“JACK’S THE BOY.”

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20281, 16 April 1934, Page 3

“JACK’S THE BOY.”

Gay Comedy Returns to the Civic. “Jack’s the Boy,” the greatest success Jack Hulbert has yet made, is back again at the Civic Theatre. The faith of the management in the popularity of this picture was amply justified on Saturday night, when a large audience laughed for nearly two hours at, the antics and adventures of the one and only Hulbert. A thoroughly good plot, a fine cast, first-class photography and—Jack Hulbert; these are the ingredients of a comedy that cannot fail to appeal to all. With the irresistible Hulbert is Cicely Courtneidge, that delightful comedienne who has made British pictures so much better for entering into their making- The third of the trio of principals is Winifred Shotter, whose acting, singing and dancing indicate a successful acreer in the motion picture world. The story is simple, yet gripping. It would be hard to imagine anything more amusing than this gay young constable’s handling of a situation when he is on point duty. Two men with a sixty-foot ladder block the thoroughfare and for five minutes, the audience is kept in a series of shrieks as he tries to extricate the ladder, traffic, himself and the old gentleman who “knew he wouldn’t do it.” Then there are the gripping and amusing scenes in Madame Tussaud’s waxworks where Hulbert tnd Cicely Courtneidge plav hide and seek in the Chamber of Horrors while a gang of thieves vainly seek them. Neither must mention be omitted of Hulbert’s songs, “The Flies Crawled up the Window” and ‘‘l Want to Cling to Ivy.” Both of these are sung as only Jack Hulbert can sing them. The supporting programme includes a diverting film dealing with the lives of chameleons and alligators, an entertaining Cinesound magazine and a New Zealand film illustrating an ascent of Mount Sterling at the head of the Franz Josef glacier, on the West Coast °, South Island. The remarkable photography, obtained by the use of the telescopic lens, will stand comparison with the best in the world. This mm must rank among the best produced in New Zealand.