STATE THEATRE

Manawatu Times, Volume 59, Issue 214, 7 September 1934, Page 12

STATE THEATRE

"JACK AHOY.” A SPARKLING LAUGHTER RIOT Jack Ilulbert’s "fans,” and that means everybody, have a treat in store when “Jack Ahoy” comes into port at the State theatre to-morrow. Jn the story or the film, Jack is descended from a long line of admirals and in the prologue t.o the film we Eeo a forebear of Jacks at the Battlo of Trafalgar, bravely defying the enemy from the poop of his ship until a sail descends with a run and obliterates him Ho flouts tradition when, after being‘"ploughed” at .Dartmouth, ho joins the Navy as an A.B. Ho has the temerity to fall in love with the admirals daughter, a proceeding which leads him into all sorts of scrapes and finally to the cells. Jack redeems himself when his ship, tho Stupendous, is ordered to Far Eastern waters to check tho activities of pirates who have captured a British submarine. "When the admiral and. Ins daughter, who has gone East to join her father, are captured by Larios, the chief of the pirates, Jack and ills faithful but rather dim-witted associate, Dodger, hold the pirates up at tho business end of a machine gun, whilst the captives retreat to the submarine. Jack and Dodger join them and thereafter their attempts to work the submarine are provocative of a host of hearty laughs. Finally, they get away t.o sea, where they are chased and shelled by the pirates in a speedy armed motor launch. Alternately sinking and rising, sometimes turning turtle, the submarine with its passengers exeprionce a real thrill when the British Navy arrives and, deeming it to be still in the hands of tho pirates, proceed to shell them and also to drop depth charges. The submarine sinks to the bottom of the sea, and Jack, bravely donning tho necessary equipment, goes out through the conning tower —only to find that tho submarine has run. aground and that he is surrounded by laughing and cheering sailors. Of course, Jack is promoted to commissioned rank, and again, of course, lie wins the admiral’s daughter. Jack Hulbert is at tiio top of his form in this film, singing, dancing and performing a number of extremely mirth-provoking stunty. Nancy O’Neil is charming as tho admiral’s daughter, whilst the admiral is finely played by Alfred Drayton. Tamara Desni does a spot of vamping with Jack as an unwilling victim, and Henry Peterson Js sinister in his role of t.he pirate chief. Finely directed by Walter Fordo, whose film, "Orders Is Orders,” will be remembered by everybody, “Jack Ahoy!” provides a feast of happy laughter, a real tonic for everybody.