ST. JAMES THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 208, 30 May 1936, Page 4

ST. JAMES THEATRE

“The Bride Comes Home” In the realm of sophisticated comedy there are few actresses who can hold a candle to Claudette Colbert. Picturegoers who acclaimed her performance opposite Clark Gable in “It Happened One Night” as the highlight of her career will be anxious to see her in "The Bride Comes Home” at the St. James Theatre. In her latest picture she gives another delightfully smooth performance as a girl sought after by two men and unable to spend five minutes in the company of one of them without a violent quarrel. Both are in love with her, and their rivalry is depicted in many amusing scenes. It is a far cry from “Cleopatra” to the role of a Chicago millionaire’s daughter, but Miss Colbert again comes through with the acting honours despite strong competition from Robert Young and Fred Mac Murray. The former takes the part of a childhood sweetheart who has just inherited three million dollars, and when her father’s finances become desperately straitened, Claudette is strongly tempted to marry him. His obvious devotion tempts her to take the easy way out of her difficulties, but being an independent-minded young woman she decides that she would sooner get a job than marry without love. She becomes assistant editor of a magazine published by Y'oung and immediately falls foul of the editor (Fred Mac Murray). Fred has no tact and Claudette no patience, and every time they meet the sparks fly. Mac Murray very much resents the other's presence, and being blunt and outspoken to the point of positive rudeness he makes no effort to hide his feelings, with the result that civil words between them are rare. The young millionaire is still hopeful of winning the girl he has loved so long and it seems that, his dream will be realised when suddenly his hopes are dashed completely. The two who have fought so furiously suddenly find to their intense surprise and momentary discomfiture that they love each other and cannot stay away from each other. One wonders whether the respite in their quarrelling will be only momentary, but they appear to have serene faith in the power of their love, and so “The Bride Comes Home.” The production owes as much to skilful direction as to the flawless acting and bright dialogue. Miss Colbert has set herself a high standard in her previous pictures, and in “The Bride Comes Home” she does not depart from it. There is an unusually strong supporting programme.