PLAZA

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 694, 20 June 1929, Page 17

PLAZA

BIG ALL TALKIE COMEDY The long Auckland season of A 1 Jolson’s fine talkie, “The Singing Fool,** is now drawing to a close, and it will be shown at the Plaza Theatre for only two more days. The supporting talkies will also be presented for the last time tomorrow. The entirely new programme at the Plaza Theatre on Saturday will introduce to Aucklanders the first fulllength all-talking comedy to be presented in New Zealand. This is entitled “Give and Take,” an uproarious comedy of profit-sharing run wild in a fruit-canning business. The film was adapted from the play of the same name which was seen in Auckland a few years ago. George Sidney, probably the bestknown comedy actor on the screen today, has never grown stultified in his work, and his remarkable spontaneity is ably displayed in his characterisation of Albert Kruger, the factory foreman, in this Universal Special talking production, “Give and Take.” Sidney has had a long and successful career, first as an actor on the legitimate stage and, in recent years, on the screen, in a number of hilarious comedies. Certainly George Sidney’s ability to portray eccentric characters is a great art. And no matter how absurd they may be, his roles are never over-acted. As Kruger in “Give and Take,” he is ridiculous as the leader of the band and as the man who believes that “welcome” should be spelled with a “v,” and farcical in the extreme as “Secretary of State” for the new installed in the canning factory. But he relies on logical racial characteristics for his fun. The lack of vulgarity and slapstick is a relief to theatre-goers worn out with over-gagged comedies. Director William Beaudine has cleverly brought out the theme of the story as a comedy episode in life which narrowly escapes being a tragedy. There are two other outstanding players in the cast. First is George Lewis, seen recently in the “Collegians” series, and Jean Hersholt, the versatile character actor. Saturday’s programme will also include a number of excellent talking supports.