THE PICTURES—NEW PROGRAMMES

Evening Star, Issue 20310, 19 October 1929, Page 13

THE PICTURES—NEW PROGRAMMES

'’DRAMA OF HIGH DUALITY

.‘BEHIND THAT CURTAIN ' DELIGHTS * Some great pictures have Loon screened at the Empire Theatre within the' past few months, but to follow such a powerful picture as ‘ The Singing: Fool' with an equally strong film .in.':, its particular class, as ‘ Behind That Curtain 5 is, can be claimed to be unprecedented. The claim made by the Empire management a few weeks ago| that it. had secured for its patrons an astounding ‘ line-up 55 of entertainments is being proved to. the hilt, and if the pictures to follow excel ‘Behind That Curtain 5 for all-round excellence, iiatrons will then, find for themselves row wonderful the talkies have been made. , . , , ‘Behind That Curtain* brought home to patrons last night, when it was screened for the first , time, the immense difficulty which producers must experience in finding apt and attractive titles for their offerings. ‘Behind That Curtain 1 does not do this picture justice Such a title smacks of lthe eerie and mysterious, but there is no mystery about this story. It is a drama, redolent with romance, and what might approach a mystery in the average picture is made so plain in ‘Behind That Curtain 5 that the climax, so far as xhe ultimate arrest of the unscrupulous man is concerned, is inei'cly a side avenue to add to the intensity of the romance and the drama. The, desert sands always make a locale of, glamour, anil adventure, hut in ‘Behind That Curtain the desert is used for the first time in the talkies. No one will forget: the appeal of ‘ The Sheik.’ Although it, too, hais most of its romance unfolded on the rolling sands of the Persian desert, ‘ Behind That Curtain 5 does not depend on erotic passion for its appeal. Its ronianco has more of that tranquility of the' northern races. Romance, however, is but a small part of the T>ictufe. The drama is the thing that counts. The talkies have opened out a scope of magnitude for the potentialities! of the straight drama, and ‘Behind That Curtain * is easily the best of the romantic drama type of picture shown in Dunedin since the talkie rage set; in.. Not one comedy incident is staged to leaven the intensity of the dramatic situations, and, even without a humorous sidelight or two, ‘ Behind That Curtain 5 is great entertainment.

Fox has long been a name to conjure with in the film world, and { Behind That Curtain’ carries the hall mark. [As a production the picture is_ a technical gern. replete with detail. The desert scenes are beautiful,_ and the shading of-light and colour in the Indian town and in Teheran, where the call of the muezzin is heard, is exquisite. The many changes of locale, from the manor in England to the fetid surroundings of the border town, out into the burning sands, and across to San Francisco, help to maintain the interest to the ver.v end. Outstanding in the cast is Gilbert Emery as Sir Frederick Bruce, whose suave manner and English voice are highly impressive. Lois Moran, _as beautiful as ever, makes a charming Eve This actress can play light and emotional parts with equal power, find in 1 Behind That Curtain ’ she runs the gamut of the emotions. It is in the dramatic parts, however, that she shows her real ability. Warner Baxter is a striking hero, ably, portraying the gallant character of the explorer. The remainder of the big cast gives wholly satisfying performances. Every word of the all-talkie is clearly beard and tho sound effects are strikingly recorded Altogether, this picture is a high-class one. and even in the silent pictures the story would have been a big success. • With the short subjects, too, patrons will he pleased. Undoubtedly the clearest and most interesting short heard and seen is the study of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The famous author and spiritualist .visited New Zealand about nine- year ago, Und those who then had the good fortune to meet him will seo that the celebrity has lost none of his charming manner. In the picture he talks naturally and interestingly of his creation of Sherlock Holmes and Watson, “that rather stupid person,” to use Sir Conan’s own words. But he doubts whether Sherlock Holmes will bo resurrected, as in his dtclining days he intends to devote more effort, through spreading psychic knowledge, to comforting the world, Gertrude Lawrence, a noted English comedienne, indulges in some delightful fooling in a short sketch, ‘ Early Mourning,’ and a newsy reel of happenings in various parts of the world is produced by Fox. Ufa present another of their famous travel scenes, the subject being the isle of Corsica, Napoleon’s homeland. The glimpses of the ocean bed are marvellous.

