REGENT THEATRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 May 1939, Page 2

REGENT THEATRE

“SWEETHEARTS.” “Sweethearts,” which is to be shown at the Regent Theatre tonight is in colour, and colour certainly suits Jeanette MacDonald’s rich style of beauty, and she is given every opportunity to show it off with a dazzling wardrobe which features glowing pinks and fascinating tans and greens. Nevertheless, “Sweethearts” is much more than a medium for Jeanette MacDonald’s beauty and melodious voice; it is also the medium for a new type of MacDonald characterisation. Her role is that of Gwen Marlowe, a highly successful stage artist who adores flattery and who poses almost as much off the stage as on it. She is shallow-minded, unstable —but she adores her husband, and altogether it is very easy to like her. Without actually caricaturing the part, Miss MacDonald has presented it in the key of comedy. Nelson Eddy is equally good and in fine voice, as the heroine’s husband. The two are very much in love, but are tired of being stars of this one play. They are bored with the monotony of success and its everlasting accompaniment of broadcasts, public meetings, and Press interviews. They are toying with the idea of a Hollywood contract and a change of scene; but their stage producer (Frank Morgan) becomes desperate at the thought of losing the principal nuggets in his goldmine. Comic complications —and also some of a romantic nature —rise from the producer’s wily efforts to keep the play running. That this is probably’ the biggest of the Mac-Donald-Eddy successes and fine entertainment into the bargain, few will deny. There are invaluable contributions from Morgan, the producer; Florence Rice, the star’s secretary, and a comedy team’comprising Mischa Auer, Herman Bing, Ray Bolger and Reginald Gardner. Included in the supporting programme is “City of Little Men,” a heart warming story of Boys’ Town, a community of boys founded over twenty years ago by a priest who believed that there is no such thing as a bad boy. It is a .featurette that is of particular interest.