FINE REGENT PROGRAMME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20620, 19 July 1930, Page 9

FINE REGENT PROGRAMME.

STORY OF CONVICT LIFE.

Many siorics have been written of life at Devil's Island, the French penal colony of South America, stories which have had as a grim and squalid background the life of men, criminals of every kind, herded within walls surrounded by sea and jungle. Now a story is told with more than a touch of realism, for "Condemned." the picture which commenced a season at the Regent Theatre last evening, brings it all before one in a story which grips the attention from start to finish. As a novel this story was a great success; as a picture it must rank as ono of the best that the advance in sound and talking productions has yet achieved. The awesome realism is shown forcibly, yet with restraint.

Caged within the hold of the convict ship as she ploughs through Atlantic storms, is a man, different from his companions in misery, but nevertheless a thief. As the ship rolls and the seas find their way below, and his fellows groan in tho torment of sickness and thirst, he sits in semi-cheerful resignation. Tho convicts are landed, and before the curious gaze of tho inhabitants are swallowed up behind the prison walls. As ho passes through the gates the thief waves a farewell hand.

The prison warden is a man typical of thoso one is led to believe rul.e these penal colonics —harsh and arrcftant and devoid of feeling. lie is married to a young wife, who longs for France and the life of the village sho has forsaken for tho grim surroundings of the colony. Unbefitting her position as* wife oE tho warden she has found some solace in domestic work. Tho warden decides that (his must cease, and the thief is chosen to do tho household work. It is here that there develops a romance between the thief and tho warden's wife, which ljads to talk in the colony and the thief's sentence to solitary confinement. Surrounded by men tormentod to madness in tho roofless and dismal wells, ho himself is almost reduced to tho samo stato until fired with hope by tho lovo and help of tho warden's wife. Escape is at last made possible, but it is an escape fraught with danger, first from tho soldiers of the colony and then from the terrors of the jungle. There is an exciting chase in the dark, and the soldiers' fruitless search in the jungle and then apparent safety at last at a village on the coast.

Tlio freedom is short-livpel, but as hn returns to serve out his sentence, the thief is buoyed up with the knowledge) that tho warden is dead, nnd that when his term is finished he will be united with tho woman he loves. Such is tho story in brief of the picture. Now phases of sound production, arid not a lew fine photographic effects contribute largely to its success. With all its drama the picture is not without its humorous moments, for it is shown that men, no matter what their circumstances, may preserve a sense of humour. Such moments are welcome in tho story. j As the nonchalant thief Ronald Col- | improves his reputation beyond bounds, and as tho warden no f ' np !' l : ' ader could have been found than Dudley Diinrps. The part of the warden s wife, lover of the thief, is played by Ann Ilaidi,,jr with whimsical charm. Louis Wolheim c»f rough exterior hut kindly nature, is another player who achieves considerable) success. Of tho supporting programme) prooamj the most interesting item is a sound news reel showing the Australian cricketers playing Worcester. Both Bradman and Orimmett are scon in action. The reel also includes some splendid scenes of Antarctic discovery with a description by Sir Hubert Wilkins. Titta Ruffo. of Metropolitan Opera fame, is heard in "Largo al Factotum," and a comedy, with 'Charley Chase as "the principal, completes | the programme.