Then Mr Leslie V, Harvey gives some delightful numbers on the Christie organ. Fo opens with the Irish melody, ‘Macnshla,’ and introduces some fine effects. ‘ The Doctor of Melody ’ is of; the slides series. The melody is pleasant, and interspersed in it are a number of well-known songs. Dvorak’s ‘Humoresque’ is played with Srace by Mr Harvey, who has ie happy knack of catering for the less musically inclined, ‘ Broadway Melodya ad ‘High Up on the Hill Top ’ being the offerings of the lighter variety. TWO SUPER-TALKIES REGENT'S EXCELLENT ENTERTAINMENT i ~, : Baffling mystery, sparkling comedy, tense drama, and fascinating romance are intermingled in the splendid programme that had its initial,, presentation at the Regent Theatre yesterday afternoon and last night. It Is indeed a long time since picture patrons have received such worth in entertainment as that afforded by the . two supertalking specials that comprise this week’s bill of fare. Mystery productions, both on the stage and scnen, are now as much the rule as they were once the exception in dramatic entertainment, but ■ Strange Cargo ’ is different from any other mystery thriller that has been here of late, and until - near the very end even a Sherlock Holmes would be iljkely to admit himself baffled by the problem of the murderer, of. Sir Richard Barclay. The whole action of the film is set on a _ yacht in mid-ocean, the usual tranquility of a pleasure cruise being rudely disturbed when the cynical owner, Sir Richard Barclay, is stabbed in the- dark, and mysteriously disappears.. It would not bo fair to those ;who have yet to see : this intriguing picture to disclose the plot, but it may be said that the audience is kept fuessirig to the final fade out, as one y one the passengers and crew come tinder suspicion. Thrill follows thrill, racing up one’s spine in quick succession, but it is not merely a reproduc-

tiou of thrliing events. It, is a dramatic production, enlivened by flashes of the most diverting comedy, and for enjoyable entertainment ‘ Strange Cargo 5 must take some beating. This is Pathe’s first all-talking super-special, and those who are able to recollect some of the Bathe early successes on the , silver sheet will realise the_ excellence of this production when it is stated that it is well up to the standard of the company’s previous efforts. The reproduction is remarkably clear, and the dialogue is such as should afford pleasure to the most fastidious student of the English language. There is none of that nauseating twang that is heard in some talking producticms, and the acting of the whole cast is in accordance with the general excellence of the film. It is difficult to differentiate in an all-star

mt, but as Bruce, one of the first to come under suspicion, George Barraud, ho is not unknown to New Zealand play-going audiences, gives a polished characterisation, his presence and remarkably fine voice being well adapted to the requirements of talking pictures. Kyrle Bellew, as the owner of the yacht, Sir Richard Barclay, was the debonair baronet to the manner born, arid Harry Allen gives a delightful portrayal of the Cockney steward. Other members of the cast include June Nash, Russell Gleason, Frank Reicher, Claude King, Ned Sparks, and Warner Richmond.

