WAR COMEDY HAS CONTINUED SUCCESS AT GRAND THEATRE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18380, 4 February 1928, Page 10

WAR COMEDY HAS CONTINUED SUCCESS AT GRAND THEATRE.

Though it was to be expected that “Two Arabian Knights” would create a favourable impression among picturelovers, the phenomenal success of the season has led it to be continued a second week. The picture, from the United Artists studios, has been accepted as a peer among comedies, for comedy acting, humorous story and excellence of production. It is a lively burlesque on the One Thousand and One Nights, and the American version, by Donald M’Clure, has exactly One Thousand and One Laughs; no more, no less. The story is. mercifully, not set in America, but the war zone at the beginning of the story, moving to Jaffa, and from thence to romantic Arabia, where pashas, sheiks (orthodox variety) and emirs fill the day and night with extravagance and beauty; there is also Marza, a veiled beauty, . who disturbs the hearts of Top-Ser- | geant Peter M’Gaffaney, and of Private iW. Dangerfield Phelps, these gentle- | men being respectively played by | Louis Wolheim and William Boyd. Now, these excellent soldiers are the j Two Arabian Knights, and they are I knighted by a pasha or something for i no good purpose, ,as one learns when j one has seen the picture. As Knights [they are fair, as lovers warmer, but as > comedians they are world-beaters, and j if you take the three and mix well and judiciously, you have corned;.' in excelsis. Louis Wolheim, as one of the Knights, provokes enormous mirth. His face is exceedingly strange, downright ugly, but a positively wonderful comedian. William Boyd is blond and beautiful, and though hitherto given to dramatic and romantic leads, proves himself equall;- good in comedy as his partner in war and love. Mary Astor is the lady in the case, while lan Keith, the orte-time Shakesperean actor, gives one of the best parts in the picture as an emir with a Western education, the one serious bit in the frivolous story. The Grand Quality Orchestra will play a special orchestral accompaniment. The box plans are at The Bristol Piano Company, where seats may be reserved.