MAJESTIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 859, 31 December 1929, Page 15

MAJESTIC

“BROADWAY BABIES” COMING When a pretty girl and her suitor drift on a derelict ship into a colony of fifty “tough” men, derelict humans on a floating island of seaweed and wrecked ships, they’ve both got their hands full. That develops in the Majestic’s thrilling sea-melodrama, “The Isle of Lost Ships,” based on Crittenden Marriott’s famous story. The hero must fight for his girl if he is to keep her. Virginia Valli, Jason Robards and Noah Beery head the large cast of “The Isle of Lost Ships,” which Irvin Willat directed. It will he screened at the Majestic Theatre for only two more days, together with the bright supporting programme. There is a new candidate for stardom on the musical comedy stage. She is none other than Alice White, the peppy little star, who has never been on the speaking stage; but who is a great success as a song-and-dance artist in her latest picture, “Broadway Babies,” which comes to the Majestic Theatre on Thursday. Miss White, formerly a stenographer, studied singing and dancing with a vim when the talking pictures came in. As a result she was cast as the star in this picture, which is a Vitaphone story of the Great White Way. The little star portrays a musical comedy favourite in the picture, and her singing and dancing surprised ever, the motion picture executives when the picture started. “Broadway Babies,” was adapted from Jay Gelzerls story, “Broadway Musketeers,” and deals with the adventures of three little dancing girls on Broadway. Sally Eilers and Marion “Peanuts” Byron play the other two girls, while Charles Delaney is the leading man in the role of stage manager. Mervyn Leßoy directed “Broadway Babies,” and the big cast includes Fred Kohler, Louis Natheaux, Bodil Rosing, Jocelyn Lee, Tom Dugan, Maurice Black, Henry Otto, and many others. “Broadway Babies” is a singing, talking and dancing picture with all the romance and glamour of backstage life on Broadway, and offers Miss White a splendid vehicle for her first singing, dancing and talking picture.