MAJESTIC THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 278, 20 August 1938, Page 16

MAJESTIC THEATRE

“Merrily We Live”

Tbe M.G.M. attraction “Merrily We Live,” which is continuing for its second week at the Majestic Theatre, contains comedy, it does, indeed, recapture much of the first fine, careless rapture of .such an early film of tbe type as “My Man Godfrey,” which, as it happens, it slightly resembles in theme. Constance Bennett, Brian Aherne, Billie Burke, I’ajsy Kelly, Alan Mowbray, Bonita Granville and Clarence Kolb all enter with tremendous gusto into their roles, but at the same time they do not luck the restraint that is so necessary even in uproarious farce. And although tfic whole mood of “Merrily We Live” is crazy, tbe direction is strong enough and the script well enough written to prevent the lunacy getting out of hand and becoming merely mechanical. Every member of the Kilbourne family is more Ilian a trifle abnormal, but it’s Billie Bourke as the mother who precipitates most of Ibe fun of the story wifti her quaint passion for taking tramps under her wing and at-teni-pting to reform them. Nothing cun quence her ardour, not ever Ihe repeated disappearance of the family silver with one or other of her proteges. Certainly not the disapproval of her daughters Constance Bennett and Bonita Gran; ville (the little girl of “These Three’ fame), her son (Tom Brown), nor her long-suffering husband (Clarence Kolb). Their protests, together with that of the butler (Alan Mowbray), slide off Mama Kilbourne like water off a duck’s back. So when, one day. Brian Aherne arrives dusty and dishevelled at the Kilbourne residence and confronts the kind-hearted Mrs. Kilbourne it is no use hi« protesting that he merely wishes to use tbe telephone. Willy-nilly, he must be adopted as the family chauffeur. Of course the audience knows all along that the handsome stranger is no tramp, but his real identity is not revealed till the final hectic scenes. And before then a great deal happens—including an astounding dinner party with the 1 ranip-ehauffeiir forced into the role of guest of honour. Menuwhile tile romantic young daughter has waived her early objections and come to regard the intruder as the answer to a maiden’s prayer. So has the elder daughter (Constance Bennett), but rather more seriously. It’s all-very excellent fun.