EXCELLENT PICTURE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 296, 14 December 1931, Page 3

EXCELLENT PICTURE.

Ronald Colman’s latest film, “ The Devil to Pay,” is one of the comedy gems of the year. The picture, which is now in its second w r eek at the Plaza Theatre, continues to attract large audiences. Frederick Lonsdale wrote the dialogue and the story upon which “ The Devil to Pay ” is based, and in the hands of a less capable star than Colman and a cast inferior to that supporting him much of the delightful subtlety and engaging humour would be lost. In giving the script to Colman and his co-players the producers placed upon them a big responsibility, but all the actors have shown themselves capable of living up to it. Colman appears as Willie Leeland, the wayward son of an English noble house, and it is a role eminently suited to his talents. The audience meets him first in Kenya Colony, where he is personally conducting an auction sale of his household furniture, having, as he explains himself, been a failure due to a love of horses with short noses and good cards, but - not good enough. From Kenya the scene quickly changes to London, and from them onwards a host of amusing situations arise. Willie, on setting foot in England, has to face an irate father who has sworn to kick him out of the house as a penalty for his sins. An interview between father and son takes place in the parental study in a fashion that is thoroughly enjoyed by the audience, and which has unexpected results, Willie emerging the richer by £IOO. With this money he goes off to see the Derby run, taking with him his sister and her friend, who is engaged to a Russian Grand DukQ. . .Derby day, with all its colour and romance, is pictured on the screen, making one of the notable features of the film. This day at the races is to have far-reaching results, and changes the course of many lives. There are moments when the story turns away to drama, but at' no stage is the rich, sparkling strain of comedy allowed to be lost for long, and, like all good things, ” The Devil to Pay ’’ ends, leaving a taste for more. Loretta Young, who plays opposite the star, fills her part with higli honours, and Frederick Kerr, as Lord Leeland, gives a masterpiece in character work as the lovable old English nobleman who hides a heart of gold under an irascible temper. Other well-known stars who appear in the minor roles are David Torrence, Crawford Kent and Paul Cavanagh. Among the supporting films, a newsreed of particular interest shows graphic pictures of Flight-Lieutenant Boothman winning the Schneider Trophy for Britain and Flight-Lieutenant Stainforth establishing the world’s speed record. In the same film there are some remarkable scenes of the accident which befel Kaye Don in his attempt to wrest the Harmsworth Tropty from America in the speed-boat Miss England 11.