FAMOUS ROMANCE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20360, 18 July 1934, Page 3

FAMOUS ROMANCE.

Ramon Novarro in “ The Cat and the Fiddle.” “Flying, Down to Rio” will be screened finally on Friday night at the Regent Theatre. Lilting music and a charming romance, which naturally ends in seventh heaven, in spite of the diabolical machinations of a suave and villainous impresario, are delightfully blended in “ The Cat and the Fiddle,” the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production, which will be the headline attraction at the Regent Theatre on Saturday. .Critics state that it is easily one of the most entertaining musical films of the year. Ramon Novarro, as a dashing musical student, beginning a career in Brussels, makes tempestuous love to Jeanette MacDonald throughout the picture, and she succumbs gracefully to his blandishments. Of course, there are several rifts in the love lute. When a misunderstanding occurs, engineered with diabolical cunning by a prominent impresario, a candidate for Jeanette MacDonald’s affections, Novarro makes a dramatic exit from his sweetheart’s luxurious apartments to seek solace in the composition of an operetta. Whereupon, the heartless impresario presses his suit and becomes engaged to the fascinating composer of popular songs, whose success was due not a little to his influence. With the stage set in the best operatic manner for a gripping climax, things quickly come to a head. Almost heart-broken, the young composer translates- his emotions into music, and he creates an operetta, entitled “The Cat.and the Fiddle.” But when about to tread the path of success, the composer is inveigled into a love interlude with his leading lady, the financier’s wife, and is discovered bv an irate husband. The comedy, without which no operetta would be complete, is provided by Charles Butterworth, who is even more inane than usual. Frank Morgan is almost too sinister as the impresario. Box plans at the D.I.C.