WODEHOUSE COMEDY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 23, 28 January 1937, Page 9

WODEHOUSE COMEDY.

ST. JAMES , ATTRACTION

Hie holiday to-morrow demands holiday entertainment, and the St. James" Theatre intends to provide it by showing the screen's version of the f.imous P. G. novel, '•Piccadilly Jim."' ihe picture, which is an M.fJ.M. production. does not follow- the book lus.-ly. hut. it has a true Wodchou** fJavorr .in.l ;.= cosmopolitan ciiuujzh to appc-.il to .ill !;,.«tps. The ai-tintj is excellent ami the comedy k bright and entcrtainim: .it all stages. Holiert Montgomery, who p'nys tiic part of l»i:-i-a«illy .Tim. i< extianidinarily l:keab!e. and. tn critic* overseas. ti'ivoK tiip inmrcs.-ioii that he is the man YV*o«lehouse had ::i mind when he wrote the book.

Tiio wiiiiiisic.ii iits of tlio star, so ruanv of which have Uiomc familiar t<, serpen •Ti licims tin oiifili such pictures as "N"n Move Ladies" and "Petticoat Fever." are said to bp piven full rrin, and ;t is

hard to imagine a character from whom typical Montgomery witticisms would fall more appropriately than on Piccadilly •Tim. As a Wodehouse character he haW brought happiness to thousands of people, on the screen he should entertain far

more.

Piccadilly Jim, the cartoonist, makes the mistake of picturinu the family of the srirl he loves as the "Richswitch Family"' of hie cartoons, and the picture reveals how he faced up to tbe situation ' after discovering his mistake. Eric Blore m the butler, is ea id to out-Wodebonse \> odehouse and come very close to securins the major comedy honours. Frank Morgan, as Jim's father, ie typical of the part required of him. and others who ore reported to play prominent parts with distinction are Robert Benchlev. Madge Evans and Billy Burke. There are , others who appear throughout the picture and althoHch each and every one upholds the standard set bv the principals names are too numerous to heir full mention.

Those who visit the St. James mav r>-<

assured that they are to b ( > «■. !] Vntcrtained. Indeed, with such n c-n«t it is nard to imapine in what manner the film L-f.nld fail to entertain. All the leadins pl.iyers arc noted for their excellence ••», i-.diiedy parts and tlie_ story ie an" ideal, one for them to exercice their talent* Jβ.