REALISM AT THE PLAZA

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 36, 12 February 1938, Page 7

REALISM AT THE PLAZA

When it comes to extraordinarily vivid realism, "The Hurricane," which opened at the. Plaza Theatre yesterday, must set a new standard. The climax of this South .Sea islands drama and romance is tragedy in the form of a tropical holocaust that pictures Nature in. her most vicious mood and strips an island paradise of every living thing. Fortunately from the point of view of sentimental interest the tragedy, does not touch all the main characters. How the amazing storm 'of effects were produced does not matter; what does matter is that the spectacle of the uncontrollable might of wind and rushing seas, whipping everything into pitiful submission, leaves one almost breathless with its intensity. It is, the high light of an uncommonly good picture. "The Hurricane" introduces a new screen personality in Jon Hall, who, besides being the owner of a magnificent physique, knows how to act. He takes the part of Terangi, first mate of a trading schooner, and with Dorothy Lamour, who makes a charming island maid with an unimpeachable figure, supplies the love interest. The story is fairly simple, and it is filmed against an authentic Pacific background that lends itself to some fine camera effects. Terangi and Marama are married to the accompaniment of the native ceremony, which incidentally involves the happy little prank of literally ■ tearing the clothes oil' the bride and bridegroom, and Terangi sails away for Taniti on his schooner. In a Tahiti cate he punches a. white, man soundly on the'jaw. and is clapped into gaol. Beins newly-married and an active young man, he tries to get out, and alter a number of abortive attempts which do not increase his popularity with the warden, he breaks out and sets sail in an outrigger on the GOO-mile journey from Tahiti to his island home of Manukura. A feature of his journey is his desperate battle with sharks in order to secure food. This catch-as-catch-can bout with a couple-of sharks in mid-ocean is a bit overdone, but it adds incident to the picture. He is picked up near home, and is advised to make for an adjoining island in order to escape the eye of the governor: His Excellency sets out to find Terangi, and it is then that the storm breaks lose, it gradually increases in violence and the little colony on the island flock to the chapel. Terangi, however, lashes himself and his family to the limbs of a sturdy tree, and while the huge seas batter the island and the wind screams through the plantations, watches the buildings . crumple up like paper, to be whirled away over the tops of the shattered trees. In the chapel Father Paul (C. Aubrey Smith) and the governor's wife (Mary Astor). and a handful of natives pray that the sturdy stone walls.will withstand the furious seas that are creeping up relentlessly on' the island. Terangi, anticipating the destruction of the chapel, offers to share his tree with whoever will come. Father Paul refuses to move, and the governor s wife is persuaded to take the slim chance of surviving. The chapel crumples with the bell tolling and the organ playing, and Terangi's tree is swept from its roots and out to sea. The hurricane dies down and leaves in its wake a scene of almost incredible desolation. Terangi's party is stranded, and when the governor's badly-buffeted j

schooner chnnces along after having ridden out the edge of the storm, his wife, out of gratitude for Terangi's help, encourages Terangi and his family to escape, an action that is finally condoned by the governor, i There is some particularly fine dramatic acting at times, chiefly by Raymond Massey as Governor Lalaage and Thomas Mitchell, as the resident doctor. As a matter of fact Mitchell rather steals the.acting honours, and provides an excellent foil for the stern governor, whose life is ordered by the implacability of the administrative code book, and who has to fight against his own inner nature in order that the code book might triumph. Mitchell, as the tipsy doctor with a deep understanding of native psychology, tries hard to educate the governor to the creed that a "sense of honour and'duty in the South Seas is as useless as a silk hat in a hurricane." Finally, Aubrey Smith gives an irreproachable portrayal of the role of Father Paul. There is also a splendid supporting programme.