Supporting ‘ Strange Cargo * is another special production, ‘ The Shopworn Angel,’ a Paramount talking picture. It is comedy-drama of the best kind, and a delicate theme is very tactfully and cleverly handled. The . story is not exactly a new one, but it is exceptionally well told, and the film is excellently enacted. Daisy Heath, a beautiful chorus girl, takes pity upon an American soldier, William Tyler, who is about to embark for France. Having no knowledge of her past, he makes her his ideal woman, and eventually falls in love with her. The actress had previously been sponsored by Bailey, a man about town, who endeavours to persuade the girl that Tyler only loves her for what he thinks she is, not what she is. The soldier places such implicit trust in her, however, that she is constrained to throw aside her former mode of living, and agrees to his proposal to marry her before he embarks. There is a moral in this picture, and although there are some most emotional scenes, at no time is sentimentalism overdone. The enjoyment was enhanced by the appropriate music which bad been synchronised for presentation with the film, and the portrayal given by Daisy Heath, as the sophisticated chorus girl, was one that will not be readily forgotten; Gary Cooper, too, is a rising star, and Paul Lukas a dramatic character actor of great talent. In addition to the stellar productions, an interesting Gazette was staged, and the musical side of the programme was as enjoyable as ever, the overture being ‘ Rustle of Spring ’ (Binding) and the entr’acte ‘ I Zingari ’ (Leoncavallo). The programme will be repeated to-night and during the week. 1 SUBMARINE 1 HAVAI THRILLER AT STi^S As a house of entertainment the Strand has much to commend it to the discerning theatre-goer. The appointments of the theatre are conducive to pleasant reception, the very necessary tatlkie apparatus is designed to bring out the best in the pictures, and, what is most important of all, the material offered is almost invariably excellent. The pictures at- th© Strand are commendably consistent in quality, and must afford considerable pleasure to thousands. This week’s programme will, if anything, enhance the reputation of the theatre as a medium of entertainment. There is enough in it to satisfy even the most caustic of critics. Everyone present there last evening must have been genuinely impressed with the fact that Gas current bill is one quite above the ordinary. ‘ Submarine ’ will undoubtedly enjoy a most successful season in Dunedin. It is a composite of the essential elements in theatrical representation, deftly blended into a singularly pleasant whole. As the title implies, the picture is one with a naval setting. But it is no stereotyped nautical tale. It is a powerful drama, artistically relieved by touches of comedy and romance. The picture is tensely dramatic, but never cheaply melodramatic. In it there are two mbn, one an expert naval diver and the other a petty officer in his squadron. Inseparable friends, they lead a happy, care-free life. Then the former returns to the .naval base, where his services are invaluable, white the other is transferred to a submarine. Meeting a girl in a dance hall, th© diver falls madly in love with her and marries. While he is absent his friend returns from abroad, and’ then the eternal triangle manifests itself. Without divulging her identity, the girl leads her husband’s best friend on, and he, a careless sailor, thinks nothing of it. When the husband returns unexpectedly the girl blames her downfall upon the other man, and shatters the friendship of a lifetime. The climax is reached when a submarine is rammed and sunk by a destroyer during manoeuvres. Falling to a depth of 400 ft, it rests on the bottom of the ocean, with its crew entombed and slowly dying of thirst and suffocation. Only one diver can withstand the terrible pressure of such a depth, and ho is torn between his duty and the knowledge that the man he hates most is among the crew of the sunken submarine. The denouement of the story is on© of its most impressive features. The action holds one tense with excitement and interest all through, and the climax caps a very remarkable picture. The production of the story presents a striking and graphic entertainment. The under-water scenes are particularly interesting, of the kind that are yery seldom seen in motion pictures. The outstanding characterisation is that of Jack Holt, who gives dramatic authority to the part of Jack Dorgan, the diver. Holt’s delineations are invariably fine, hut in this production he excels himself in a virile and convincing interpretation. Ralph Graves is admirable as the other man in Ustory, and Dorothy Revier shows that she "is a most accomplished actress by her performance as the faithless wife. The picture is most appropriately synchronised with, music and sound. Taken all in all, it is one. of the best features the Strand has shown for a considerable time.

