Jack Buchanan At The Regent

Northern Advocate, 10 January 1938, Page 2

Jack Buchanan At The Regent

Marking Jack Buchanan’s first attempt at personal production, “Smash and Grab.” now at the Regent Theatre, is real entertainment for all classes from start to finish. Taken from every angle, the technical work of the film, photography, sound recording, lighting and set decorations bespeak a disregard for mincing money matters and a very great regard for authenticity and audience pleasing. The whole production compares very favourably with better-class American pictures in this regard, although its human, fastmoving and exciting story values are inspired by a perfect British sense of humour, which has been copied, though never really duplicated, in American offerings. In addition to starring in the film, Jack Buchanan attempts a role entirely divorced from his usual offerings. Throughout the picture he neither sings nor dances, but concentrates on a type of humour sophisticated and a trifle blase, which William Powell has made so popular in American movies. Indeed, the whole atmosphere of “Smash and Grab” breathes the same convincing suaveness and devil-may-care attitude of the “Thin Man” series of pictures. Also oi\ the same programme is “Wake Up and Live,” starring Patsy Kelly. Alice Fay and Walter Winchell.