REGENT THEATRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 November 1939, Page 9

REGENT THEATRE

“GONE TO THE DOGS” When Cinesound's comedy, “Gone to the Dogs," comes to the Regent Theatre on Saturday, audiences will see the 16th —and the funniest film —ever to come from Australia's own studios. With the inimitable George Wallace in the starring role, the picture was 12 weeks in front of the cameras . . . and when such record time is spent in shooting approximately 80 minutes of screen entertainment, then some idea as to the quality may bo clearly evidenced. % Telling of a pleasant little man who accidentally discovers a miraculous speeding-up tonic for racing greyhounds, the rip-roaring story portrays his antics as the formula disappears, the champion dog is kidnapped, he loses his girl and gets trapped in a haunted house. So when everything end happily, it is only after our dogloving hero has run the gamut of every guffaw known to hysteria. “Gone to the Dogs” is the second production .in which George Wallace has appeared for Cinesound. His first was “Let George Do It,” well-remem-bered as a grand laugh-parade, but. which definitely takes second place to this current comedy. Apart from its unprecedented opulence, “Gone to the Dogs” is also notable in that it introduces to the Australian screen, petite Lois Green, blonde and blue-eyed star from the J. C. Williamson stage. Since appearing in the film. Miss Green has sailed for Hollywood and London for further study and experience. And whilst she will gain much from such a trip, her decision resulted in a severe loss to the Australian film industry, because in her first film for Cinesound. she revealed those attributes which make for outstanding success.

Prominent in the cast, both literally and metaphorically, is 23 stone John Dobbie, foil for the whimsicalities of George Wallace. He has acted as stooge to the comedian on both stage and screen for many years, but according to John “Gone to the Dogs” supplied by far the best material upon which he has ever worked. Others in the cast include John Fleeting, a new recruit from amateur theatricals who is now appearing in Cinesound’s Will Mahoney comedy, tentatively titled “Come Up smiling,” Alec Kellaway, Letty Craydon. Howard Craven. Cathleen Esler. Ronald Whelan and Harry Abdy.