The supporting programme is quite in keeping with ‘Submarine.’ In a short talkie feature John Barclay gives a series of remarkable operatic impersonations. With equal ease and facility be sings the prologue to ‘Pagliacci,' Mephisto’s grim serenade in ‘ Faust,’ and the ‘Toreador’s Song’ from ‘Carmen.’ Perhaps his most brilliant effort is an impersonation of Cbaliapine in ‘ Boris Gondonov.’ Gus Amhcim and his snappy band of syneopators provided several; bright interpretations of the latest dance hits, while a short talkie comedy, *My Wife,’ kept the audience laughing heartily. The gaaotto and the reviews were, as usual, interesting and informative.

BOXING ANa GOMEIW OCTAGON FIRES TWO BIG GUNS | A. move on the part of the Octagon management, brought about iu the' first place through unforeseen circumstances,, resulted in a -last minute departure from the programme originally advertised. and in the presentation of a uniqiie double-featured programme. That rollicking comedy, ‘ Clear: the Decks,’ with Reginald Denny as: .'the herb, and ‘ The Man I Love,’•'featuring Richard Arlen, are the weekVnjain attractions. As a combination irthey provide a wealth of amusement, for; the Denny masterpiece is comedy at'-its brightest and cleverest, while ‘The. Man I Love,’ in spite of its unpretentious title, must be classed among the finest boxing films, ever released. The presentation of these two long productions leaves little 'time for much else, but one sees a very interesting Paramount Sound News film, and gains a heartv laugh at the wit of Fred Allen and "his associates- in the tabloid comedy, ‘The Instalment Collector.’ Subjects for : the, 'Paramount topical scenes are-the women’s air derby across the United States and th© yachting race for the America’ Gup. In all-talk-ing features the voices; as is invariably the case in the Octagon Theatre, are. heard with remarkable clarity. Containing as. it does a goodly amount of dialogue, ‘.Clear the Decks’ gives admirers of Reginald Denny their first opportunity of hearing the voice of this brilliant; young Englishman. Those who heard him last night were emphatic in their praise—as well they might be. Denny’s voice is deep, clear, and pure, and it is obvious that it is admirably suited to dialogue reproduction. . In the future Reginald Denny should bo more than ever in demand. In ‘ Clear the Decks ’ ho is seen in a positive whirlwind of hilarious comedy, which is not without a rich flavouring of ingenuity as regards the construction of the story. The atmosphere: is refreshingly nautical, for the scene; of action is almost entirely confined to an ocean liner, on which Denny, by means of a pardonable example of false pretences, has managed to gain a passage, in order to bo near the girl with whom ho has fallen in love at first sight. As far as Denny is concerned the passage is a rough one, however. Having taken the place of an indisposed friend, who was sailing under the care of a male nurse, ho soon finds himself _ embroiled in a maze of complications. Lucien Littlefield, whoso voice is also very pleasing, is appropriately cast as the nurse, and Olive Hasbroiick;makes an adorable heroine.; Lovers of a virile and romantic boxing picture will find ! The Man 1 Love ’ a source of delight from start to finish. With Richard Arlen cast as the dynamic middle-weight, Dum-dum Brooks, the yarn certainly goes with a punch, and the loading lady, pretty Mary Brian, is an important agent in the fascinating romance offering..,. Then there is the now famous Baclanova,' the blonde Russian beauty, whose work in movieland has been creating something of a sensation. The cast is a sound one in every way, but the acting, of these three in particular is superb. Moreover, their voices are very well modulated. To fill the role of a selfconfident American pugilist it has been necessary for Arlen to adopt the slang of Madison Square Gardens and the gymnasium, but he is very easy to follow. _ Mary _ Brian speaks with a pleasing intonation, and Baclanova distinguishes herself not only in dialogue, but also iu song. As an all-talkie the film is an undoubted hit.

Aggressive though Arlen is in the fighting portion of / the Dum-dum. Brooks role,_ he is an extremely hesitant lover, and in the opening scenes much amusement attends his overtures to Celia_ (Mary Brian). However, the wedding bells ring, and the boxer’s wife becomes his business manager. Into the picture steps the alluring Baclanova as Countess Sonia Barondoff, who, in the manner of most sirens, upsets for a time the course of true love. A stirring fight for the world’s middleweight title is the climax".. Miss Brian’s voice in the theme songy ‘Celia,’ is well worth hearing. ; ‘ln a Chinese Temple Garden ’ is the overture to a very attractive repertoire of orchestral music.

