VARIETY AND COLOUR

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 974, 17 May 1930, Page 15

VARIETY AND COLOUR

“FOOTLIGHTS AND FOOLS” COLLEEN MOORE AT STRAND The same sparkling, vivacious Colleen Moore, yet subtly different in a new role demanding high dramatic art in addition to dancing and singing stage talent, is seen in “Footlights and Fools,” the First National picture which opened its season at the Strand Theatre last evening. Sequences in natural colour, too, do much to enhance this photoplay and to show the happy charm of the star in an even more charming personal manner. A FAMOUS actress on the stage can be very different in private life, as is shown in this tale. The smiles and bright laughter of the footlights may cover a heart full of sorrow. Here the voice of the stage call-boy is the signal for Miss Moore to assume a role utterly incongruous with her true feelings, and it says much for her acting that not once throughout does she strike a false note.

In this picture Miss Moore is shown as a plain Irish-American girl who. posing as a French stage star, Fifi d’Amay, appears nightly before the footlights. Much of the action takes place in the theatre itself, the film including many intimate scenes in the star’s dressing room as well as sequences in technicolour on the stage.

Engaged to a “sport,” Jimmy Willet, who gives her a great deal of worry through his constant refusals to do steady work, Miss d’Amay is annoyed by the attentions of a Wall Street financier, Gregory Pine, who showers on her bouquets and invitations, which she refuses with great regularity. He attends the theatre nightly in the hope of becoming acquainted, but his efforts are in vain until she is trapped into meeting him, only to escape by an ingenious piece of acting. Her fiancee at last takes a post in the office of her millionaire admirer, where he is caught in aiding a big bond robbery. Although he finally goes free, it is not before there have been many tense moments in which the main trio give a splendid account of themselves. The picture ends abruptly, yet with the ultimate climax plainly in view. DRAMATIC TALENT

Her delightful personality and exceptional dramatic talent make “Footlights and Fools” a veritable triumph for Miss Moore, who can count this as her greatest production. Much credit is also due to the main male roles, played by Raymond Hackett and Frederick March, the former known for his work in “Madam X” and “The Trial of Mary Dugan.” March has had considerable stage experience.

Appearing for the first time in a "grown-up” role, Virginia Lee Corbin, the 18-year-old player, makes the most of her opportunities in her scantilydressed role of a chorus girl. The work of Mickey Bennett and Mme. Adrienne D’Emhricourt is also worthy of praise.

Although vocal numbers play an important part in the success of this film they are very few and are introduced only in the spectacular stage settings. In this way the smooth flow of the action is never interrupted. _