ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 23375, 6 December 1937, Page 16

ENTERTAINMENTS

MAJESTIC THEATRE “KEEP YOUR SEATS PLEASE” The most mirthful and merriest comedy film seen in Invercargill for a long time was screened before a big and appreciative audience at the Majesti: Theatre on Saturday night, and on many occasions the audience completely disregarded the title of the film, “Keep Your Seats Please.” That inimitable comedian, George Formby, with his cheer' 1 grin, his quaint and amusing mannerisms and his disarming air of innocence has the principal role and on his performance in “Keep Your Seats Please” must be ranked as one of the world’s foremost comedians. Associated with him is Florence Desmond, who gives a great performance in a heavy role. The picture goes with a swing from start to finish, and clever directing and perfect photography make this film supreme as comedy entertainment. Formby is cast as George Withers, a concert artist with his ukelele as his sole possession. George is introduced to a young girl in a rather embarrassing way, but they soon become fast friends. The two are about to be thrown out of the board-ing-house for not paying the rent when George is informed by letter that his deceased aunt has left him a fortune. In her endeavour to outwit her grasping relations the aunt secreted the fortune in the seat of one chair of a set of seven. The chairs are to be auctioned, and George wings his frantic way to the sale. He starts to bid with reckless abandon and when the chairs are knocked down to him he finds he has no money to pay for them. He is forcibly ejected from the auction and by the time he raises the necessary money the chairs have been sold—not as a set, but separately In his wild and exciting chase after the chairs, George is balked at every move by the villain of the film, a rascally solicitor. In this hilarious adventure George weaves his wily way from one scrape into another. On the same programme is an exciting air epic, “Crimson Romance,” featuring Ben Lyon, Sari Maritza and Erich von Stroheim. The story concerns the adventures of the famous German war ace, von Richtofen. This is a powerful and compelling drama of the air, and the aerial sequences are among the best ever filmed.