HISTORICAL STORY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20174, 7 February 1929, Page 13

HISTORICAL STORY.

STRAND THEATRE PICTURE

An historical story of Flanders in the 16th century as she suffered under the oppression of Spain is unfolded in "Two Lovers," a Samuel Goldwyn production ■which will be presented from to-morrow at the Strand Theatre. It is an adaptation of the famous Baroness Orczy novel. "Leatherface," and is said to combine vivid' scenes of martial history with a romantic story of greit interest. Now it 'will be possible to thrill to the visual representation of the mysterious leathermasked man whose sudden appearance to save his lord liego, the Prince of Orange, from being captured by the enemy saved Flanders from the hands of the invading Spaniards. The two brilliant players, Vilma Banky and Ronald Colman, • appear together probably for the last time in this romantic film. Vilma Banky, as the niece of the scheming Duke of Azar, is forced into marriage with Mark Van Rycke, son of the high bailiff of Ghent. She is made doubly unhappy when she learns that her real sweetheart has been murdered by the unknown Leatherface. Her em bittered spying yields a list of the names of the conspirators who are plotting to oust the loathed Iberians from their beloved country. How she discovers the identity of Leatherface. how she eventually comes to love her busband Mark, played by Ronald Colman, and how her hands are painfully blistered in the desperate, but successful,* effort to give the Flemish their freedom from the Spaniards whom she represented; all this is said to be told in a scries of swift-moving and charming passages, which would be spoiled if related in detail

There is said to be a marked sequence of dramatic and important events and the action is never halted for any ox traneous spectacular episodes, the love scenes fitting in especially well and with a fine restraint. Devastating details of tbe more violent forms of Spanish lor ture during the 16th century; the design of Flemish peasant costumes in the same period; the constructional interior of the wayside taverns near Ghent; the misfor tunes of. William, Prince of Orange, and the way his loyal people banded them selves together for his protection and their country's from the dreaded Spaniard ; the method of warfare and means of travel, are said to be a faithful rcpro duction of the 16th century atmosphere Paul Lukas, Nigel de Brulicr. Eugenie Besserer and Helen Jerome Eddy are stated to do excellent work in the char acter roles, exceeded only by the hril liantly suiister and leering interpretation of Noah Buery as the butchering Duke of Azar. The production was directed by the noted Fred Niblo. The supporting programme includes a Strand Magazine, an Eva's Revue and a prologue, "A Night in Venice," arranged by Mr Yorke Gray.