AMUSEMENTS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 63, 24 February 1934, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS

UNUSUAL FILM AT ARCADIA “F.P.I”: PICTURE OF THE YEAR. "F.P.I” is an unusual title for a picture, but it stands for a most unusual picture. It means “Floating Platform No. 1,” a gigantic structure anchored in imd-Atlantic to act as, an ocean-landing station for aircraft. The ingenious and far-lroin-iinpossible idea is demonstrated in a picture vivid and inspiring. “F.P.I” is neither a technical nor an interest film as those terms are understood, but a dramatic peep into the future. We see the building of t-ie platform, a gigantic engineering feat in a vast dockyard; we see it complete in mid-Atlantic: a dastardly attempt to sink it, and the wonderful efforts made to save the mighty work from being sunk. The by-play of emotions, romantic and villainous, punctuates the story as the inventor’s imaginings become reality. The picture is crowded with thrills, the rescue flight to save the doomed platform being one of the most dramatic aviation spectacles ever screened. Here is certainly a picture for all ages. Well known artists play important roles in this fascinating picture. Conrad Veidt, with an European and American reputation behind him, proves himself definitely among the screen’s most powerful actors, by a brilliant portrayal of the recordcrazy world-famous flyer Ellison. Leslie Fenton gives a polished performance as Droste, engineer and dreamer, designer of “F.P.I”, and Jill Esmond is quite all one could desire in the third leading role. Her acting is flawless and in addition, she proves a most attractive ornament in a vest otherwise composed almost entirely ot men. “F.P.I” contains thrills for everyone — remarkable scenes ol tho island platform under construction, wonderful “shots” of flying and piano stunting, the rush of panic-stricken men to the life-boats, and the crash of Veidt’s plane into the ocean after he has escaped in a parachute. “F.P.I”, produced by GauniontBritish, will be screened at the Arcadia Theatre, commencing to-day.

AUSTRALIAN FILM AT COSY. "THE SQUATTER’S DAUGHTER.” A programme that should suit the tastes of any class of cinema audience commences an extended season at. the Cosy Theatre to-day, the principal features being the main attraction, "The Squatter’s Daughter” and in the supporting programme a two-reel musical feature starring the famous tenor, Richard Tauber. "The Squatter's Daughter” is the eond feature-length film effort of the talented company who gave us "On Our Selection,” and has been keeping patrons amused weekly with the Cine-sound News-reel. Many months of painstaking work in adapting "The Squatter’s laughter” for the screen, in going to considerable pains in the selection and assembling of a cast of players to portray tho necessary characters of the play, and in arranging scenic backgrounds which have earned for "The Squatter’s Daughter” the distinction of being one of the most attractively photographed pictures. It depicts the national life of e British Dominion in its most interesting and beautiful aspect, while the colourful romance of the wool industry is cleverly interwoven with real-life thrills, and thus presenting a feature of life which we in Hawke’s Bey can lay claim to understanding a lot ibout. The count.v’s wide-open spaces, tranquil at times, at others grim and tern fie with raging bush-fires, vic with unusual and intriguing scenes at Sydney in providing interesting backgrounds to c thorougth absorbing, tragic aad yet humoious »tory that has already demonstrated its popular appear wherever it. has been shown. The supporting programme is excellent. It is headed by a Continental musical revue entitled "The Big Attraction.” In this unusual presentation we again sec and hear that famous tenor, Richard Tauber, who sings no less than four songs, ranging from modern jazz to operatic excerpts.

MYSTERY AT MUNICIPAL.

AUSTIN TREVOR "ALIBI.”

"Alibi,” the British Dominions Film at the Municipal Theatre to-day, is a story of a perfect alibi that failed. The murder and suicide of a country squire and his mistress respectively under circumstances that baffle the crime specialists of England, result in the calling in of Hercule Poirot, amazing French criminologist, to assist them to deduce what was the most, amazing crime ever recorded in the annals of police history. It was certified that the murdered man died at 12 midnight. Yet he was heard speaking naturally at a quarter past that hour. What was the explanation? Austin Trevor has the leading role as Hercule Poirot, the French criminologist. Franklin Dyall is introduced as Sir Roger Ackroyd, the country squire around whom so much of the story revolves. The love interest is in the capable hands of Mercia Swinburne, latest English screen "find,” and Ronald Ward, charming screen juvenile.

The construction of this British Do minions picture is particularly sound and so logical that one’s attention can bo concentrated on any of the leading characters, without the thought of having one’s powers of detection ridiculed by some absolutely impossible development. "Alibi” is a melo-drama in every scensc of the word, and, while the serious moments are many, the picture has a delightful vein of humour running through it that is just as spontaneous as tho fun that has characterised such British Talkies as "Canaries Sometimes Sing,” "On Approval,” and ninny others too numerous to mention.