Cinema Reviews

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21464, 4 May 1935, Page 7

Cinema Reviews

REGENT "THE NIGHT IS YOUNG" A mixture of romance and delightful irresponsibility, "The Night is Young,' 5 which is now showing at, the Regent' Theatre, is a musical comedy of "the first order, It should be said, in f he first place, that the musical «;core was written by Sigmund Romberg, and the libretto by Oscar Hammer'stcin. the second, who, together, produced "Viennese Nights," and that the story is taken from a- book by Vicki Baum, who wrote "Grand Hotel." These names are in themselves sufficient recommendation, but thev are outshone, perhaps, by those of the cast. It is headed by Evelyn Laye and Ramon Novarro. She is a ballet t'irl, and he is an archduke, in Vienna" of course. The picture opens with the ballet in practice, and then on the stage. The archduke is at the theatre with his father the emperor, and he is trying to conceal his admiration for a lady, a countess, in the audience. The emperor expects him to marry a neighbouring princess, and the countess would certainly complicate matters. The young archduke then hits on the plan of feigning an infatuation for a ballet girl, a very proper thing for an archduke to indulge in before entering on a state matrimonial alliance. The emperor aporoves of the affair, and allows his son six months grace to indulge his fancy. The archduke, Ramon Novarro, then" proceeds to select a ballet girl, and by the merest chance selects Evelyn Laye and insists thc.t she come and " live with him—platonically—to cover up his pursuit of the countess. Here the fun begins and the story trips gaily to an unexpected turn at the end. Una Merkei, always a most pleasant and amusing lady, is the second feminine lead. She too is a ballet girl, and she is, having failed to materialise her ambitions to attract the archduke, in love with a man who drives a horse tram He is none other than Charles Butterworth, whose wonderful fooling has made a name for him in the film world. He is, according to his own remarks, of a hot, passionate nature, though most of his attention seems to be devoted to Mitzi, the faithful mare who pulls his tram. _He is saving up to buy a fiacre and drive it in bowler hat and whip, which he has already bought. He is, too, a musician of parts, and has composed a song which he sings to his fiancee, who does not realise till it is almost ended that it is addressed to his mare. One could scarcely imagine more delightful fooling; but there is a serious side to the picture. Evelyn Laye has been in love with a pianist who is aiming to produce an opera, a part played by Donald Cook. Once she atici the archduke have met, complications of course arise. What is he to do torn between the claims of state and of love? This part of the picture is not flippantly treated, but it is very pleasing to see how well it has been combined with the humorous sequence. Altogether it is a sparkling piece of work, ably directed, well acted, and. above all, interesting throughout. It might be edded that the photography is excellent and that, artistically, the picture reaches, the 'nigh standard sc by the acting and singing. The Viennese gala and cafe scenes are as good as any that have appeared of this kind, and are quite delightful in themselves. The programme contains a most interesting feature, "Long Live the King," which gives an authoritative record of the principal events of his Majesty's reign. There is also a colour cartoon, and patrons must not be late if they wish to avoid missing any of it, for it is the first item on the programme.

LIBERTY "NO MORE ORCHIDS" AND "THE SOLITAIRE MAN" For tenseness and drama it would be difficult to equal "The Solitaire Man," which heads the new programme at the Liberty Theatre this week. The film has nothing pretentious in its setting; it is, in this respect, rather unusual, and for this fact alone the producer is to be commended. By far the greatest portion is enacted in the cabin of a passenger aeroplane flying from Le Bourgct to Croydon, and this background serves to emphasise the tenseness of the story. The theme of the picture is built round the efforts of "the solitaire man," who has, however, forsaken the role of jewel thief for that of country squire, to shelter a friend, from a crime another committed, and, with so suitable an actor as Herbert Marshall in the leading role, this has been fully exploited in die picture. Marshall makes his role very convincing, and his acting is not far short of perfect. His cultured English voice is pleasing, and is a welcome relief to the wise-cracking nasal twang usually associated with such parts. Elizabeth Allan plays opposite Marshall in the leading feminine role, and her performance leaves nothing to be desired. The part of the villain is left in the hands of Lionel Atwill. and mention must also be made of Mary Boland as Mrs Hopkins, a passenger on the aeroplane, who lends a touch of humour to the drama. "No More Orchids," which is shown in support, follows a more conventional "line. It is a sophisticated drama of American life—that is, if one can judge Americrn life by screen impressions—which shows that the American girl will go to any length to "get her man." The story is of the rather time-worn theme, the rich girl in love wit' the poor man. The girl. Carole Lombard, begins by breaking the man's reserve, and when she has won him, turns on him for another, but for a very worthy cause, however. Lyle Talbot takes the part of the poor man, but Writer Connolly, who gives a characteristic portrayal as the girl's father, takes the acting honours Louise Closser Hale makes a human figure of the old grandmother, whil° C. Aubrey Smith, as her "die-hard" husband, is a most unlikeable person.

