HIGH QUALITY ENTERTAINMENT

Evening Star, Issue 21090, 30 April 1932, Page 9

HIGH QUALITY ENTERTAINMENT

ST. JAMES'S EXCELLENT PROGRAMME Lawrence Tibbett_ is unquestionably one of the most brilliant of the operatic stars attracted to the talkies. His rise in the world of song has indeed been meteoric. An unknown young baritone, he borrowed on a life insurance policy to take him to New York, and there he sprang into fame overnight as one of the greatest of artists the New York Metropolitan Opera House over presented. And Tibbett’s personality is very happily expressed through the talkies. They offer him a medium which the majority of great operatic artists cannot exploit, for their metier is opera, and opera alone.' Tibbett has the ability and the artistry to cover the widely exacting demands of all productions from frivolous musical comedy to the weightiest opera. He has become an international favourite through his pictures, and audiences all over the world have the talkies to thank for being given an opportunity to appraise his remarkable qualifications. In 1 The Rogue Song,’ ‘ The Prodigal,’ and ‘New Moon’ he established himself as one of the brightest stars of _ tbo screen firmament, and this enviable reputation will be enhanced by his brilliant performance in ‘ Cuban Love Song,’ which opened at the St. James Theatre yesterday. Tibbett’s arresting baritone voice and breezy personality command immediate respect and attention in this production. It is quite different from his previous vehicles, and gives him an opportunity to demonstrate his exceptional versatility and artistry to the fullest advantage, in this picture, too, he proves that he has ripened into an actor' fit to rank with the screen’s best. He is more polished and he displays a remarkable versatility. His part in this picture must have been very difficult to portray. He is at once a great comedian and a great dramatic artist. Tibbett is not an actor of type, but an individualist, and it is here that theatregoers find his humour so refreshing and his mannerisms so amusing. The picture tells of Terry of the marines, a devil-may-care young man, about to set out for Havana. His fond farewell to his fiance is _ rather too light-hearted to be convincing. But it is when he arrives in Cuba that romance really begins for Terry. A darkeyed beauty of the tropics finds him an easy prey to her charms. His doings in Cuba form a remarkable blending of comedy and drama, and life for him and Nenita seems to be taking a rosier hue when the war intervenes. The complications which ensue make this one of the most interesting and novel talkies of the year. Terry is wounded, and returns to his old life to marry his former fiancee. After ten years more of humdrum life he returns to Cuba in search of his old love. .But the story does not _ end here, for he learns that Nenita is dead. However, the final scenes fprai a happy and satisfactory conclusion. _ Of the several songs which Tibbett sings 1 The Cuban Love Song ’ is perhaps the tit-bit, and it is certain to become one of the season’s song hits. Of a uniformly excellent supporting cast, Lupe Velez perhaps stands out. She sings two songs in good voice, while, her characterisation in the role of Nenita leaves little to be desired. Ernest Torrence and Jimmy Durant introduce most of the comedy. Of the supporting programme a picture of special interest is ‘Dive In, which should be seen by every Dunedin swimmer and all who are interested in the aquatic sport. In a novel discriptive talkie, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer presents several of America’s best-known divers in some most difficult dives, including a number that have only recently been fixed for international competition. The performers include such world-famous exponents on the diving boards as Mickey Riley, Miss Georgia Coleman, and “Dutch” Smith, it is unnecessary to give in detail the various dives that are performed, but the exhibition seems to show the manner in which diving has been developed by America’s contenders for Olympic honours. Take-off, flight, and entry are almost perfect, and one can readily see from such a spectacular film how strongly America will be represented m this class of competition at Los Angeles. Not the least entertaining part of this fixture is the clever fooling and stunt diving of ono of the troupe, a performance much more difficult than it might appear to the uninitiated. Dunedin is the home of diving in New Zealand and this film is likely to be viewed by all who wish to make comparisons between New Zealand and American standards. Two interesting gazettes complete an excellent programme, which will be repeated tonight and during the week.