DELIGHTFUL COMEDY

Evening Star, Issue 20672, 20 December 1930, Page 15

DELIGHTFUL COMEDY

• LOOSE ANKLES ' AT STRAND ‘ Loose Ankles,’ one of tho most delightful comedies presented in Dunedin for several months, scored an instantaneous success upon its first presentation at. the,. Strand Theatre yesterday. Unusual circumstances surround tho story, hut it is a firstclass'comedy romance. In lact, brightness is the keynote of tho whole programme. In ‘ Loose Ankles ’ a beautiful and wealthy girl considers herself to ho “ in an awful fix” because she is to inherit a vast sum of money from her grandmother’s will. _ But this is subject to queer conditions, ono of

them being that if she docs not many a man approved by her guardian and two maiden aunts, neither she nor tlio other beneficiaries under the will snail rcceiyo anything. She‘objects strong y to such abslird, conditions, especially when those who have to approve are staid and suspicious old maiden aunts. Consequently she plants a family scandal which would sadly upset the terms of the will. She advertises lor an unscrupulous young nian and soon gets a reply. Tho attempt to create a scandal then commences, and from it is yielded a mass'of humour. ‘ Ibo catch” is of rather a shy typo and takes some time bclore ho lully undcistands tho position. But to make a scandal is not Iclt solely to the heroine, for complications set in, and under amazing circumstances. The other members of the family, one by one, become involved in a _ merry tanglo attended by sufficient disgrace to rum them, socially, for life. Ono hilarious situation follows another. , The principal' roles aro played by Loretta Young and Douglas Fairbanks, jun., while Louise Fazenda, as one of the aunts, is responsible for more than a fair share of tlio humour. Otis Harlan, ns the guardian, who made Jus presence known on all occasions by an extremely loud blowing of tlio nose, also provides an abundance of fun. Tho supporting programme is excellent, several attractive short matures adding greatly to tlio enjoyment of tho programme.