PLAZA AND THEATRE ROYAL "ROYAL CAVALCADE" There are in "Royal Cavalcade" unique qualities which prevent its being judged by ordinary standards, and which lift it above those standards. This, it is true, is largely due to tne nature of the subject, which is no less than what may be safely termed the most dramatic 23 years of England's history, the period during which King George V. has held the throne. It is the King which serves as the link connecting all the various manifestations of the nation's life during that eventful time. ! The many who saw "Royal Caval- [ cade" both at the Plaza Theatre and at the Theatre Royal last evening, were obviously deeply moved by the glorious pageant, the successes, the defeats, the sadness and the gladness oi those years. One hesitates to give praise to those who v/ere concerned in the production of this film—for it is hard to look upon it merely as a picture—but the welding together of the varied themes and events has been wonderfully well done, giving a continuity, and, as it were, unfolding a particularly dramatic story. There are many actors and actresses who have taken small parts, but again it is hardly fitting that any names should b"? mentioned. The destructive quality of false sentiment is entirely absent. Every scene, of those which were not taken on the actual occasion, has an authentic ring, and it can be easily imagined that the expressions of loyalty to the King, of determination to carry on in the face of national danger, came readily and genuinely from those who reacted scenes that once happened. One example may be taken. The younger generation has gained its knowledge of the Great War at second hand and its impressions are liable to a certain distortion. There has not, among the j many other films on the war that have been produced in recent years, been ! one which better creates again what one inevitably feels to be the true atmosphere of the time, both in the field and at home. There is no slurring of its grimness or horror, but equally the gallantry, the determination on the home front and the quickening of pulse and spirit that the occasion produced are shown, without any falsity, without any attempt to do other than portray what was' the nature of the time. To recount in any detail all the events.which are shown would be to write England's history for a quarter of a century, but some of the outstanding figures and movements may be mentioned. In pre-war days we sea Captain Scott forestalled in his dash to the Pole by Roald Amundsen and the death of Captain Oates on the return journey; the wreck of the Titanic; the Agadir crisis, when another Franco-Prussian war threatened; Marie Lloyd and the music halls in the heyday of their life; the surragette agitation, with a switch to the chv when Lady Astor took her seat in the House of Commons, and a member of the opposition benches drew laughter at the expense of Lloyd George with the remark: "George, you'll be losing your job now." There follow scenes showing the darkening of the shadows —trouble in Ireland, in Europe, the Serajevo murder, Germany's invasion of Belgium, the fateful night when the crowds throughout England waited for the hour of midnight when peace or war would be decided, and the first crisis of the reign arose. Scenes in sequence show the temper of the post-war days, effectively presented by samples of the popular dances of the successive years. The j desire for speed, tiro development of broadcasting, the advent of women into new walks of life, then the second crisis, the general strike of 1920: the third, when, in the final years of the century's third decade the nation waited while its King lay seriously ill: and the fourth, the depression. It might seem impossible that this multiplicity of scenes and events should be unfolded as a consecutive story, but it has been clone. "Royal Cavalcade" is indeed a notable film, and one Ihat is peculiarly appropriale to the twenty-fifth anniversary of the rcien of his Majesty the King, j TIVOLI "JEW SUSS"

