Music and Spectacle Make Gay “Colleen”

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 189, 12 August 1936, Page 11

Music and Spectacle Make Gay “Colleen”

DICK POWELL AND RUBY KEELER TOGETHER (Mayfair: Screening Saturday), •fibat inimitable team of screen lovers, Dick Powell with tunciul songs on bis lips, and Ruby Keeler with her rhythmic dancing, together with Joan Blondell and Jack Oakie, head the cast of Warner Bros.’ latest spectacular musical comedy “Colleen.” In addition to tlio, four stars, the cast, which is ono of the most notable ever assembled for a production of this type, includes Hugh Herbert, Louise Fazenda, Paul Draper, Marie Wilson, and a score of other famous names besides two hundred beautiful chorus girls and dancing youths. Ihcre are two big spectacular specialty numbers created, and staged by Bobby Connolly, formerly dance director for tho Zeigfeld Follies and other New York shows. Dick Powell is tho serious minded young manager of an estate for a rich aud flirtatious uncle, who had purchased a modiste shop. Dick falls in love with the efficient secretary of the shop, and manages to win her heart after a series of entanglements filled with hilarious comedy for the audience, although heart-breaking to the young lovers. He also sings three songs. Miss Keeler has the role of the secretary, and introduces some remarkable tap dancing, both by herself and with that wizard of tho stage, Paul Draper. Jack Oakio and Joan Blondell portray a pair of gold diggers, out for y all the loot they can get out of the eccentric millionaire, a rolo played by Herbert. His wife, a hysterical society woman, constantly upset by her husband's philandcrings, is portrayed by Louise Fazenda. Draper, tho famous interpretative dancer of Broadway, makes his film bow in this picture. He has been the roge of New York, and in this picturo is said to do some of his finest lyric dancing.