“THE GAY RETREAT” IS FINE COMEDY AT LIBERTY THEATRE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18468, 21 May 1928, Page 7

“THE GAY RETREAT” IS FINE COMEDY AT LIBERTY THEATRE.

As long as there are wars there will be well-meaning men to rail against them; and among such people dram atists stand out more prominently than statesmen. And, among dramatists, Laurence Stallings is pre-eminent, and his “What Price Glory?” is the best indictment of war in the English language. And being the best there is, it had quite a lot of comedy in it, comedy that was presented in ribald, and gloriously war-like manner by Privates Lipinsky and Kiper, an 'ugly anc * cheeky pair who were wonderfully pon traved by Sammy Cohen and bed M’Namara. And Sammy Cohen and led M’Namara are again two ugly and cheeky privates in “The Gay Retreat, the Fox comedy to be presented at Liberty Theatre to-day. This time thev are not in the Marines, but in the’ Ambulance Corps, and if all that “The Gay Retreat” says is true, then the AC. is quite the most amusing unit in the army. Of course, the screen will always present war and the army in more or less theatrical guise; a private can get away with quite a lot on the silversheet, and sergeant-majors are sometimes a bit blind. But for all this liberty taken with the game, war comedies are always the most entertaining specimens of the film-produc-er’s art, told with a sense of humour, a fair. amount of blood and thundet, and a brown-eved mademoiselle at the finish. “The Gay Retreat” has its lethal moments, not bad either, to the critical eye, a few good shells about, some mucky trenches, marching columns of weary troops, wherein the two heroes try their hands at cheering up the “doughboys,” and a few other accoutrements of war. But it is mainly a funny story, slapstick in parts, but very often genuinely bright and witty Above all, Cohen and M’Namara keep the pace moving, keep the audience in high good humour from the time they start their tricks, and generally duplicate their efforts along the “Glory” lines. M’Namara again gives his superior officers the “razzberry,” and those who roared at Captain Flagg’s perplexity, will' again delight in this exhibition of the private’s humour.‘Supplying the romantic interest is Betty Francisco, who typifies the spirit of woman in war very concisely, and also knows how to keep the gay retreaters at bay. Taken all round, this is a!\ sparkling a war comedy as the screen has offered, and it has the additional merit of having two excellent come, dians to see things through. E. Phillips Oppenheim’s story, "Monte Carlo,” is-the second picture, with Betty Balfour and Carlyle Blackwell in the leads. This is told in dramatic vein, which is further enhanced by the artificial beauty of the Monacan city, and the glamour of its tables. I3ettv Balfour plays her part with much vivacity, and puts a little comedy into her character. The Concert Orchestra, under Mr Ernest Jamieson, will play the following musical programme: Overture, “Surprise Symphony” (Hadyn), “Andante” (Beethoven), “Ruy Bias” (Mendelssohn), “The Girl Friend” (Rodgers), “Gems from Haydn” (Golden). “Yoghi” (Scassolo), “Spring’s Awakening” (Bach). “Athalie” (Mendelssohn), “Suite” (Hugo Wolf). The box plans are at The Bristol Piano Company, where seats may be reserved.