“THE GUARDSMAN.”

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20273, 6 April 1934, Page 3

“THE GUARDSMAN.”

Molnar’s Great Comedy Starts To-morrow.

“ You Made Me Love You,” the comedv starring Stanley Lupino and Thelma Todd, will conclude its season at the Plaza Theatre to-night. The talking version of Ferenc Molnar’s sparkling Viennese comedy, ” The Guardsman,” will open at the Plaza Theatre to-morrow. It is a diverting tale of an actor who is insanely jealous of his wife. He disguises himself as a dashing Russian guardsman and makes love to her, hoping that she will repulse his overtures and thus prove herself faithful, lie is onlv too successful in his flirtation, but when he upbraids his wife for her inconstancy, even threatening to kill her, she manages to turn the tables on him very neatly. The stars of the picture are the New York celebrities who made a great success of this play on the Broadway stage, Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne. Needless to say, the lines by Molnar, that distinguished Hungarian playwright, are brilliant. They have a sophisticated Continental flavour approaching the daring, but never going over the boundaries of good taste. The excellent supporting cast, includes Roland Young. Zasu Pitts, Maude Eburne and Herman Bing. Besides the stars the best performance is given by Roland Young as the critic, the innocent bystander. Zasu Pitts gets a great deal of comedy out of a maid’s role, and Maude Eburne and Herman score in the respective roles of the “ stage mama ” and the creditor. The major item on the supporting programme will be “ King Cole,” Walt IDisney’s charming Silly Symphony in colour. Box plans at the D.I.C.