AMUSEMENTS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 161, 24 June 1935, Page 11

AMUSEMENTS

ARCADIA THEATRE FILM OF AFRICA One of the most spectacular screen offerings of a decade is promised tor the Arcadia Theatre to-day when “Baboona,” 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 the 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. During the making of this footage, a sudden and violent storm-jiearly destroyed the air caravan. REGENT THEATRE “SEQUOIA,” A MASTERPIECE. After seeing “Sequoia” at the Regent Theatre on Saturday, one would say that it is not only the finest animal film yet made, but one of the loveliest and most uncommon of all films. In “Sequoia’ the producers have achieved a masterpiece. The great beauty ot this film is that it is much more of a nature story than a jungle thriller. Although there are several fights and chases, there is not the usual screaming insistance on the killing or capturing of annuals. The purpose of “Sequoia” is not to show what a brave chap the producerexplorer is, and how many risks he ran in order to bring you your quota of excitement, but to tell the story of a remarkable friendship between two natural enemies, a puma apd a deer. The idea came from a nature-novel by an American writer, Vance Joseph Hoyt. The book cannot- have been an obvious choice as a film subject. It is one thing to describe the friendship, artificially inspired, of two animals, one of whom might eat the other at any moment; another to show this on the screen. Yet the miracle has been accomplished. The whole thing is acted by wild animals, a puma and a deer, before one’s very eyes. There are wonderful scenes of the kinship between the grown-up animals. When the deer is in danger the puna comes to the rescue. But there is no fake about the friendship between them. These animals must either have been genuinely matey, or else they are wonderful actors. The development of their relationship is shown in such detail that it cannot have been done by careful posing and grouping alone. The American forest background is superb; the photography exquisite. Some of the camerawork is so fine that you can see the neck muscles of a animal rippling delicately ’under the skin. It must have taken endless patience to secure the closeups. Jean Parker is the human star, as the girl who “introduces” the puma to the deer, and teaches them to be friends. But the animals steal the picture with the greatest of ease. The supporting programme includes a Laurel and Hardy Comedy, and other excellent supports. 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 nerfect 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 his cunning against Aladame Angouleme, shrewd, vengeful niece of Louis XVIII-, when she poured calumny on his friendship with Lady Frances 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 of the battle, the many Court scenes and the final sequence when Wellington delivers his famous speech in the House of Lords. 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 nnd utters bis first dialogue lines in this picture; Kathleen Howard, Jean Rouverol, Julian Madison and Tammany Y’oung, Fields has incorporated the best of his hysterical gags, and some of the funniest routines he has ( ever gergatrftt«d> in AfciS --