STRAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 951, 19 April 1930, Page 15

STRAND

'‘THE LOVE PARADE” Jeanette MacDonald, a charming leading lady new to motion picture audiences although well known to followers of the New York musical comedy stage, makes her debut on the audible screen in Maurice Chevalier’s second starring picture, “The Love Parade," an original operetta written especially for the screen, and now at the Strand Theatre. In this picture Miss MacDonald is cast as the beautiful and unmarried queen of the mythical Sylvania kingdom. Her inability to select a husband worries not only her but her Cabinet Ministers and the private maid, but also the loyal subjects of her land. But everything begins to take a rosy glow when Maurice Chevalier. in the person of Count Alfred, is recalled from Paris to Sylvania because of his many and varied amorous adventures. The Queen, for these things even happen to queens, is smitten with the dashing, reckless Alfred, and he, man of the world, succumbs to the charms of the beautiful queen. Their courtship is a merry one. abountding in subtle comedy, ardent love-making, and delightful singing. All in all. it is a fascinating comedy of the most delightful pattern, and in which Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette revel as gaily as is possible to imagine. Miss MacDonald sings “My Dream Lover," and with Chevalier also sings, “My Love Parade” juid ' Anything to Please the Queen." Chevalier; of coursefi sings several numbers, including “Nobody’s Using It Now" and • Paris; Stay the Same." Not to menion “The March of the Grenadiers." A number of particularly fine shorter itmes complete the Strand’s programme.