AMUSEMENTS

Hokitika Guardian, 10 July 1935, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS

EVERYBODY’S PICTURES TO-NIGHT AND THURSDAY. “TREASURE ISLAND” The generations of people both young and old who have been thrilled by “Treasure Island,” Robert Louis Stevenson’s famous story of pirate adventure, will find the vivid story-book experiences of their youth created on the screen in the picture that opens tonight at the Princess Theatre with Wallace Beery and Jackie Cooper in co-starrng roles.

Full power of the most widely read fiction book about pirates ever written ha.d been retained in the adaption by John Lee Muhin. Scenes have been reproduced exactly as described in the book with much of Stevenson’s own dialogue between the characters followed to the word.

With Beery as Long John Silver and Jackie Cooper as Jim Hawkins, boy adventurer, a cast has been assembled to bring each rover of the Spanish Main to the screen with living reality. Lionel Barrymore’s blustering Billy Jones is one of the most entertaining characters he has ever played; Otto Kruger is forceful as Dr Livesky; Lewis Stone’s personal knowledge of sailing ships gives convincing background to his role of Captain Smollett; Nigel Bruce is a ruddy and typically English Squire Trelawney; touches of quaint humour are put into the characterisation of Ben Gunn, marooned pirate, by Chic Sale. Some of. the most beautiful marine photography ever seen on the local screen provides a breath-taking background for action on board the Hispaniola, complete three-masted ship built for the production from the olu Nanuk, famous whaling ship used in the Metro-Goldvvyn-Mayer Arctic expedition for “Eskimo.” Also showing good supports.