“ THE LUCKY LADY,” WITH GRETA NISSEN, IS AT THE CRYSTAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18045, 4 January 1927, Page 7

“ THE LUCKY LADY,” WITH GRETA NISSEN, IS AT THE CRYSTAL.

« GOOD AND NAUGHTY ” . IS BIG SECOND FEATURE. Fair Greta Nissen. whose acting at Crystal Palace in "The King on Mam Street” some months ago made thousands laugh, has become a beautiful blonde princess, regal in manners, dress and ideas. Her stern-visaged Prime Minister decrees that she shall marry Mr Lionel Barrymore. In spite of hex regality, she is very human, so much so that she runs away from a convent to an inn in her «rincipality, and divides her attention between the costumes of a girl on the stage and a young American tourist. Needless to say, she falis in love with the American. Then arises the problem of getting rid of Mr Lionel Barrymore. With the ingenuity of an average girl whose wits are sharpened by love, Miss Nissen, knowing what ncreen men are, disguises herself as a coquette, lures Mr Barrymore on by all her art, and induces him to fall out of love with the princess and in love with the coquette. She then denounces him for his faithlessness and breaks of! the engagement. The end of the story is obvious, but it is not reached until Miss Nissen and her American sweet heart leave ivsr tiresome old monarchy, cross the bolder and take the great step before politicians can interfere. This story of a princess's love affairs comes to Crystal Palace with the title "The Lucky Lady.” Almost half the action is in Monte Carlo, whose architecture, furnishings and surroundings are represented realistically. Those *< < nes are full of colour and gaiety. Tin whole stnrv has been produced in the

whole 3fnry lias been produced in the best style of the Paramount studios. The same care and judgment wen shown in selecting the players. Miss Nissen, who 1s at the top of the list, is a Swedish beauty. Mr Lionel Barrymore js appearing in many picture", carrying into the movies the banner his lamous family carried on the stage for two generations before him. Mr Marc MacDermott, the Prime Minister, was: born in Sydney, educated In England and went, on to the stage in England and America, scoring success in "The Second Mrs Tanqueray." He has been In sixty-seven pictures, and his work beara the impress of *experience as well as unusual talents. Miss Pola Negri, one of the most famous movie actresses, has not. been seen to better advantage than in “Good and Naughty,” the story of a girl who masquerades in order to save a man from . the wiles of a married woman and from the scandal of t.be Divorce Court.. Miss Negri is a star of the vh*m*?nt!y flashing type. She i* beautiful, charming, original, highly emotional. All these are qualities demanded by the roles she usually takes. She cow show’s that to the best of her talents she has added humour. in “Good and Naughty” she appears first as a girl who disguises her beauty in order to obtain a job. as she has heal'd that, only an ugly girl will get. it. She falls in love with her employer, Mr Tom Moore, and when he gets into serious trouble she throws off the disguise oT an ugly dinkling and appears in the full blaze of her dazzling beauty In a way. “Good and Naughty." apart from its drama and its humstudy of a girl’s mind when it is driver, fey love. That passion is dealt with

from two points of view—the serious and the gay. Nobody could interpret, it from those points of view better than Mr Tom Moore does. Mr Ford Stirling will be remembered for his good woik in “The Trouble with Wives.” He provides most of the humour in “Good and Naughty.” Mr Stuart Holmes is back on the screen in an important part, and Miss Marie Mosquini, who boasts that she has played in 500 comedies and is a good cook, has a strong comedy role in this delightful story, another production of Paramount. The big pictures, as usual, were supported last night by an interesting Australian “Gazette” and by the spice of unadulterated comedy. The Symphony Orchestra, played some of the best pieces in its best style. Opening with the overture, “Lustspiel,” by Kela-Bela, it passed on to Haydn’s symphony, "Oxford.” Wagner’s “Pie Meistersingers,” Holst’s “Japanese Suite,” Campbell’s “Prince Gloia,” Straus’s “Ritter Pasman,” Michalis’s "The Turkish Patrol” and other compositions by famous men. .