THE "COSY" THEATRE.

Otaki Mail, 14 December 1932, Page 2

THE "COSY" THEATRE.

THURSDAY. ' "BACK STREET." « Fannie Hurst has Dot always approv* <<l of the moving picture transcription of her novels. In fact, she has very seldom been consulted about tho way they were to be put on the screen. No one know.- better than she, that the technique lor moving picture work differs radically from the technique of literature. With all of these differences, however, Miss Hurst feels that the spirit and the motivation of the novel should be zealously retained in the motion picture. John Stahl believes exactly the sumc thing. He was delighted when Carl Laemmle, Jr., assigned the direction of this signi* fieant novel to him. The first thing fitah! did was to make a trip to Nejr Vork especially to consult with Fannie Hurst about the moving picture treatment which had been made by Glaiy* Lehman who, by the way, adapted "s-ced" so capably from Charles G.. Xorris' novel. For days they' talked' over the various methods of achieving, eiuematieully, the causes and effects which made "Back Street" one of the best sellers of all time, as well as a piece of literature which will live long and will nyike people think. When he returned to Universal City, he was certain that the author would approve of the way in which "Back Street". reached the screen. And now l£isj Hurst has seen it and Miss Hurst most emphatically approves. In Bey Schmidt. Fannie Hurst created one of literature's greatest and most unuiua! characters. Everything tkat Mis» Hurst put into this character has been fully retained by Mr. Stahl and Miss Lehman. As a characterisation, it \ ranks at the top of a score of remarkable figure.- of Hiss Hurst's vivid imagination, and this score indues "Mannikin," "Hnmouresqae," "Symphony of Bix Million," "Five and Ten," "Lummox" and "Star Dost." "Humouresque" was the first of her stories to reach the screen, and wm one of the most successful motion pictures of its day. "Symphony of Six Million" ww written especially for pictures. It would not surprise those who know both Miss Ham and* Mr. Stahl if "Back Street" proved even more adapted to motion pictures than any of Miss Hurst's other novels. In "Back Street" the director brings to U/e the costumes and foibles of thirty years hack in contrast with as moderns. Those who delight in turning baek the pages of history in review of the fashions and fancies of thirty years ago win be afforded an opportunity to do so at the Cosy theatre next Thur«<lay when "Baek Street," Universal's colourful story of the American "Ninetics" has its first showing there. - The pietnrisation of Fannie Hunt's widely read novel embraces a span of three decades, tracing authentically the progrei- of mi-lady's wardrobe from t*e stage of the boa and puffed sleeve to the trim tailoring of to-dav. A number of other interesting restrospective screen views of early gasoline ''buggies," beer gardens, hansoms and familiar sights of that treasured era, still fresh in the mind* of many, a**j features of, this very human Sitt, I