AMUSEMENTS.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20648, 10 September 1932, Page 19

AMUSEMENTS.

"THE MIRACLE MAN." CLERGY AT PRIVATE SCREENING. A nuraoer of Cbristchurch. clergy yesterday attended a private screening of "The Miracle Man," which will be shown at the Theatre .Royal during the coming week, ana those who were seen after- the screening wero unanimous in their praise o£ the general character of the picture. The silent version of "The Miracle Man"' created a profound impression, its puto and lofty theme lifting the production lar above the sordid atmosphere which usually surrounded films of that period. Modern improvements in production have given tln'3 talkie version a new power over the silent film, end demonstrated the never-failiiicr appeal of the deeply spiritual message which the 3tory conveys. The theme of "The Miracle Man" is generally well known. Tho story commences with tho operations of a gan£ of criminal? in !jii American city tenement quarter. The leader is John Madison, played by Chester Morrip, who has lately come into prominence in several important films. In Ms power is Helen Smith, played by Sylvia Sidney, but Madison is compelled to flee from the city when ho seriously injures an admirer of the firL, Boris Ka rlolT. Madison arrives in the bniall town of Mtadvillc with the intention of escaping the police. When he is there, ho learns that, "The Patriarch," a faith healer, played by Hobart Bosworth, has had remarkable suceess in healing the ailing, and he immediately sees an opportunity for his gant? to defraud sufferers by exploiting th® powers of the faith healer. From the outset, tha criminals are given every opportunity to f.-ain their ends, and they are in a position to decamp with a considerable sum of money won from unsuspecting invalids when they witness tho cure of a crippled boy by the healer. All but tho leader of the gang, Madifob, are impressed by the BignißcHnc« of the event, and remain in to assist in the work of the Email community. The film reaches a conclusion when Madison attempts to influence his former followers iijainst iho power of the faith healer, bqt he yield:! to the f-piritual aid when the healer, immediately before his death, announces that he know tho intentions of the criminals when they first attempted to exploit him. The characterisations of the principals, Hobart Bosworth, Misß Sidney, and Chester Morris, are impressive, the more so as they have exceedingly difficult parts, from a techniial point of view, to play. Miss Sidney s redemption is portrayed charmingly, and with a restraint that i:; rdtnirablo in every way. A sinister and domineering Spare, Chester Morris could not ho better. Hobart Bosworth reives a memorable exposition of the part of the faith healer. Others in the cast are Trviriu' I'ichel, John Wruy, Ned Sparks, ji n»f i.loyil Iluehes. There were deveral expressions of praiae irorn members nf the audience after the screening, the T?ev, M. A. Ruprby Vra 11 describing "The Miracle Man" as a very fine picture. There arc certain Fordid elements in the picture, but the general effect is wholesome.