"CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS"

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22864, 20 October 1937, Page 20

"CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS"

NEW FILM FOR ST. JAMES' Based on a story which enables Freddie Bartholomew and Spencer Tracy to give their best performances to date, Jtudyard Kipling's "Captains Courageous," the'next attraction lor St. James' Theatre, is, as was shown at a private screening last night, a really line picture! Tho acting is of such a high quality that lor this reason alone the iilm must be ranked among tho best shown in Auckland this year. The season is to open on Friday. The story tells of a spoilt child of a millionaire lather who quite fortuitously falls in with a fishing boat plying out of Gloucester to the Grand Banks. Through the friendship of a Portuguese fisherman named Manuel, a part taken by Spencer Tracy, tho bov, called almost throughout the picture Manuel's "lelle feesh," becomes a much better child. The drama also provides a lino insight into the livelihood of the Grand Banks fishing fleet, and for this quality is definitely educational.

Manuel takes pride of place in the picture. For many people be may even oust Freddie Bartholomew 'from the leading part. Not once does he appear to have difficulty in reaching a very high standard of acting, which surpasses even that which he attained in "Fury" and as the priest in "San Francisco." His acting is so good that the part becomes n living person, even more appealing than his counterpart in the original story. Freddie Bartholomew has acting to do which would nrobably be beyond flip scope of any other child actor of the screen. The part of the bov.'s father is excellently portrayed bv Melvyn Douglas, who achieves his usual success. Other fine performances are (riven by Lionel Bnrrymore. ns the skipper of the boat, and Mickey Roonoy, ae his son.