NEW REGENT

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 944, 10 April 1930, Page 17

NEW REGENT

“IT’S A GREAT LIFE” “It’s a Great Life,” which is now at the New Regent Theatre, would be an interesting story even if it were not enlivened by the antics of the inimitable stars, the Duncan Sisters, and nearly a dozen brand-new catcliy songs. The Duncan vehicle was directed by Sam Wood, who did such an excellent job with “College Life.” It plants the Duncans as clerks in a department store who are fired because Rosetta “ad libs” on a poor type of “organisation song,” euphoniously named “Smile, Smile, Smile, with Mandelbaum and Weil.” That makes the opportunity for the formation of a team, the Hogan Sisters, with James Dean at the piano. Dean’s courtship of Vivian, and Rosetta’s resentment of his overflowing vanity, lead to a split. The story follows through to the final reuniting of the girls, with a side by-plot concerning Rosetta and “Parker,” played by Jed Prouty. There is a great deal of comedy in the picture, and just enough pathos to make the whole thing well-flavoured. In a way, the story tells .much of the personal life struggle of the Duncans in their spectacular climb up the ladder of the show business. Numbers you’ll remember are “Following You.” “Sailing on a Sunbeam,” • The Hoosier Hop,” “It Must Be an Old Spanish Custom.” “Won’t Y’ou Be My Lady Love” and “The Sun of a May Morning.” They were written by Ballard Macdonald and Dave Dreyer. Larry Gray is splendid as “Jimmy.” Jed Proutv does his usual good work ns “Parker” and Rubin is corking as “Friedman,” the vaudeville booking agent. Technicolour scenes add immeasurably to the eye-filling qualities Of the production. . , The supporting programme includes an amusing Stan Laurel and Oliver Hard v knock-about farce, a Hearst sound and talking gazette, and several tuneful numbers by the Regent Orchestra.