CIVIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 951, 19 April 1930, Page 14

CIVIC

“HAPPY DAYS” TONIGHT Imposing in prodigal splendour and dazzling in lavish beauty are the many sets provided for "Happy Days,” Fcx Movietone all-star, all-talking musical romance with 100 stage and screen celebrities, coming today to the Civic Theatre. Mere words are inadequate to describe them. Nothing so gorgeous and magnificent has heretofore been attempted at any motion picture studio. They are amazingly beautiful. The terraced minstrel show set with its lustrous expanse of gold and silver drapes, its 14 huge jewelled sunbursts, its mammoth spreading fans in red, green and gold, all in a blaze of perfect lighting, is, perhaps, the most notable of the sets and when it is populated by 150 screen personalities all in brilliant and gorgeous costumes, the picture is beyond description. Another set that has eye appeal is the stupendous cake employed in the grand finale, “The noto »• Still another colourful set is the one furnished for Sharon Lynn aim Ann Pennington a full stage number entitled “Snake Hips,” with its fantastic setting and enchanting background of 50 beautiful girls. Two imposing steamboat sets and other locations are seen during the unfolding of the delightful romance of which the minstrel shew is a climax. Another highlight of the production is the specialty introduced by Victor McLaglen and Edmund Lowe entitled “Vic and Eddie,” a travesty on what they did in “The Cock-Eyed World.”

This is done with a background of 100 or more black-face characters with tambourines and George Olsen and his music. Charles Farrell and Janet Gaynor also have an effective number entitled “We’ll Build a Little World of Our Own.” These are, however; but few of the 20 or more specialities introduced during the action of the picture with an accompanying chorus of 150 voices and its 50 beautiful dancing girls. The remainder of the Civic’s new programme will include selected alltalkie items, numbers by Ted Henkel and his Civic Concert Orchestra, who will also play “The Belle of New York,” and “The Holy City” played by Fred Scholl on the grand organ. From 7.30 p.m. there will be a delightful musical treat by the orchestra and organ.