It is very 'seldom that a really great tragedy is shown on the screen, and this is no doubt partly because the appetite of the average picturcgoer is for varied diet, with a bias in favour of cheerfulness. Shakespeare is admitted to have been a master of tragic drama, yet, if the truth were known, there is little popular demand for presentations of the tragedies of Macbeth or Hamlet. It. is, therefore, remarkable—indeed, something more than remarkable—that the subtle tragedy of the life of Jew Suss, first published in Feuchtwanger's novel, should have been brought to the screen with such conspicuous success. The film is, to those who can, and wilt bring to it an appreciative mind, actually worthy of the title of masterpiece which is so often applied to films with more enthusiasm than discrimination. It is a tragedy of the most delicate lig'uls and shades, both of human character and the pattern of events. It has been expressed on the screen with such sincerity that it is necessary to say that any faults which might be found arc not due to failure of human material, but rather to shortcomings of the screen as a dramatic medium which have yet to be overcome by technical means. It shows, in other words, the very best that the screen can do; and if in so doing it shows the limitations of the screen it would be carping criticism to give anything but praise.

■ The whole burden of the play rests on Conrad Veidt, who hat; the part of Josef Suss Oppenheimer. That is not to say that the other parts are. or even appear, unimportant, but that the story is first and foremost that of Jew Suss, and that the value of the play lies in its clear and deliberate presentation of an amazing complex of human motive in the one character. To begin with, there was what might have seemed to be an insuperable difficulty to .be dealt with. The argument of the play is based on the racial consciousness of Jews in Germany in the eighteenth century. The period is distant from the present, and the tragedy is distant from the ordinary sympathies of Europeans. Certainly the difficulty was overcome in the novel; but it was scarcely to have been expected that a film producer could do likewise. Yet, without harrowing the audience with scenes of the sufferings of the Jews in the Ghetto—apart from one essential and poignant incident—and without spending too much time in recreating the period, the spiritual heritage and environment of Jew Suss have been adequately conveyed. To attempt to give an impression of the tragedy here would be to attempt to do in a few lines what was done first by the patient work of the novelist, and again by the art of some of the screen's best performers. It can be said, however, that Jew Suss is a tragic figure, equal almost to Macbeth, greater, if comparison is to be made, than Othello, and, in being equal, vastly different from both. His life began as that of a Jew among Jews in the Ghetto. He rose gradually to power, first through money, and then through the chance-won friendship of the Duke of Wurtemburg. His one aim through all his career of craft and malicious intrigue was to free his people in Germany from their shame and oppression. But like so many who have set out so, he fell victim to his own ambition; and then, at the height of

