"THE GENERAL DIED AT DAWN."

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 289, 5 December 1936, Page 18

"THE GENERAL DIED AT DAWN."

URGENT. O'Hnra Gary Coopor Judy Ferrle Madeleine! Carroll General Vang Akim Taiuiroff Mr. ffu Dudley I)igg«'ri Peter I'errie Porter Hall Brighton William Frawley Leach J. M, Kerrigan Director: Lewis Milestone. Author: Clifford Odets. Paramount. "The General .Died at Dawn." In this very sentence there is a sort of suppressor drama, an earnest of exciting incidents to happen. It is the title of the picture which opened its season at the Regent Theatre last night and the title was nol misplaced. As the advertisement above the entrance to the theatre says, the film is the host of its kind since '."Shanghai Express.'' It is the story of the fighi of a Chinese war lord to steal a large sun of money, the property of those trying to free the province which groaned nuclei his tyranny, and to buy arms with it The money is entrusted to <an American O'Hara (Gary Cooper), to take to certaii people in Shanghai. The plot centre: round his eventful journey to that city It tells how he fell to the charms o another American, this time a beautifu girl, Judy Perrie (Madeleine Carroll), wh< was a party, however unwittingly, t( delivering him to the war lord Genera Yang (Akim Tamiroff). O'Hara, Judy Mr. Wu, the agent in Shanghai who wai working for an oppressed people (Dudlej Digges), Yang and others find themselves on Yang's junk, where the story work: up to a powerful climax. Of course O'Hara finds that Judy has been trin to him all the time and the picture endt on that note. The strength of the picture is in tin intense drama which begins the momeni the film begins and does not ease ir tension until the final blackout. Tliii drama throbs against a background whicl powerfully portrays the mystery of tin East. On the one hand you have a trail hold-up, where O'Hara is captured. Ther you are taken to Shanghai, the superim position of the West on the unchanginj East, to a European hotel, where iner are murdered and extraordinary incident.' happen. You have the mysterious junk in the harbour, mysterious in shape, sinistei in intention, mysterious in its approach up a harbour itself one of the most [sinister in the world. It is the scene on ; that junk, where the "general died at dawn," where the actors give the best oi their talent, in fact, have most scope tc jdo so. Cooper, Dr. Wu, Judy—these three in particular know they are faced with death in a particularly horrible form, j Yang wants the money for his guns and the money lias disappeared. One of these three is supposed to know its wherei abouts. You have, then, the inscrutable Oriental faces of the general and his guard, terrible in their immobility; you have Cooper and Judy trapped and helpless; you have Chinese armed to the teeth with knives and modern revolvers; you see the body of a man who has died from torture. You hear the broken English of Yang, quietly spoken, yet death foreboding. All this you sense and you realise that all must die. Then the unexpected happens. Yang is stabbed and al the last minute, while his hands arc smeared with his o'-"• life blood, lie countermands the order of death to the white people. His own guard elect tc die with him. They stand in two rows facing each other: revolvers point at the man opposite. The last command of the general is given. Revolvers speak. The general dies at dawn and his guard with him. It is a moving and fascinating pic ture in which the acting is far above tilt average. Cooper is at his best, while the audience will want to see more ol the beautiful Madeleine Carroll. Tamirof does wonderful work as Yang. The supports are good and one of them "Knock, Knock, Who's There?" is highly amusing. AMALGAMATED THEATRES. Picture programmes offered at theatre; under the control of Amalgamatet Theatres, Ltd., are as follow:—Civic: I wartime'romance, "Road to Glory," wit! Warner Baxter, Lionel Barrymore am Fredric March. Plaza: An Englisl comedy starring Ned-Sparks and Gordoi Harker, "Two's Company." National Ann Sothern and Francis Lederer in "Mj American Wife" and Bing Crosby ii "Rhythm on the Range." Roxy am Tivoli: "White ' Fang" and "The Se: Snoilcrs." Crystal Palace and Rialto "Mary of Scotland," featuring' Fredrii March and Katherine Hepburn'. Princes: and Regent: "Under Two Flags." State (Devonport): "Secret Agent" and "Sever Sinners." Alexandra: "The King StepOut." King's: "Border Patrolman" an< "Sons of Guns." State (Onehunga): "Let's Sing Again" and "Rhythm on the Range." Regal: "Story of Louis Pasteur' and "It Had To Hanpen." De Luxe: "Lives of a Bengal Lancer" and "The Golden Arrow." Empress: "Bullets anel Ballots" and "Dancing Pirate." Adelphi: "The Poor Little Rich Girl." "ROSES OF JOY." Much interest is being taken by the young people in the pantomime "Roses of Joy," which Miss Aileen Beresford and her pupils are presenting at the Town Hall Concert Chamber on Saturday, December 12, at 2.30 and 8 p.m., and on Monday, December 14, at 8 p.m., in aid of the Junior League of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Characters such as knights, fairy queen, jester, sunbeams and dragon will delight the young folk. Box plans for the three performances are open at Lewis Eady, Ltd. ARTILLERY BAND. Lovers of good band music will welcome the appearance of the Auckland Artillery Band, under the direction of the Dominion's best known band conductor, Mr. George Buckley, at the beautiful grounds of the Ellerslie racecourse tomorrow afternoon. A musical treat is promised. GAIETY, TAKAPUNA. Bing Crosby is the big attraction of "Anything Goes," a musical revue to be screened this evening at the Gaiety Theatre, Takapuna. Feminine lead is taken by Ida Lupino, the talented English ingenue, and Ethel Merman. Charles Ruggles contributes his special style of comedy to the film. AVONDALE MUNICIPAL. A thrilling court drama, "The Witness Chair," featuring Ann Harding and Walter Abel, comprises the principal offering of screen fare at the Avondalc Municipal Theatre this evening. "Her Master's Voice," with Edward Everett Horton and Peggy Conklin, is also showing. AMBASSADOR, POINT CHEVALIER. Greta Garbo has three male leads in the Russian drama, "Anna Karenina," which heads to-night's bill at the Ambassador Theatre, Point Chevalier. They are Fredric March, Basil Rathbone and Freddy Bartholomew. The Clauelette Colbert-Fred Mac Murray comedy, "The Bride Comes Home," is also showing. KINGSLAND TALKIES. Impudent Jane Withers in one of her brightest films, "Little Miss Nobody," and beautiful Loretta Young will provide the feminine element in to-night's entertainment at the Kingsland Talkies. TUDOR, REMUERA. One of the world's most famous tenors, Beniamino Gigli, sings in "Alexander Korda's colourful film, "Forget Me Not," which was chosen by the management of the Tudor Theatre, Remuera, to head their w r eek-end programme. Opposite him is the beautiful Joan Gardner. A coloured Mickey Mouse cartoon, "Elmer's Elephant," and other shorts are in support. LONDON CINEMA. Yorkshire comedy is the keynote of "The Mayor's Nest," which is being screened at present at the London Cinema in conjunction with a bright romantic comedy, "Give Her a Ring." featuring Clifford Mollison and Wendy Barrie. '