‘SON OF INDIA'

Evening Star, Issue 20988, 30 December 1931, Page 5

‘SON OF INDIA'

COLOURFUL ROMANCE FOR ST. JAMES Aptly described as “ The Sheik ” of the talkies,’ ‘ Son of India,’ the muchheralded Ramon Navarro-Conrad Nagel success, will commence on Friday at the St. James Theatre. The following commentary on this picture was made by the -critic of the Christchurch ‘ Sun ’: —“lt is hard to believe that ‘Son of India- was made in Hollywood, so elaborate are some of the Indian scenes. Clever photography and brilliant settings, aided by the able direction of Jacques Feyder, combine to create an illusion of exotic charm and barbaric beauty. ‘ Son of India ’ presents an unusual and satisfying entertainment. The story is taken from F. Marion Crawford’s novel, ‘ Mr Isaacs,’ and in its screen form deals with the subject of ‘ East is East and West, is West,’ etc. There have been many books and almost as many films made about this subject, but ‘Son of India,’ although it deals with impossibility of marriage between the white and coloured races, is treated with a spirited touch that gives novelty to the theme. Whatever education and the intermingling of the races may have accomplished, caste and the colour bar still exists to keep happiness from those who attempt to defy the conventions, and so the Indian hero and the European heroine are left separated, believing in the philosophy of the Orient, that the perfection of real love is only to be found in its renunciation, and content to wait for its sublimation in the. life to come. Novarro fits into his part like a hand into a glove, but he is not the only notable one in the cast. (Fh© role of Janice is taken by Aladge Evans, who once used to be a child star in tho silent films, and now after a successful career on the New York stage, looks as if she is going to develop into an adult talkie star of great brilliance in the Hollywood heaven. She speaks well, looks well, and acts even better. Others of importance in_the really excellent cast are Conrad Nagel, Nigel do Brulier. John Aliljan, ATarjorio Rambqau, and C. Aubrey Smith.” The box' plans arc at The Bristol.