COMEDY FOR THE CIVIC

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23088, 13 July 1938, Page 18

COMEDY FOR THE CIVIC

"BARONESS AND BUTLER n The beautiful French actress Annabella, who first won fame on the screen in the successful British production "Wings of the Morning," has a leading role in the brilliant comedy "The Baroness and the Butler," which will commence a season at the Civic Theatre on Friday. Annabclla onco again shows herself as a very accomplished actress and is well supported by the popular player of many successful films, William Powell. The French actress appears as the Baroness Katinka, a daughter of an aristocratic Hungarian family, tho Sandors, who have in their employ a butler named Johann Porok (William Powell). To the amazement of the Sandors, Porok is elected to Parliament as a member of the People's Party, which is in opposition to the Government of which Count Sandor is the Prime Minister. The count is rather amused by the new situation and his only concern is that his perfect butler should remain in his employ. Porok rapidly becomes (lie brilliant leader of his party, but the baroness, who is unhappily married to an unscrupulous politician docs not hesitate to show her scorn for her father's erstwhile butler. Porok's party succeeds in defeating the Sandor Government in an election and the baroness suspects her husband of being responsible for the defeat, in order to further his political purposes. At a "victory' banquet a romance develops between the baroness and Porok, but the baroness' husband intervenes and threatens exposure unless Porok gives him a post in the Cabinet. In spite of this ultimatum, the picture is brought to a happy and satisfactory conclusion. Tho excellent supporting cast includes Henry Stephenson as the good-natured count, Helen Wcstley as the countess, Joseph Schildkraut and J. Edward Broniberg. This picture, which came from the studios of 20th Century-Fox, was produced by Darryl F. Zanuck, while Walter Lang" was the director.