright “Collegians” pictures. entitled “Calford in the Movies.” At the Pinza Theatre Mr. Howard Moodv’s. Orchestra played a selection of “Old Favourites” for the overture, and the following incidental music: Opera. “Cavelleria Rusticana”; Maxlaw. "Legende”: selections, “Oh. Kay.” “The Lido Lady”: suites, “Cyrano de Bergerac.” “Ballet Egyptian”; foxtrots, “A Room With a View” and “Just Give the Southland to Me*” DIXIELAND CABARET Dancing will be enjoyed again this evening at the Dixieland Cabaret. The floor is perfect, the surroundings comfortable, and. with the excellent music of the Dixieland Dance Band, a happy evening is assured.