THE INIMITABLE GRACIE

Evening Star, Issue 22773, 7 October 1937, Page 16

THE INIMITABLE GRACIE

‘THE SHOW GOES OK'FOR EMPIRE Grade Fields, the immitab!e_ British actress, is the featured player in ‘ The Show Goes On,’ the sparkling musical comedy which will ho presented at the Empire to-morrow. There is the usual mixture of pathos and broad humour in the film and several new songs are introduced which promise to be as popular as any Miss Fields has sung. A strong cast was chosen to support the famous actress, including Owen Nares, Martin Fraser, Cyril Ritchard, , Australia’s popular song star, John Stuart, and Amy Vcness.

‘ The Show Goes On ’ is the story of a girl who wants her name in lights' and is in love as well. She is a Lancashire mill lass, who_ makes a name for herself by one night taking the place of the principal boy at the' annual pantomime in a small town. _ A noted composer hears her and is so impressed by the quality of her voice that he pays to have her trained as a singer, and later she secures an engagement with a travelling vaudeville company. She scandalises the entire company by burlesquing one of her numbers, but scores an instantaneous success, and becomes an established star. Much of the subsequent action takes place on board the Queen Mary, and reproductions of the boat deck and a section of the interior of the huge ship are most impressive. One scene depicts Miss Fields on the boat deck, responding to the cheers of the soldiers on an outgoing troopship. The Tommies recognise her and deniand a song, and she replies ■ with ‘ You’ve Got to Smile When You Say Good-bye,’ which is proving one of the great song hits of 1937. Other songs she sings are ‘ A Song in Your Heart,’ ‘ We’re All Good Pals Together,’ ‘ I Never Cried so Much in all my Life,’ and ‘ My Love for You.’ ‘ The Show Goes On ’is a musical comedy reflection of Miss Fields’s own life story, and it is one of her most delightful films.