Janet Gaynor With Henri Garat in “Adorable” Film

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7284, 11 October 1933, Page 5

Janet Gaynor With Henri Garat in “Adorable” Film

CATCHY SONGS, LAVISH SETTINGS AND ALL, IN SUNSHINE SPECIAL OF 1033 Janet Gaynor fans will be pleased with the star’s latest effort. .The film is described as “the Sunshine Special of 1933,” and if tuneful, happy songs and romance form movie sunshine then the description is not wrong. “Adorable,” at the Regent on Saturday, bears all the marks of a good picture.

This timo Janet forsakes America for her story and flies off into the Land of Make-Believe, where she is presented as the princess of a charmingly fantastical kingdom. But a democratic princess, mark you; and that is probably why she does not have to contend with a revolution, as tho rulers of even mythical kingdoms seem to have to do these days. Off she goes to a servants’ ball, looking so sweetly natural that nobody recognises her as a member of tho royal family, and least of all a charming young man whose conquest of her is so rapid that he is kissing her after the first danco. And she responds with a will. Love at first sight, if not sooner—no doubt about it. But ho is' so handsome and sings so nicely that there is really some excuse for the princess forgetting her blue-blooded background. Conies tho' dawn, as they say in the story-books—a remark that is not out of place in a description of such a story-book film. The princess' is back in the palace being upbraided by her Prime Minister for behaving so democratically when she is due so soon to marry a prince from another mythical country. She looks out of tho window and finds that her partner of the night before is not a servant but a lieutenant in her guards. “Have him made a captain,” she orders. “Nothing easier,” replies the Prime Minister. Better to have her interested in a,captain than a servant, he thinks. Captains arc more amendable to discipline. So a captain ho becomes on the spot —followed by the ranks of major, colonel, and others on tho military scale until finally he is arrayed in all the panoply of a general. Promotion becomes a daily matter for this lucky young man; but all the time the princess keeps her real identity hidden and the romanco continues. The Prime Minister is delighted in her interest, in the officer—until he finds out that ho and tho unknown lover aro the same man. Then ho orders the hero to turn off the current of his charm, and be as cold to the princess as he has hitherto been nice. And the hero, having at last discovered who his sweetheart really is, and with his pride in his promotion badly bent, gives tho princess a generous application of the cold shoulder when next- he meets her.

This is bad for romance. It looks as if the princess will marry her prince from the other country. But this prin«@ is in love with someone else. With whom do you think?—the picture of a mummy he has unearthed in Egypt! Studious fellow this prince, quite unsuitable for her Royal Highness Janet Gaynor. But* a nice chap for all that. He willingly waives his claim to her hand; and then tho king pops up for the first time in the film, sacks the meddling old Prime Minister, and bestows tho princess on her soldier-boy lover with the royal blessing. Cheers and wedding bolls. This reversed and revised version of the Cinderella story has been filmed in a truly delightful fashion, with lavish settings and ingenious musical effects. There arc catchy songs that will soon be sung, played and whistled everywhere. For the first time in several films Janet opens her mouth in song, but she does not need to sing to fit the title of the film, “Adorable.” That can quite confidently be left to her new leading man, Henri Garat, a young Frenchman with a charming manner, intriguing Gallic mannerisms and accent, a profile that will flutter the hearts of the flappers, and a voice that was just made for singing sentimental ditties. There’s a big future in Hollywood awaiting Henri. C. Aubrey Smith is a properly irascible Prime Minister of the old school, but one hopes that his dismissal by the king was not meant to be taken seri-ously. He is really rather a likeable old gentleman, though perhaps not quite democratic enough.

A story of the Soviet secret police, “The Death of Nickoli Kourbouf,” will be directed for Columbia by Lewis Milestone, who its at present gathering “atmosphere” in Moscow. <♦> <S> <s> <*> Zasu Pitts and Sheets Gallagher are at present working on a full-length comedy picture, to be entitled “Dummey’s Vote.” '<s> <S> <S> Possessing the same tense human appeal as “Back Street,” bue decidedly more dramatic colour, Fannie Hurst’s most Tecent novel “Imitation of Life,” will bo brought to the screen by Universal. Carl Laenrmle, Jun., purchased Miss Hurst’s brilliant novel with the understanding that John M. Stahl, who directed “Back Street,” and made it internationally recognised as one of the screen’s “10 best films of 1932,” will direct “Imitation of Life.”