ENTERTAINMENTS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 6 January 1930, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS.

“FOLLIES OF 1929.” OUTSTANDING PROGRAMME. Fox, perhaps the best-known name in modern picture entertainment, again triumphed when it produced the picture that was screened at the Opera House on Saturday evening—an all talking, singing and dancing him entitled “Fox Movietone Follies of 1929” —and a more enjoyable evening’s entertainment wouid be hard to find. The film was excellent from start to finish, and comprised a musical revue transferred to the screen, and some of the scenes were in natural colour. Heading the cast are such well-known and popular artists as Sue Carol, Lola Lane, Sharon Lynn, and David Rollins. The last-named portrayed the role of a Virginian plantation owner, and Lola Lane that of his sweetheart. He sells his plantation for 50,000 dollars and comes to claim his sweetheart, who is a chorus girl in a musical revue company on Broadway. He tells her he loves her and begs her to leave the chorus, where she is also under-study to the leading lady. She, however, refuses to leave and demands to know what is the matter with the stage. He threatens to ,go to the manager. She defies him and then complications begin. In desperation he really does go to the manager and tries to get him to discharge the girl. He refuses and tells David he is not going to spoil his show. David thereupon offers to buy the whole concern. The manager, who is heavily in debt over the revue, is delighted and gives David a 51 per cent, interest and all the responsibility in exchange for 50,000 dollars. David waits for his sweetheart aud discharges her. On the way from her dressing-room she overhears the leading lady talking about the new manager, and how she is going to have him and keep him. Lola thereupon decides to stay, and stay she does. When David sees her again he is angry and wants to know why she hasn’t gone. She tells him he cannot discharge her without two weeks’ notice- Everybody is in a whirl of excitement, for it is the opening night of the revue. The management are being persecuted by creditors who insist on getting their money. One creditor in particular is very persistent, and he supplies some of "the humour. However, everything manages to draw to a close without further mishaps, and at the last fall of the curtain David is offered 55,000 dollars for his interest in the revue, whereupon he gladly accepts the offer and his matrimonial difficulties end quite happily.

Stepin Fetchit, a coloured comedian, was responsible i'o/' no small portion of the humour, his role being that of a commissionaire. A very entertaining number was “The Breakaway,” wherein Sue Carol sings and dances a newlvdevised dance, assisted by other artists. David Percy, the possessor of a very fine voice, renders admirably that em chanting old ballad “The Pearl of Old Japan. ” Lola Lane sings “Big, City Blues” and gives a good portrayal of a lonely girl in a big city A lavishly staged colour scene representing the bed of the ocean was presented. The colourings were beautiful, and gorgeous mermaids were to be seen dressed in sea-green raiment. An acrobatic display by three girls on swinging ropes looked very 7 beautiful amid the gorgeous colours. This brings the brilliantlycoloured episode to a finish. The song “Why can’t I be like you?” is sung, by Dixie Lee, and represents a poor girl who admires pretty models with beautiful clothes in the shop windows. Heading the supporting programme is a comedy entitled “Sound your A,” depicting the complications that ensue v'hen .a musically-inclined gentleman becomes a. boarder in an apartment house and inflicts the “Blue Danube” on liis unsympathetic fellow tenants at all hours of the day and night. Also on the programme its a Fox Movietone News, which proves very interesting. Altogether, the whole programme is very enjoyable, and Saturday night’s audienoe went away w 7 ith the feeling that it was money well spent. The programme will be repeated to-night and to-morrow night, and capacity houses may again be expected.