THE INIMITABLE EDDIE CANTOR

Evening Star, Issue 21823, 12 September 1934, Page 12

THE INIMITABLE EDDIE CANTOR

• WHOOPEE' BOOKED FOR ST. JAMES t Eddie Cantor is returning. But why so soon? some may ask. Well, it is not in a new picture, and it is not in his last two efforts — 1 Roman Scandals ’ or ‘ The Kid from Spain/ He is coming back in his first talkie extravaganza, ‘ Whoopee,’ which commences at the St. James Theatre on Friday. In its stage form, produced by Florenz Zeigfeld, and with Cantor playing the lead, it ran for two years. As a picture it established a number of records, and it was widely appreciated. Locally it has already been shown at three theatres, • but its return is bound to be welcomed by hundreds. The picture is presented entirely in technicolour. The story is essentially comedy, the laughs toppling over each other continually with brief effective songs and dance ensembles introduced for respite. The extravaganza is based upon the stage play by Owen Davis entitled ‘ The Nervous Wreck.’ The dance ensembles are brilliant. Instead of using large numbers to make these effective, a group of only twenty-four girls was used, and the various dances were kept to minimum footage. The twenty-four girls were selected from thousands of the prettiest girls in Hollywood and New York, and they are the last word in pulchritude. The finale, an Indian tableaux, surpasses many of the more modern ballet presentations.