ROMANTIC COMEDY

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21903, 2 October 1936, Page 5

ROMANTIC COMEDY

MARLENE DIETRICH -IN •■ \ "DESIRE" J Moving along at a brisk pace, with t breezy dialogue, inspired/ c flawless acting, and lavish production, ( the Paramount film "Desire." is .far .< above the ordinary run of romantic , comedies. It will start on Friday next - at the Avon Theatre. "Exhilarating" is perhaps the on|y word that properly describes the story, the acting of Marlene Dietrich and Gary Cooper, and the work of. Ernst Lubitsch, who personally supervised the production. Once again the impish Lubitsch turns what might easily have been censorable situations into subtly sophisticated entertainment. Call it charm, good taste, intelligence, or a blend of all three, the famous "Lubitsch touch" continues to be an- intangible quality as difficult to describe as a shrug of the shoulder or a lift of-the eyebrow. And so it is that "Desire" stands ar Miss Dietrich's best Holly-: wood film to date. While retaining all her pristine glamour, she reveals a hitherto unsuspected sense of humour. "We have seldom seen* better acting," comments the British "Film Weekly." "Technically it is flawless: Yet. like all really good acting, it is, so good that it does not for a moment : ', remind you of acting. Frankly, we would not have believed that Gary Cooper had it in him." The lovely Miss Dietrich, costumed in a series of wonderful gowns, plays . the role of an adventuress who steals a pearl necklace in Paris and races off with it to her accomplibe, John. Halliday, across the border. Driving fee

cooper;; Detroit. To escape deteclibnfroia at the j^dfe&fbbbamiit slips the*necklace-into the young nan’s pocket, with the intention of getting it back later. The way .she gets it sack, the daring, romance which folows between the manner n which :the herplnc -BriaUy : . .decides hat life in Defroit is preferable to :rime on the Continent go hvjmake up me of the most exhibiting stories jf this or .any other% r