"QUEEN OF HEARTS."

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 84, 8 April 1936, Page 7

"QUEEN OF HEARTS."

Gracie Fields's Latest.

Never before, say overseas critics, has Gracie Jneicis been given such rare opportunities lor hearty comedy as in "mueen of Hearts," her latest picture, which will start a special midnight premiere screening, commencing at MXVi p.m. tomorrow at the Kegenl i'heatre. It is.said that in this h'lin neither money nor eliort has been spared to return Gracie Melds to her former undisputed position in public lavour. Instead of being merely a series oil events loosely connected by the star's personality, the story of "Queen of. Hearts" is not only an excellent vehicle for her talents but is interesting in itself. It also provides scope for the most versatile voice in the world to be heard both in comic and semi-serious songs, while there are at least two episodes which are said to touch the Highest peak of hilarity. These are when Gracie, knowing nothing about driving finds herseii in charge of a motorcar in the midst of London's traffic, and —an even funnier sequence—when, knowing less than nothing about dancing, she finds herself the "victim' in a truly hectic Apache dance on the i stage. The star appears as Grace Perkins, a humble seamstress with a secret "crush" on Derek Cooper, a matinee' idol appearing at the Queen of Hearts Theatre. It is her passion for Cooper that permits her to masquerade —unwittingly" at first—as the wealthy Mrs. Vandaleur.who is going to invest money in Cooper's show. However, the police are on Grade's track, and even when she is starred in "The Queen of Hearts" on the strength of her vocal talent, the sleuths never let up, and conduct an hilarious hurdle race with the leading lady around and about the stage. In the process, Gracie contrives to sing her tuneful numbers, and with her triumph assured, she also finds romantic happiness with Derek Cooper—thus achieving a "happy endiing" for the first time in any of her pictures. Although essentially a Gracie Fields picture in every sense, mention must be made of the competent support by John Loder as the matinee idol, and Enid Stamp-Taylor, Fred Duprez, Jean Lister, and Hal Gordon in other important roles. A feature of the supporting programme will'be the appearance on the stage of the Trevor-Dawn Trio in a 1 Burlesque Adagio Extraordinary."