MAYFAIR "THE IRON DUKE" Apart from the brilliant characterisation by George Arliss, "The Iron Duke," the Gaumont-British film of the Jife of England's great soldier, the Duke of Wellington, is a magnificent spectacle. A capacity audience at the Mayfair Theatre last evening confirmed the flood opinions formed by those who saw the advance screening on Wednesday. In this lavishly-pro-duced piece of the Napoleonic wars, George Arliss gives one of the finest characterisations of his career, and it is a characterisation that goes much deeper than the popular conception of the "Iron Duke" —the cold, ruthless austere soldier, George Arliss, as the picture intended, shows the man behind the soldier and statesman—a man among men, and in his domestic circle one who was greatly loved. In the production of the picture no effort was spared to ensure that the period reconstructions should be accurate in every detail, and the result is a film that is absolutely convincing. It was no easy task, for not only was accuracy demanded in costumes, uniforms, orders, and decorations, but in such minutiae as lamps, candlesticks, coaches hair-dressing fashions, crests and flags. As far as research by experts could ensure every such detail in the picture is authentic, and it must be remembered that the scenes embracefour different countries of Europe. There arc complete reconstructions of the Paris Opera House during the attendance of three crowned heads of Europe; of the Schoi.brunn in Vienna, in which the Congress of Vienna met in 1815 to discuss the division of Europe after Napoleon Bonaparte had been exiled to Elba; of the palace of the Tuileries. where the Duke of Wellington imposed his iron will on King Louis and his headstrong niece; of the House of Lords where the Duke of Wellington defended himself against the groundless attacks of political enemies. The two outstanding instances of reconstruction are in the settings for the Duchess of Richmond's ball on the eve of Waterloo—a brilliant spectacle—and in the staging of the battle of Waterloo. The story of the film opens in the year 1815, with Napoleon Bonaparte in exile on Elba, the Congress of Vienna in session, and Louis XVIII. on the throne of France. The Duke of Wellington's influence on the negotiations to settle the future of Europe is sketchily introduced in the opening scenes and strongly developed throughout the remainder of the story. The military side of the film deserves special mention. The military movements before and during tne Battle of Waterloo provide some of the most spectacular scenes in a very dramatic film. Four of the most famous incidents of the battle are reproduced in thrilling fashion—the charge of the Scots Greys and Gordon Highlanders, the British troops forming square to repulse the first waves of the attack of the French cavalry, the hand-to-hand encounter during the /orlorn but magnificent charge of Napoleon's Guard against the British Guard when the battle had swung against Napoleon, and the fateful charge of the French Household Cavalry which, when threatening to smash the defensive linos, spent itself in terrible self-slaughter in the sunken road, Gec-ge Arliss heads a great company of English players, among them Gladys Cooper, as Madame, niece of Louis XVIII.; Ellaline Tcrris, as the Duchess of Wellington; A. E. Matthews, as Lord Kill; Lesley Wareing, as Lady Frances Webster, Norma Varden, as the Duchess of Richmond; Allan Aynesworth, as Louis XVIII.; Franklyn Dyall as Blucher; Edmund Willard, as Marshal! Ncy; and Gyles Ishcm, as Lord Castlereagh. Incidentally this is the first English film that Arliss has made. It is worthy of him and his performance must be ranked as among the best iie lias given on the screen. Outstanding among the excellent shorts that comprise the first part of the programme is a film dealing, very appropriately at; this time, with the life of King George V., who on Monday will celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of his accession to the throne.

GRAND "THE FIRST WORLD WAR" "The Fir:U World War," which began a season at the Grand Theatre yesterday, is made entirely from actual pictures taken in the European capital:; before 1914, on the battlefields, and on the high .seas. It contains much lhat is educative and of definite historical value, it reveals enough of the ghastly horrors of modern warfare (o check the most belligerent believer in war, and it leaves one thinking with some anxiety about the present unsettled slate of the world. Some of its most remarkable scenes were photographed in Europe years before the war began. There are clear moving pictures of military activities in Germany, in the Balkans and in Russia, there are photographs of the Emperor Franz Joseph, of the Kaiser as a young man, of the Tsar and his family, of 'he Prince of Wales as a child. The visit of King George to Berlin and his friendly meeting with the Kaiser, his coronation as King of England, and the fateful funeral of the Archduke Ferdinand are all built into the film, and the growing atmosphere of mistrust and hatred created skilfully without apparent exaggeration. One is shown the massing of troops in Germany and elsewhere, the first desolation of Belgium, the first winter campaign, and the development of the struggle on many fronts. There are harrowing scenes of warfare in the trenches and of battles at sea, their obvious reality and vividness making it difficult to understand just how they were photographed. The Battle of Jutland, the destructive work of the German U-boats, and the sinking of ships in the Adriatic have all been included, some of the most amazing "shots" having been taken from the decks of German submarines. One after the other battleships and transports are shown rolling rud plunging to their destruction, one of them, an Austrian cruiser disabled by an Italian patrol, swarming with men who have been ordered to remain with their ship. The desperate campaigns in the frozen north, the abortive Gallipoli attack, and the last great German offensive and repulse are shown in fragments of fierce fighting and death. The end of the film is skilfully designed to review, with vivid impressions of world-wide military preparation, the present state of the world. Here for the first time in the picture .clever studio photography has been employed, and its effect is devastating. "The First World War," although made l in America, is international in application and appeal. It shows, without | adornment, the brutality and futility of war, and it deserves, wide attention.

