Aherne Starred in Comedy as “Great Garrick”

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20509, 27 May 1938, Page 4

Aherne Starred in Comedy as “Great Garrick”

Using for its hero the immortal British actor, David Garrick, a gay comedy of that star and his times will be shown in New Zealand shortly, with Brian Aherne in the role of Garrick and Olivia de Havilland as Germaine, the girl with whom he falls in love. “The Great Garrick’’ is the title of the picture, which was produced for Warner Bros. Garrick in the era of 1750's was acknowledged to be the greatest actor the world had ever known. He could play anything—comedy, tragedy, straight drama. This story finds him ending a loir; run in London and preparing to Degin in France. Enemies have circulated a false report that he said he would “teach the French to act.” Insulted, the French stage folk decide to frame him up and make him look ridiculous. How he turns the tables on them and then goes on to success on the Paris stage, is what makes up the story, it lias some beautiful settings—notably the old Drury Lane Theatre in London and the Comedie Francaise in Paris, and various streets and dwellings in the two capitals. Supporting Mr Aherne and Mjss de Havilland are such notable players as Edward Everett Horton, Melville Cooper, Lionel Atwill, Henry O’Neill, Luis Alberni, Lana Turner, Marie Wilson, Fritz Leiber and Linda Perry. “The Great Garrick” which is neither historical nor biographical, but jU6t sheer fun, was written for the screen by the distinguished author, Ernst Vajda.