ROYAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3835, 23 August 1928, Page 2

ROYAL.

For a reel riot of laughter, it is said that the Universal Jewel, “Rash Privates,” at the Royal on Saturday takes a lot of beating. The story deals with the doings and misdoings of an American soldier and his buddies in a German village during the period of occupation of Germany by the allied armies. Happily this picture deals with the “after the war” phaze of the Great Wlar, and consequently the consistent humour of its telling is not marred by any gruesome details of battlefield events. The hero of the story, John, a. real rash private, falls in love with a pretty German fraulein, but his campaign of action is seriously, hampered by a bullying Sergeant, out of jealousy, and the girl's father, out of strictly patriotic reasons. Matters reach a climax when through forbidden fraternising, the Sergeant is compelled by the authorities to marry the girl. To escape her fate, she bribes her servant to disguise as herself, she in turn disguising as an American soldier.

John rushes to the ceremony and I;blimps the “bride.” The series ( ,r farcical .complications that follow provide a splendid finish to a real laugh provoking comedy.- Malcolm McGregor plays the part of John, while Lya de Putti is the German fraulein. Zasu Pitts assumes in her inimitable manner the role of the servant girl, and the hard boiled Sergeant is played by Eddie Gribbon. Others in the cast include James Marcus, Captain Ted Duncan, Bud Jamison and Les Bates, while Director Melville W. Brown is responsible for making a comedy drama out of the ordinary.