“HORSE” SENSE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1028, 19 July 1930, Page 15

“HORSE” SENSE

STRAND’S BRIGHT NEW COMEDY WITH DASH OF DRAMA Scared to death of horses, yet forced to ride a fiery untamed one over the most dangerous steeplechase course in America. There is a situation providing thrills and hilarious comedy, and there are plenty of both in “The Hottentot,” a Vitaphone version of the silent picture, and stage play by the same name, which came to the Strand Theatre last evening. The hero, as he proved himself to be, visited a Virginian home in the hope of winning the girl of his choice. A benevolent match-maker had been endeavouring to improve his chances by announcing, before his arrival, that he was S. J. Harrington, a worldfamous gentleman steeplechase rider. The girl, being “crazy over horses," the well-meant piece of fiction roused her admiration, but the sad truth was that Harrington was frightened of all horses, from the clothes-horse variety to the usual sort with four legs and a tail, the result, as lie later explained, of falling off his rocking-horse when a child and striking his head on the ground. He was left to go through with the impersonation or lose the girl, so chose the former, in spite of the race, with its bristling dangers. He rode in the race; he

won the race. How he did it, it would not be fair to say, but the race was packed so full of thrills and laughs that the audience let its chuckles run into its gasps of amazement. Edward Everett Horton was the comedian, and he delighted the audience. His droll mannerisms were a riot, and it. was. nnsci'Mo ♦

it was possible to hear every word of the witty dialogue. There were some phrases to be remembered, such as, before the steeplechase: “After this you will be proud of me, or else you’ will b© looking down, saying ‘How natural he looks’.”

Patsy Rutli Miller was the charm- , ln & young horsewoman who idolised the pseudo steeplechase rider. As the sympathetic butler. Douglas Gerrerd was a great success. He spirited away the favourite for the big race so that Harrington would not have to ride and a particularly hilarious incident was his gift of apples and water to the horse, which swelled to such an enormous size that it could not run in the steeples. A clever musical score helped the picture, all the members being “horsey.” Such music was scattered about as “Barney Google.” “My Pony Boy,” “Horsey Keep Your Tail Up,” and other equine numbers, while the spirited “Horses, Horses, Horses” was played softly as a theme for most of the action of the film. ROMANCE OF RUM-RUNNING There is probably no more romantic business today than that of bootlegging in the United States, and “Roadhouse Nights,” the Strand’s second attraction, deals with the adventures of a brace of newspaper reporters among villainous rum-runners. Murder, detective work, romance and a liberal dash of comedy all figure in a thrilling drama. Helen Morgan was the heroine, and played a difficult part with spirit. Her lover, the newspaper man, was Charles Ruggles. a whimsical character with the tenseness of steel beneath a rather languid exterior. Fred Kohler was described as a villainous rum king, and looked the part. There was an interesting Government Puublicity film portraying the evolution of Central Otago from goldfields to golden orchard. VENTURA DANCE CLUB The Ventura Dance Club will hold its usual weekly dance in the St Sepulchre Hall this evening. A bright evening of dancing is promised to the music of the Pirate Shippe Jazz Band.