WELL-FILLED PROGRAMME

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 847, 16 December 1929, Page 15

WELL-FILLED PROGRAMME

DOUBLE FEATURE SHOW AT REGENT POPULAR PLAYERS APPEAR On© of the strongest and most closely packed programmes offered by the Regent for some considerable time made its initial appearance on Saturday. Ruth Chatterton, far and away the most capable and attractive actress who has appeared to date in talking pictures, leads the list of stars. It is her third Auckland appearance in talkies, the first being in “The Doctor’s Secret,” and the second in “Madame In “The Dummy” she has- a type of part that is entirely different from her previous efforts. It is equally and convincingly dramatic, but the substance is lighter, and set at the swifter tempo of comedy-drama. | Moreover, she has but a small share of the work. Her artistry alone makes it important. “The Dummy” is a mixture of thrills and laughter, raised to the importance of first-class entertainment by the excellence of its acting. It is a story of kidnapping, in which the principle employed in the detection of the criminals is that of giving them rope enough to hang themselves. A child is abducted, and it is decided that the best way to discover its whereabouts is* to allow another to be stolen, and trust that one will escape and give the necessary information. t This plan works excellently, thanks to the shrewdness of an office boy—admirably played by a stout and jollyfaced youth, who shams deaf and dumb, and all the while talks with a wise American rapidity that literally compels laughter even when one is hopelessly fogged by strange idiom and quick-firing “wisecracks.” He is the “hit of the show.” Altogether, the picture is exceedingly well devised and produced. The talking is clear and effective, giving full play to the beautiful enunciation of Miss Chatterton, and helping materially to give weight and intense interest to an unusually amusing screen tale. Then comes the second feature production on the Regent's new programme—Greta Garbo and Nils Asther in “The Single Standard.” It is some time since this romantic pair has been presented, and picture enthusiast have been waiting with eagerness. Both represent the latest and perhaps the last o:: a curiously successful line of screen partnerships among stars. “The Single Standard” is the story of a girl who holds that, in the attitude of the world toward the sexes, what’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. In other words, she considers that a girl is as much entitled to a good time before marriage as her future lord and master. The problem being one of especial interest, the picture itself is thrust halfway -along the road to success From then on it propels itself with the of excellent acting on the part of the principals, good direction, smooth scene construction, and the best of photography. Though “The Dummy” is a full talkie, “The Single Standard” is not. Thus every cinema taste is catered for, and opportunity is given for the rather longer stay of Mr. J. Whiteford Waugh and his orchestra. On Saturday evening a special musial programme was presented from he theatre well during the screening >f “The Single Standard.” The few remaining minutes on the tegent programme are filled with a lewsy revue of world topics.