DENNY COMEDY HEADLINER AT GRAND AND PLAZA Local theatregoers were t horded a treat yesterday, when Reginald Denny’s latest Universal comedy ‘ His Lucky Day’ was shown for the first time ui the Grand and Plaza' Theatres. It is a veritable laugh riot, with a rapid succession of humorous situations, gags, and funny lines. ‘His Lucky Day concerns a real estate man, played by Denny, who is trying to sell twin man-. sions to his prospective father-in-law, who already is renting one of the houses, Everything is progressing smoothly until a family rents the other house and turns out to be a gang of society crooks. They cast their eyes at father-in-law’s antiques and at his pretty daughter. Tho result mix-up, with Denny in tho centre of the whirl, makes for alternate snatches of good drama and excellent farce comedy., Lo Rayne Du Val, a newcomer in feature pictures, is the girl. Otis Harlan, Cissy Fitzgerald, Eddie Phillips, Harvey Clark, and Tom O’Brien, the other principals, do excellent! work.

During a terrific .storgr in the Alps a caravan is wrecked, and Velda, a beautiful Romany girl, js ; separated froiu her brutal guardian, Ilambo. Sho is rescued in a state of exhaustion by Pietro, a mountaineer, who shelter's her in his cabin. Shortly after Velda meets Laurie ‘Keston, a rich young Englishman, who is on a motor tour, and the two fall in. love. Then Rambo appears and claims the girl. Pietro, realising that ■'Velda loves Laurie, engages Ilambo in u terrific ifight, in which Pietro ds victorious, i Finally, wounded in an affair- with.carabineers, Pietro sends Laurie and Velda off together, concealing from them- that he has received a fatal wound, Thus the rugged mountaineer Is left alone with Lupo, his faithful dog, having sacrificed his love and finally Ids life that others might find happiness. Here is the story of ‘ The Inseparables,’ a British film, which has .second place on the programme. An all-British cast, headed by Annette Benson, appears in this thrilling drama. A VIGOROUS MELODRAMA 1 PROTECTION ’ AT EVERYBODY'S Hardy is one privileged to see a photoplay which combines all the elements of interest that . ‘ Protection ’ does. This vastly, entertaining produc tion had its; first showing in Dunedi’' yesterday afternoon... at Everybody’s Theatre. In ‘ Protection there’ is drama, comedy, thrilling-action, love, romance, vigorous ’character work, and above all the suggested moral that evil cannot, prosper. The theme features a clash between a king of racketeers,

backed by the _ prestige of a group oi : crooked politicians, and a hard-boiled managing editor of a newspaper, who refuses to be intimidated either with bribes or machine guns. Robert Elliott plays the role of the editor, Ben Hewlett the racketeer king, Dorothy Burgess the light o’ love of the racketter, who finally discards her, and Paul Page and Dorothy Ward furnish romance. Roy Stewart, Joe Brown, Arthur Hoyt,, and other well-known character actors have important ro!es._ On the same bill is another highly entertaining film, ‘ The Escape.’ Here we have a powerful drama of New York’s night life, with William Russell and Virginia Valli portraying the leading characters. KIND EDWARD A laugh-provoking mystery: comedy entitled ‘ Something Always Happens ’ is the headliner at the King .Edward Theatre. The story is unusually interesting, and many chills and thrills are introduced d.uring its unfolding. Neil Hamilton and Esther Ralston are admirably cast in this highly entertaining photoplay. ‘Protection’ is another good , film, the story of which revolves round the adventures of a newspaper editor and his tenso battle with the ‘‘ doubtfuls” of the underworld.