SPECIAL PREVIEW

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 March 1939, Page 2

SPECIAL PREVIEW

“YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU.” CAPRA'S GREATEST TRIUMPH.’ Hailed as another Capra triumph, Columbia’s screen version of the George S. Kaufman-Moss Hart Pulitzer Prize play, “You Can’t Take It With You,” was screened recently at the Regent Theatre, Masterton, at a special preview, attended bj' many prominent citizens. The film was introduced by Mr A. Grant, publicity officer for Columbia Pictures. The cast includes Jean Arthur, James Stewart, Lionel Barrymore, Edw’ard Arnold, Mischa Auer, Ann Miller and numerous others. “You Can’t Take It With You” was produced and directed by Frank Capra from the screen play by Robert Riskin. These Columbia film-makers have been lauded time and again for their “It Happened One Night,” “Lady for a Day,” “Lost Horizon,” and “Mr Deeds Goes to Town.” “You Can’t Take It With You,” based on the stage success for which Columbia paid £50,000, is said to exceed eVen the previous efforts of the two brilliant collaborators. The new film deals with the lovable and perfectly delightful Vanderhof family, which beJieves in doing whatever it wants whenever it wants to. In their old New York home, presided over by Grandpa Vanderhof, this uninhibited group reveals a heartwarming attitude toward life in a merry melange of comedy, flavoured with romance and tinged with pathos. “You Can’t Take It With You” is concerned, in part, with the proud aristocratic Kirbys, as well as with the, carefree Vanderhofs. Kirby’s monumental plan to form a huge munitions merger, a move which requires the purchase of all property within an area of twelve city blocks, is halted when Grandpa refuses to sell the Vanderhof home at any price. The plan of Kirby’s son to marry Alice Sycamore, his secretary, is blocked when the boy blings his parents to dinner one night, only to discover the Vanderhof family engrossed in its various eccentric affairs. The romance and merry-mad conflict of the two families, coupled with the enjoyable hobbies of the Vanderhofs and their many friends, is declared to make “You Can’t Take It With You” one of the outstanding productions of the season. . Lionel Barrymore is peerless in the part of Grandpa Vanderhof. Jean Arthur prettier and livelier than ever, supplies a perfect performance as the light-hearted grand-daughter, Alice,' and James Stewart is unforgettable in the role of Tony Kirby. Edward Arnold, playing the difficult part or Kirbv offers a convincing portrayal. Such players as Ann Miller, Mischa Auer, Spring Byington, Halbwell Hoobes Dub Taylor, H. 6. Warner, Maiy Forbes, Samuel S. Hinds, and Donald Meek also shine consistently in the comedy’s scintillating constellation. Nor can Eddie Anderson and Lillian Yarbo the two coloured players, be lightly dismissed. They both are splendid as the perfectly imperfect servants of the Van derhof menage of pseudo-madness.