PLAZA THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 272, 13 August 1938, Page 16

PLAZA THEATRE

“The Baroness And The Butler”

Annabella’s first American picture, “The Baroness and the Butler.” uow showing at the Plaza Theatre, is not quite as sensational as it promised to be. the IPrench star herself has enough inheient ability, enough vivacity of temperament, to overcome —to a very large extent the limitations of her role. In all her acting there is a poise, an almost feline grace of movement, that, in addition' to her striking beauty, is enough tq make her outstanding; though, as "Wings ol the Morning” proved, she needs colour to be seen to best advantage. William Powell, suave, efficient and charming as ever, is presented as the butler in the household of the Prime Minister of Hungary. His father and grandfather have held the post before him, but although he is personally devoted to his master and his master's family—including the master's lovely daughter, the baroness —he has branched out into politics, mid got himself elected to Parliament as a representative of the Social Progressive Party. Since the main plank of this party's platform is to put the Prime Minister out of power, it will be realised that the butler's position is somewhat complex. However, the Prime Minister is an incredibly indulgent person—so long as the butler continues to tie his ties properly, he does not worry about his servant's polities. But the baroness pretent l * to be completely outraged by the butler's presumption—her attitude being explained, of course, by the fact that she is subconsciously in hive with him. Then, as the butler rises to political eminence and becomes the man of the hour in state affairs, her attitude changes. This leads to a romantic coinplienlion and a far-fetched finale in which th lady professes her love for the biitler-polifieimi from the gallery of Parliament. There is much tluit is elever ami witty in "The Baroness and the Buller,” but if it. could have made up its mind earlier whnt it wanted to be. and had stuck to it, this would have been n better picture. Allowing for that, however. with two such stars ns Annabella mid William Powell, and with support from Henry Stephenson, Helen Westley and Joseph Schildkraut, it is a picture thnt probably ninny people will want to see.

A well-known parrot, which is said to have travelled 1(H),000 miles in 105 years has lately died at Brighton, in England.