his power he discovered that he was not a Jew by birth. In the end he died as a Jew when a confession of his Christian birth might have saved hirn. Conrad Veidt will never better his work as Jew Suss in this film. Benita Hume handles excellently the light part of Marie Augusts, and Sir Cedrie Hardwicke as Rabbi Gabriel would be worth a separate study if it were not for the dominance of the principal role.

t MAJESTIC "THE WHITE PARADE" Lorctta Young is not perhaps the type cf actress one would expect to see in the part of a woman devoting her life to good works for others; it rays much for her powers of good acting that she carried off the leading part in "The White Parade," which began a season at the Majestic Theatre yesterday, so that her audience felt it was the most fitting thing for her to be—a nurse. Loretta Young is pretty vivacious, and clever. In the role of a probationer she was mischievous, but became gradully more serene and serious as she became more capable in her profession. She has earned -11 the praise she has been given everywhere "The White Parade" has been shown. This well-filmed picture tells the story of girls in a nurses' training school in America. Their pattern in their profession is, of course, Florence Nightingale; the profession is not given undue precedence among the admittedly noble callings that men and women follow. The trainees arc taught to be careful and honest and devoted to their work. Tney are not led to think of their work as noble sacrifice. So that, when the heroine, June Arden, meets Ronald Hall, the prominent polo player (John Boles), sh .• enjoys a few sallies into social life but refuses his offers of marriage. After her graduation. she determines tha she cares more for the hospital and all it means than for the fascinating and wealthy polo player. The crises in the story arc very well done; the troubles of the nurses' training period are not over-drawn and the whole production has worthily portrayed a noble profession. Sara Haden and Frank Conroy are outstanding in the supporting cast. The earliest part of the programme is brightened by a splendid Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer coloured symphony of the fawn and the god Pan. The colouring and the action are charming. Fred Argyle presents his amusing "Nursery Rhymes" on the stage. He has some hits that are his own.

NEW PROGRAMMES CIVIC "LILY OF KILLARNEY" AND "ON THE AIR" j Commencing to-day at the Civic All British Theatre for a season of" three days only, as the theatre will be otherwise engaged for the remainder of the week, British and Dominions Films will present a double-feature programme, consisting of two of the most popular films ever screened in Christchurch, "Lily of Killarney" and '•On the Air." Having already been received with tremendous enthusiasm by Christchurch theatregoers, the productions return with a ready-made audience, and the two on one programme make an entertainment of extraordinary merit. The first mentioned, "Lily of KiU:;v:iey," is a charming film in which humour, romance, and drama are skilfully blended. It is embellished with 10 national airs, including such favourites as "Killarney," "Father O'Flynn," Dear Little Shamrock," "Believe Me of All Those Endearing Young Charms," and "My Little Irish Gig." These are sung by famous singers backed by a remarkably fine male choir of 50 voices. At the head of a great cast is John Garrick, the popular English singer and actor. Stanley Holloway, whose per-

