ST. JAMES THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 287, 31 August 1935, Page 13

ST. JAMES THEATRE

“Sweet Music” Rudy Vallee, America’s most celebrated crooner, is to be heard this week iu "Sweet Music,” the splendid musicalcomedy screening at the St. James Theatre. With him stars Ann Dvorak, who’ is quite enchanting in several bright song and dance numbers. The supporting cast includes Ned Sparkes, Helen Morgan. Robert Armstrong, Allan Jenkins, "vice White, Joseph Cawthorne, and Al Shean. The story tells of a successful orchestra, led by Skip Houston (Rudy Vallee) and a rather less successful variety star, Bonnie Haydon (Ann Dvorak), who find themselves continually engaged in the same productions. The first of these shows is spoiled by a nit-witted publicity stunt, pulled by a self-appointed press agent. This brings about the failure of the company, and both the orchestra and variety star have to seek new fields. She is aided in her endeavours by a somewhat sinister, sphinx-eyed, harsh-voiced manager, “Ten Per Cent.” Nelson (Neil Sparkes). who in his own way loves the girl, but she declines to marry him. Skip and Bonnie mix about as freely as oil and water, but when they are both engaged as radio stars in a programme financed by two corpulent cigar-merchants, they find thev share a thirls or two in common. “Ten Per Cent." Nelson is sour-d when he catches the pair kissing under the moon, and decides to create trouble. Only after a friendly newspaper man has explained the truth does she realise that she loves Skip, and they share the honours of the grand finale. . The photogranhv is satisfying, the musie fulfils the claim of the film’s title, and Rudy Vallee is his inimitable self. The fine supporting programme eons’sts of news ree s a noveltv. “Holb’wood Studio.” a comedy, and the St. James Trio, Miss M. A. Bryers, Nancy Holloway, and Eudora Henry. /"The Scoundrel.” Noel Coward, the man responsible for “Design For Living,” “Cavalcade, and “Private Lives,” three of the most popular motion pictures of the past five years, at last turns motion p’eture actor himself to appear in the leading role of The Scoundrel.” the picture which was pro 7 duced for Paramount by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, and which is coming to the St. James Theatre shortly. Coward plays a literary Casanova in this sharp and satiric tale of decadence in the New York smart set. He is hollow, artificial and brilliant publisher, so accustomed to playing nt love with the unreal people who comprise his society that he fails to comprehend the realness «>f Julie Haydon, a young poetess, who offers him her heart.