BUSKERS OF LONDON

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22662, 17 March 1939, Page 5

BUSKERS OF LONDON

Ths day may yet come, although it Is rather doubtful, when we will see outside the picture theatres the notice, “With Charles Laughton Dancing and Singing," because in the new PommerLaughton production, "St. Martin's Lane." which is coming to the Avon, Laughton is called upon to do both, for the first time in his screen career. In this original Clemence Dane story of London and the theatre queue entertainers, he appears as a busker whose piece do resistance is the recitation, "The Green Eye of the Little Yellow God," When he meets Vivien Leigh, who plays (he part of an unemployed cockney girl, he becomes more ambitious and so forms a quartet in which Vivien, Tyrone Guthrie, Gus McNaughton. ‘and himself appear. The long,, thin Tyrone Guthrie plays the mouth organ, (he lean Gus McNaughton the mandoline, and plump Charles Laughton assists with accompaniments on the tin whistle. Vivien Leigh sings and dances with the trio wearing top hats as a sort of chorus background and going through a few elementary dance steps as an accompaniment to her acl. This sequence, one of the most amusing of many in the film, was filmed against a reconstruction of the exterior of the Holborn Empire. Laughton practised up a simple dance routine under an instructor, Philip Buchel. but that Ginger Rogers or Fred Astaire need have no fear of their new rival, is evidenced by the remark of Tim Whelan, the director, who, after having watched Laughton proudly go through his new dance, remarked "... as a dancer he's still a great actor.” Charles Laughton sings a new song hit by Arthur Johnston, the composer of many of Bing Crosby's best known numbers, in "St. Martin's Lane," “Pen-'

Charles Laughton in “St. Martin’s Lane” .

mes from Heaven.” "The Natural Thing to Do,” and "Cocktails tor Two,” are a few of Johnston's successes. Laughton sings “Straw Hat in the Rain.” accompanied by Tyrone Guthrie on the mouth organ- and Gus McNaughton on the mandoline. Other numbers in the film arc “London Love Song." sung by Polly Ward, and "yivien Waltz,” a waltz dedicated to Vivien Leigh, the picture’s leadinglady.