“ROLLING HOME.”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20006, 25 January 1927, Page 13

“ROLLING HOME.”

Beginning at the Octagon Theatre on Friday is “Rolling Home.” The principal player is Deginald Denny, Universal’s gay comedian, and he rolls home under quite different circumstances from those associated with the ferry service in his most recent comedy, ‘‘Rolling Home,” which qpens a season at the Octagon Theatre next Friday. Its comedy is of that perplexed nature which this player shines in, a type that calls for much registering of amazement and comic terror, and this Denny does superlatively well. This comedian, alone among his fellows, can play in a picture which is, from the storytelling viewpoint, just a flight of fancy, play in it and instil into it an element which immediately, converts it into an eminently convincing comedy. It is a pleasant trick of personality and brains, and that is the primary reason why Denny's pictures are so favoured of the picture-going public. he leads one to think that, although the story is frankly farcical, it could quite easily happen to him. In “Rolling Home” he has a role which is peculiarly suited to him. No picture could possibly be embellished with more candid thrills than this one. It leaves the mark with a breath-catching bound, and it breaks the tape withouf an appreciable slackening for one instant. “California Straight Ahead” sinks to the placid level of juvenile romance, “What Happened to Jones” becomes a restrained story of domestice differences in comparison with the pace of "Rolling Home.” There are a few excellent comedians appearing on the screen to-day who could raise laugther between the pages of a book of Euclid, laughter hearty enough to evoke comment from Chicot the Jester, but the cacohination which this Universal Jewel raises is sufficient to cause Mr Punch to elevate his hardened brows in questioning surprise. Reginald Denny, with his disarming smile, his glib tongue, his resourcefulness, and illegal love of speeding has created new records in comedy with this production, imd has set a standard that his fellow-comedians will find difficult to follow. Marian Nixon, the heroine of several of his past successes, again appears opposite the star, and plays her part delightfully.