'CHILDREN OF DREAMS'

Evening Star, Issue 21010, 26 January 1932, Page 9

'CHILDREN OF DREAMS'

. OUTSTANDING FILM FOR EMPIRE 1 Children of Dreams,’ the attraction' for the Empire Theatre on Friday, possesses a’ strange fascination—different,, and at the same time universal—for itis the age-old quest for love, and the age-old quest for fame. It was written by the authors of _ 4 Viennese Nights. Oscar Hammerstein 11., creator of words and lyrics for ‘ Rose Marie,’ ‘ Show Boat,’ ‘ Sweet Adeline,’' and a host of other hits, , chose the heretofore unusual locale of the California apple orchards at harvest-time.; The characters are the hosts of people who wander from orchard to orchard picking apples and living the carefree life of the gipsies. The love story of a girl and'boy of the nomads, is the theme for the beautiful music by Sigmund Romberg. The girl singing in’ the camp one night is overheard by the son of a rich _ woman who lives near. He urges his mother _to send her abroad to study. The girl clings to her humble lover, till a loss incurred by her drunken father makes her accept money for him and for herselfShe goes to Italy, becomes a success,) and to sing at the Metropolitan. Her humble lover comes, to hear; her, but the years of separation have placed a gulf between them, and ha goes back to the apple country. Her, health fails, she develops the temperament which artists are supposed to be permitted to have, and it is only the kindly machinations of a shrewd old doctor that at last sets things right., The story rings true—the scenes in! Italy and New York are • realistic—• but the sequences in the luxuriant orchards, with raggedly romping children, scores of them—young people and old tripping the light fantastic to accordion and guitar—the wandering,, ne’er-do-well youths who arrive in camp; in a quaint house-on-wheels, and pro- 1 ceed to win the hearts including the audience, make up the curious appeal of ‘ Children of Dreams,’' To the other delights of the picture add the glorious Romberg melodies and the Hammerstein songs—and perfection; is not far off.