"THE LOVE PARADE," A WONDERFUL SUCCESS—MAJESTIC.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 59, Issue 121, 24 June 1930, Page 2

"THE LOVE PARADE," A WONDERFUL SUCCESS—MAJESTIC.

Hailed all over New Zealand, and in fact wlierever it has been shown, as the greatest musical comedy yet presented to the public, . "Tlie Love Parade" showing lor -au extended season at the Majestic 'Lheatre. Utlier works may have been more coUrageous .in the exploration of an uncharted field, but the point is that the gaiety, charm, the "Lubitsch directorial skill, and above all the enormously engaging performance of Maurice Chevalier iu the leading role provided it with a quality and a general excellence that has never before been achieved. The plot of the filin dealt with a young man attached to the embass.v of a mytliical kingdom wbose activities in Paris caused unrest and who was ordered to go hack to-the kingdom and report to his queen. He took his personal servant with him and just as he found favour in the eyes of Hdr Majesty did his servant fall a -victini to the charms of her maid and it was the latter two who provided so much of the rearlly excellent comedy of the picture. Lupino Lane, well known all over the world for his comedy. took the role of the servant, while the queen's maid was delightfully poi'trayed by Lillian Roth. These two worked together wonderfully' and had the audience in a constant state of merriment from start to finish. In the role of the young man attached to the embassy, Maurice Chevalier was superb. He has already created a name foy himself-in past productions ancl his - performance'- alone was"'suffi ■ cient to. ensure the success of the film. His leading Iady in this picture was Jeanette Macdonald, a newcomer whose outstanding heauty and charm at once fascinated and eharmed. The lavishness of the presentation was a feature of the entertainment and set a new high standard for this phase of film work, No less than seven song hits were contained in the production, these being "The Love Parade," "Anything to Please a Qneen," "My Dream Lover," "Nobody's Using It Now," "Paris Stay the Same," "Let's Be Common," and "The Song of the Grenadiers." Maurice Chevalier's voice is delightful at all tiines- and his rendering in tliese melodies was excellent The originality of the production proved fascinating to a degree and it can truly be said that there was not a dull moment in the whole evening. "The Love Parade" was produced by Paramouut, responsible in tlie past for so many reallv excellent films, but this will be generally recogniscd and hailed as by far the most ambitioiis and extranrdinary production that has cver been offered to tho public. Oue thihf is certaili. that the glowing reports that have been received retravding tbe . nroduetiou .bave. not. been in the sliahtest degree exasirerated. Neither is it. possihle to adequatelv deseribe on paner or dn iustice to "The Love Parade." Patrons wnuhl he wise to hook their sents as full honses are anticipated. - '