CITY THEATRES

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21387, 1 February 1935, Page 7

CITY THEATRES

1 PLAZA AND THEATRE f ROYAL j ..SPLENDID FELLOWS'' »v, Australia!! studios, in their Isave 'ackled something corav"^_7?vejy new ard done it with sursuccess. They have produced Fel;fi\vs" (which is at both L"plaza and Theatre Royal this week) irture w hich draws upon history *, three months old and still hot the rr.oinrf. The venture has r ather a daring one. but the Aus«jjgn r rc * di: '-' cr ' in emplmsing the liVactioßS <A a story written about > JZ-<s which are still fresh in every- ■ tI.V memory, has in some measure il-ida® ' ls disadvantages, and the picK»e is pleasantly topical as well as an feeresting ai.d thrilling piece of fic-Lv'-w- !t is really good entertainment IflJVell id keeping with the standard K*rlier films from Australia have esiGlifbed. Sflje acting of the all-Australian cast 4, mod. Eric Coleman has the leadflag Port, as the "flying parson," and Frank Bradley, who is "Dad'" mcßricie, he is one of the two most players. Frank Leighton Hon. Montmorency Ralston, and F * s'in the east include Leo Ijf-ank-Plsabelle Manon. and Andrew Higere is a:i excellent supporting ramme. ♦•THE COL'NT OF MONTE CRISTO'' . "iVrat magic the name, "The Count iLji Monte Cristo," the hero of Dumas's fc»rnortal story, conjures in the minds ETthousands of lovers of fiction and ■ This famous story has now feera turned ii.U> a talking picture by I'r.te-d Artists, and will be released jet j.'.u/ieously a*, the Plaza and tplieatre Royal to-morrow. The fCount of Slonte Cristo." incidentally, ■nris the only picture in Australia or Vyew Zealand publicly attended by his fjtoyal Highness the Duke of Gloueesps, and the Royal party. As a stage falay it possesed all the qualities that isade the old theatre what it was. O'Neill, the most famous of Klse rtage players in the role of the C stated that, "In this story we e e perfect romance. Hope, years pnngs eternal in the hardships laf Edmund Dantes. His love for Mercedes is faith put to the test. Human passion runs the gamut of emotion. Bfcrenge is made a virtue. Nor is taere one line, from beginning to end, that fails in dignity. Even its imaiours are on a lofty plane." It is reported that the motion picture prodtcers have succeeded in transferring this epic unspoiled, to the screen. Briefly the story concerns Edmund 'Dantes, a young officer on a French ibip, who is given command and enf*— jrted with a secret letter by the ing captain as the vessel battles with storm on its way back to MaraeiUes early in the nineteenth center, during the reign of Louis XVIII. Carrying out instructions to celiver the packet of which he does iISE ot know the contents, to a mysterigws stranger, he is torn from his Bfs'eetheart, Mercedes, and imprisoned lis the grim Chateau d'lf, on a trumped Sep charge of being a Napoleonic plotjter. Tr.o machinations of three enemies—de Viilefort, an official who wants Dantes out of the way to protect his own father, a real Napoleonic plotter; Danglars, supercargo on Barnes's ship, and who is involved *ith de Viilefort in smuggling; and llcndego. who seeks the hand of Mercedes—result in Edmund Dantes being lalsely declared dead, shot while tryling to escape from prison. Forgotten §md languishing for years in his prison

lunjeon, he finds companionship with the venerable and learned Abbe Faria, pother political prisoner, who digs "is way by mistake into Dantes' cell *hile seeking freedom. For many Jears he shares his cell with the Abbe, who dedicates the rest of his We to the education of Edmund, to fee end that when his fellow prisoner Jfwts the world it will be with the body, mind and soul of a super Ran. For years they together dig toward frc-cdom and with victory in ®£ht, the Abbe confides in Dantes the of a fabulous fortune in gold "Uried on the Monte Cristo Island. Joen the Abbe is fatally injured and r - s body is sewn in a sack by the tuards to be thrown to an. ocean grave, Oantes substitute;; himself and is Picked up by smugglers. Dantes obthe millions in buried treasure, *-"-<1 as the Count of Monte Cristo, l&ei to Paris to avenge himself of jus enemies who have, in the meanbecome rich and powerful. He causes the suicide of Mondego, who . nov/ married to Mercedes, and both Danglars and de Villefort. wurited, he and Mercedes seek a new together. ■ ' « stated that Donat was as much i "i£ed as anyone when he got word if 1 he was wanted for the part. «Icre he was 17, Donat made his apWarance on the stage as Lucius in »"lius Caesar." His next eight years . re ]n the exact pattern of the early «ws of struggle of Mr George Arliss's PWessional life. He found this period "•hardship an advantage as helgained yaned and richer experience as an triii r Paying innumerable roles in "furing provincial stock companies. «• * next four years saw him with Shat- most famous of British touring Bi7ivi pearean repertory companies, anr.tw nfc Benson's. Diana Wynyard, inp # r h <>Peful young player dream- » *Jr, and fortune, was also emS? ot this company. Finally, after STY discouragements, Donat made in <r )ndon debut on October 1, 1930, inrf !k role of Cartwright in "Knave WirJi een '" anc * h as since never Hnii? kack. Before his departure for tn - Y°°d had just finished a sucjJTf engagement of seven months guff** in a play called "The Enoti u 8 Cler ßyman." Another young Sri® actress, Elissa Landi, was a"® 60 to play the role of Mercedes. Count iT« tins sideli £ ht on " The Monte Cristo" is that it was "oaoiy the first instance of stupensuccess for a newspaper serial.

11 a.m. to-morrow, in addition to the afternoon presentation. Everything will be just the same, even to the piece of wedding cake for every boy and girl. The programme includes Mickey Mouse in "Fishing Around" and little Shirley Temple in "Baby, Take a Bow." Every child will receive a souvenir photograph of Shirley, and altogether a delightful entertainment for the little ones, and a splendid treat for them on the eve of the new school year are promised. The plans are now open at the D.1.C., where seats may be reserved for sixpence.

GRAND "EVEIiY WOMAN'S MAN" "Queen Christina" will be screened finally to-night at the Grand Theatre. "Every Woman's Man" will begin a return season at the Grand Theatre to-morrow. This fine production depicts the glamour, colour, and thrills of the prize-ring and marks Myrna Loy's first singing appearance before the camera and microphone. The cast comprises a distinguished group of actors and sporting personalities. including Jack Dempsey, Walter Huston, and Otto Kruger. Max Baer is shown opposite Myrna Loy and he proves himself as great a lover as he is a fighter. "Every Woman's Man" depicts the career of a young man who rises from the position of "bouncer" in a speakeasy to that of a fighter of championship calibre. The supports will include Chapter 7 of the thrilling serial, "Gordon of Ghost City." Box plans are now open at the D.I.C.

Parisian newpapers are distinctive in giving important space and position to romance, but when Dumas began his tale that wound up in one of the great adventure stories of all time, readers of "Le Journal des Debats" could hardly wait for the next instalment. Dumas wrote the final chapter seated in a shop window to show the public, who were by this time tremendously interested, how he wrote the story.