A Gripping Drama of Sophisticated Love

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 47, 26 February 1936, Page 11

A Gripping Drama of Sophisticated Love

ELISSA LANDI AND PAUL GAVANAGH STARRED (Regent: Screening Wednesday Next.) Combining romance, mystery and stark drama, Paramount’s “‘Without Regret,” a gripping drama of sophisticated love, emerges as a high-class production of better grade entertainment. Superior performances on the parts of Elissa Landi, Paul Cavanagb, Kent Taylor and Prances Drake in tho leading roles, complement the strictly problem-play tenor of this tensely interesting picture.

Miss Landi especially brings to her performance all the artistry and emotional depth of her particularly individual, but thoroughly versatile, histrionic talents.

Cast as a young English girl travelling through China, fate throws a dashing ne’er-do-well aviator in the person of Kent Taylor in Miss Landi’s path. Intrigued by his irresponsible life she is swept off her feet'by his gay insouciance, his devil-may-care attitude toward life. After their first meeting, Taylor jilts his former sweetheart, Prances Drake, and marries Miss Landi. The results of this emotional adventure are destined to be far-reaching and disastrous.

Catering expressly to the sentimental and romantic in human nature, “Without Regret” will appeal undeniably to feminine film fans. With the eternal love triangle theme uppermost, this film is ably supplemented with mystery and action. Miss Landi portrays her role with an honest sincerity and frankness of feeling. Cavanagh is his accustomed ( well-bred self, giving the assured, wellpoised, finished performance in the good taste that the part requires, and doing it unusually well. Kent Taylor departs from his usual romantic leading man characterisations, and plays an unsympathetic role in a surprisingly sympathetic way, establishing himself as a character actor of no mean ability. Miss Drake also acquits herself competently in an equally unsympathetic role.