Chock Full of Humorous Situations

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 47, 26 February 1936, Page 11

Chock Full of Humorous Situations

DASHING GAMBLER ROLE SHOWS COLEMAN’S CHARM

(State: Screening Saturday.)

It is a gay and charming romantic comedy, starring the screen’s ablest player of suave, debonair roles. The picture is 20th. Century’s “The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo,” and the star is Ronald Colman. In “The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo,” Darryl f. Zanuck has produced a picture that is notable not only for a highly capable cast, but also for a plot with a decidedly unusual twist laid in the interesting and gay centres of the Continent.

Chock full of humorous situations and containing an exquisite love story, this picture must be marked down as far above the ordinary in the way of an evening's entertainment. In support of Colman are beautiful Joan Bennett, whose excellent playing in ‘‘The Man. Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo,” proves her right to stardom; Colin Clive, Nigel Bruce and Montagu Love. Colman enacts the role of an impoverished Russian Prince who runs up his meagre savings as a taxi driver into 10,000,000 francs at the Sporting Club in Monte Carlo. He returns to Paris and divides half of his winnings among his fellow-expatriates who had added their savings to his original stake. Having met and fallen in love with Joan Bennett, hired by the gamblig syndicate to lure Colman back to Monto Carlo for another session at the tables, ho uses his fortune in pursuit of her. She and her companion in deceit, Colin Clive, lead Colman a merry chase through the gay centres of Europo to Interlaken, Switzerland. Here, in a setting of moonlight and romance, Miss Bennett falls in love with her victim. She tries to save Colman, but CJivo manages to get him back to Monto Carlo. Colman loses his winnings but wins Miss Bennett, much to the satisfaction of both principals and to tko audience. Much of the film’s excellence is undoubtedly due to the able direction o' Stephen Roberts.