fonnance as Father O'Flynn is unforgettable, and Gina Malo, who is seen as the charming Eileen O'Connor, offer him excellent support. The second feature, "On the Air," is a film that is delightfully different from the usual screen fare. The biggest array of radio, stage, and screen stars ever gathered together are seen in a pot-pourri of music, songs, dancing, and comedy, the different tunes being interwoven into a clever and original story. Included in the stars are Clapham and Dwyer, Roy Fox and his band, Teddy Brown, Dave Burnaby, Max Wall, Wilson Kepple and Betty, Derek Oldham, Harry Champion, and a host of others. Box plans are now open at the theatre, and owing to the limited season patrons are strongly advised to reserve their seats. SPECIAL TOBILEE MATINEES In keeping with the auspicious day, British Dominions Films, the pioneers of the All-British Theatre policy, announce that on Monday, at 11 a.m. and 2.15 p.m„ at the Civic All-British Theatre, two special jubilee matinees will be held. The two pictures selected are most appropriate, being two of the most outstanding successes produced by Britain in recent years. They are "The Flag Lieutenant," one of the most delightful British films ever seen in Christchurch, and "Northern Lights." British atmosphere, British ideals, British sentiment, and thoroughly British characters form the background of "The Flag Lieutenant." Directed on straight-forward lines, it contains no silly little technical errors, blending expertly all the elements of romance, thrills, comedy, and drama. It is undoubtedly one of the finest naval pictures ever produced, and those who were fortunate enough to see it when last shown will agree that it is well worth seeing again. Henry Edwards, who has been associated with the part of Dicky Lascelles for years, is the star, and he is supported by the charming Anna Neagle. The supporting picture, "Northern Lights," is another film which created an excellent impression in Christchurch, and for a special jubilee programme a better selection could not have been made. It depicts Sir Hubert Wilkins's expedition into the Arctic regions and possesses some of the most magnificent scenes ever seen on the screen. Special jubilee prices are announced, and patrons may reserve their seats at no extra cost. "FORSAKING ALL OTHERS" Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's hilarious comedy, "Forsaking All Others," which has proved such an outstanding success in the North Island, will shortly be presented at the Regent. The cast is headed by Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, and Robert Montgomery. As a light comedienne, Joan Crawford reveals a new side to her many admirers. She is excellent as Mary, a society girl, who is left standing at the altar one minute and is pursued by two of New York's most dashing young men the next. Gable plays the role of a man who returns from a distant part of the world to marry Miss Crawford', only to find that she is about to marry another, and Montgomery makes a suave young villain. The plot is based largely on situations rising from the competitive tactics of the two men who are trying to win the love of the same girl. Billie Burke plays the part of a loquacious society matron, and Charles Butterworth is seen as Gable's right-hand man who always says the wrong thing at the right time. Altogether, "Forsaking All Others" is one of the gayest comedies of the year.

CRYSTAL PALACE "OUR DAILY BREAD" AND "ENGLAND AWAKE" "Our Daily Bread," which, with "England Awake," will be screened at the Crystal Palace this week is the first important American experiment in film realism. The picture has won very great praise both in America and in Europe; it won the League of Nations gold medal for outstanding merit, and its screening is now being sponsored in Continental cities by the League of Nations. New Zealand public men who have seen it have been lavish in their praise, and the thousands who will see it in Christchurch should be ready to agree with them. "Our Daily Bread" can be marked out at once as entirely different in form and intent from the average film prepared purely for the public taste and screened exclusively for entertainment. The central idea expressed in the picture is the "back to the soil" movement, the solution of depression troubles by return to the land. But there is another theme, equally as provocative and open perhaps to wider dispute, the successful working of the primitive communal system inside the capitalist state. "Our Daily Bread" is the story of a young city man and his wife, who leave the ranks of the unemployed to take up farming on a bare, neglected patch of land in the Middle West. They meet with every discouragement until .they found their remarkable community of share-far-mers, the communistic, co-operative movement which eventually conauers the soil and turns starvation into plenty. Into this community come musicians, barbers, plumbers, tailors, carpenters, stone-masons, men the city cannot use, and by exchanging their services and working together they rebuild their lives and build a future. There is thrilling joy in the first green sprouts of the planted cornfields. There is despair when drought threatens the crops and, when the whole foundations of the settlement are rocked. There is excitement and triumph in the digging of a ditch which brings water to the parched lands. Karen Morley and Tom Keene have the principal parts, although they cannot be described as mere heroine and hero. Karen Morley's return to the screen in this film is as welcome •as the film itself, and it is largely due to her fine acting that the more intimate scenes do not, by comparison, break down. John Qualen plavs a very fine part as a Swedish farmer, and there are others in the cast who deserve high praise. The greatness of England, the extent of her Dominions, the magnitude of her many resources, and the wealth of her products, are pictorially presented in "England Awake," which will be shown in support of the main attraction. "England Awake" is a masterpiece of British filmcraft—it is a faithful representation of . England s might, and it is a picture that will stir the patriotic instinct of evcrv person who sees it. A unique and very appropriate feature at the Crystal Palace to-day will be the presentation of a film showing the actual coronation procession of King George. This film, which is 1000 i'eet long, was discovered in Chrisi- . church, and : although 23 years old, is in excellent condition. The lull coronation procession, including British and Indian troops, cavalry, and the State coach, is recorded in the picture.