AMUSEMENTS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 160, 22 June 1935, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS

STATE THEATRE ARLISS IN “THE IRON DUKE” One of the greatest films ever produced in any studio, whether British or American, is “The Iron Duke,” recently completed by Gaumont-British, and which is the first British screen appearance of the eminent English actor, George Arliss. The Gaumont-British organisation has distinguished itself by the conception, scope and treatment of this inspiring spectacle of European history, vividly depicted by the camera in such impressive scenes as those which occur in the sequence representing the historical Battle of Waterloo. The film screens at the State Theatre today. The picture is the perfect Arliss vehicle. “The first gentleman of the screen” has excelled himself in this splendid dramatic portrait of Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington. For sheer virtuosity it surpasses his “Disraeli,” his “Rothschild” and every other character-study he has presented. The story shows how Wellington brought about Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo, measured Ins cunning against Madame Angouleme, shrewd, vengeful niece of Louis XVIII., when sho poured calumny on his friendship with Lady Fiances Webster, forced Louis, against Madame’s wishes, to sign the Treaty of Paris, following the execution of Marshal Ney, and brought temporary peace to Europe when he deserted fighting for politics by refusing to allow France to be unmercifully crushed by the Allies. Wonderfully reconstructed are such impressive scenes as the Battle of Waterloo, the Duchess of Richmond’s Ball on the eve ot the battle, the many Court scenes and the final sequence when Wellington delivers his famous speech in the House of Lords. REGENT THEATRE “SEQUOIA”: FOREST EPIC. A picture may well bo remarkable yet fail to provide good entertainment. “Sequoia,” which begins a season at tho Regent Theatre to-day, is not only a remarkable and unusual film but it also provides entertainment of a rare character. It is regrettable that more films of this type are uot made. Ihe picture centres around the extraordinary friendship between a deer and a mountain lion, who are brought up together from babyhood amid the impregnable forests of the giant Sierras. Jean Parker, who makes a delightful heroine, finds, at the opening of the film, a young deei and a puma cub whose mothers have fallen victims to the fierce wars of the forest. Taking them home, she rears! then; together until the time conies lor them to answer the inevitable call of the wild. However, the animal friendship formed through human agency does not perish but lives on. In the endless struggle to avoid falling victims to the hunter’s gun, this strange devotion endures, and one of the most magnificent “enots” in the entire film occurs towards the end when the deer, pursued by her deadly enemy, man, is saved from death by her puma friend. Tho puma leaps I'rom behind upon the hunter and a fierce struggle ensues between them on the edge of a precipice, a struggle which ends with the death of the hunter, who is hurled from dizzy heights into a foaming torrent hundreds of feet below

The supports include a Laurel and Hardy comedy (latest release) “Oliver the Eighth,’’ a Fitzpatrick travel talk in colour, “Zion, Canyon of Colour,” and the all-colour musical revue, “Service with a Smile.” COSY THEATRE WESTERN AND COMEDY In Paramount’s picturisation of Zane Grey’s outdoor romance, “Home on the Range,” which is screening at the Cosy Theatre to-day, Jackie Coogan and Evelyn Brent, both of whom have been away from the screen for a long time, return to Hollywood films again. Jackie Coogan, now a strapping, six-foot man, makes his Adult debut, and Miss Brent returns, after more than two years, in another of her typical “bad-girl” roles. Randolph Scott, Dean Jagger, Fuzzy Knight and Ann Sheridan are also featured. “Home on the Range” deals with the efforts of a band of smooth crooks to swindle Randolph Scott and his brother Jackie Coogan, out of their ranch and racehorses. The new W. C. Fields picture, “It’s a Gift,” which also screens at the Cosy to-day, presents Paramount’s droll genius of comedy in a story that fits his peculiar talents better than anything we have seen to date. Supported by Baby Leßoy, who has learned to talk and utters his first dialogue lines in this picture; Kathleen Howard, Jean Rouverol, Julian Madison and Tammany Young, Fields has incorporated the best of his hysterical gags, and some of the funniest routines ho has ever perpetrated, in this film. ARCADIA THEATRE FILM OF AFRICA One of the most spectacular screen offerings of a decade is promised for the Arcadia Theatre to-day when “Baboons,” newest African adventure film of Mr and Mrs Martin Johnson, screens there. “Baboona” is described as an aerial epic over Africa. Requiring twenty months in the filming, it was made while the Martin Johnsons toured 60,000 miles of unexplored jungle, visiting many sports in the dark continent never before glimpsed by civilised man. This newest screen exploit of tho intrepid pair reveals man’s most dramatic conquest—the first record of Africa’s remotest secrets filmed from the air. These air adventurers were called upon to battle the elements as well as savages and beasts, One of the most striking sequences in “Baboona” is the detailed record of a Hight round Mt. Kenya, offering views of this lonely snow-bound peak never before glimpsed by human eyes. Duriug the making of this footage, a sudden and violent storm nearly destroyed the air caravan. Also on the Arcadia programme for the three sessions to-day is “Rusty Rides Alon--,” a thrilling film starring Tim McCoy and his wonder dog Silver King.