MAJESTIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 835, 2 December 1929, Page 15

MAJESTIC

“SMILING IRISH EYES”

Enacting an appropriate role as a roguish little Irish girl of Ivillarney, Colleeen Moore demonstrated her ability in talking pictures to the entire satisfaction of all who saw the showing of “Smiling Irish Eyes,” a First National-Vitaphone production at the Majestic Theatre again on Saturday evening. “Smiling Irish Eyes,” in which Miss Moore makes her dialogue debut, is quite deserving of the enthusiasm that welcomed it, for never has charming Colleen ’ been presented in a more entertaining picture. Through the addition of Vitaphone, Colleen not only adds an effective speaking voice to her delightful screen personality, but reveals new talent by singing several melodies in a pleasing soprano. The fact that she scores so decisively in her first talking picture, despite her lack of stage experience, indicates that thp screen will not be monopolised in the future by recruits from the footlights. The story of “Smiling Irish Eyes” is a romantic tale of a Killarney colleen and her Irish sweetheart portrayed by James Hall. The boy’s ability to compose love songs on his violin results in his going to New York to seek success on the stage, and Colleen is left behind. Heart-broken because she doesn’t hear from him, she obtains money for a passage to America to find him. She discovers that he has attained success as a song writer through the popularity of a melody he had written just for her, “Smiling Irish Eyes,” and his apparent faithlessness to her crushes Colleen completely. She returns to Ireland before he knows she has been in New York, and the manner in which they meet again gives a charming twist to the end of the story. The supporting programme of talkie items include-s songs by John Barclay, baritone, Margaret McKee in a novelty whistling act, and the latest edition of the Fox Movietone News.