Evening star., 1939-10-07

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ith such hilarious suavity as Mac
arroll what every tantalizing blond
'cript and Edward J. Grif1ith's direc-
Ftion give the principals a spacious
opening for being nterate and anus
ing and the way they race through
1t Is something to tickle the heart.
Although Honeymoon in Bali" is
laid primarily in New York, Para
mounts people could see no reason
for ignoring the tropical titles i'm
plication Of sauciness. Time after
time the story heads for what seems
certain to be the brink Of delicacy
only to be rescued by the grace of
the principals. It adds always to
the general excitement of the So
phisticated romance.
Against such a competent couple
1t would be futile to hope to steal
picture, but q pair of newcomers
come close to doing so in Honey
moon In Bali" One of them is
plump, unpretty but cute Carolyn
Lee, who demonstrates that 3-year-
olds, like moppets Of all other ages,
are youngsters of tremendous screen
appeal. The other Is Osa Massen,
young Scandinavian with spirit and
a piquant accent. AS a young widow,
infinitely wise beyond her years, Miss
Massen makes her pursuit of the
Indifferent MacMurray a glossy
revelation of the art of stalking a
male. Acting the part, either on or
on the screen, she is bound to be
rich some day.
Familiar as the characters may
be-as what characters are not
those in Honeymoon in Bali" have
a strange attractiveness. It is de-
rived, patiently, from the skill which
MacMurray brings to the part of
the wise, realistic, open-hearted,
outspoken young man and the
beauty and intelligence with which
Miss Carroll endows the girl who
Is not going to have her career
mussed up by any one, no matter
how attractive.
Two people like that naturally
would have huge volume of bright
conversation to exchange. As
scriptist Miss Van Upp was fully
aware Of that fact and fairly out
did herself in providing it. AS in
terpreters no two players you can
think of are more capable of ham
ding such chatter with Just the
right FLIP. Such is the nature of
the material that on certain occa-
slons the treatment calls for the
substitution of an enigmatic smile
for the spoken word. The smile
invariably is more eloquent and
probably better taste as the Hays
Office sees good taste than the word
would have been. Merriest of the
moments of this kind is that in
which MacMurray, who is a resi-
dent Of Bali, explains the functions
OF his household staff of five fe-
male servants. It could be shock
Ing, but 1t is too slickly handled for
that.
An engaging set of characters
traverse the action of Honeymoon
In Bali" In addition to the adroit
fencers in the game of love. Miss
Carroll and MacMurray, pert Young
Carolyn Lee creates an ingratiatine
portrait OF an incipient siren, Akin
Tamirof is uproariously funny in
the surprising role of a philosophic
window washer, and Helen Brod.
erlck turns out nice characterize
ton OF spinster who's sorry she is
one. Miss Massen already has been
tossed her orchids, and Alan Jones
deserves a bouquet for the vocal
II not easy acting ability he brings
to the role of the other man in
the romantic mixup.
It all is very smooth and comic.
which is why this reviewer makes
no serious complaint about the end
coming a bit too slowly.
+ 4 X
Not just q production slammed
together as buffer between show
ings Of the picture is this weeks
stage show. It has several aspects
that show Harry Anger can be ca
PRECIOUS when he wants to be. One
OF them is an opening by the Vir-
ginians, that capable male octet,
with second spot reserved for the
Roxyettes, who are doing a 1st an
niversary revue and doing it well.
They are at their best In a Red
Sails" number, spectacularly
lighted, nicely danced affair. or
maybe they really are at their best
in the cavalcade bit in which they
dash through some Of the most
hazardous routines they have de-
vised for the entertainment Of Gus
toners through the year. One can
take ones choice.
Frakson, q magician who has
some new tricks and is skilled In
the old ones, an acrobatic team of
Goodrich and Nelson and . comedy
ventriloquAl act by Staunton and
Curtiss round out quite . fetching
l6 minutes. &c.