KING'S THEATRE

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13639, 25 August 1937, Page 5

KING'S THEATRE

NOW SHOWING—“MICHAEL STROGOFF.’ An adventure poiture offering a wealth of excitement, a tender romance, some ol tile most spectacular scenes ever photographed and entertainuei t which should find favour with father, mother, sister and brother shows at the King’s Theatre to-night in “Michael Strogoff ” Besides its remarkable pageantry of drama and action, this noteworthy version of Jules Verne’s story introduces a new candidate for picture laurels in the magnetic person of Anton Walbrook. The international stage a.nd screen favourite offered a pei-formance which skyrockets him into the ranks of Hollywood’s topnotch screen celebrities. Carefully woven into the plot and extraordinary enough to justify paeans of praise o* their own account, are the tremendous panoramic scenes of the Russian army pitted against the barbaric Tartar hordes in two different battle episodes. These scenes far surpass anything of flu- kind ever filmed, and they alone would make the picture well worth seeing for their sheer, breath-taking effect. As millions who have read the famous story will reeal—and here, for oircc. is a film version of a book that faithfully follows the original plot—“ Michael Strogoff” concerns itself with tlie perilous journey of its hero across Siberia mid through hostile Tartar patrols to reach a besieged Russian army at Irkutsk with the Czars orders lor the campaign. A beanliful woman spy is on bis trail ; a Russian girl befriends him : lie is trapped battles river pirates, is captured and tortured by the Tartars, but with the aid of th. loyal girl, attains his mission and a thrilling revenge over the Tartar leader. Margot Graliaine gives an excellent performance as the spy. who. too late, tries to save Walbrook from the Tartars. Elizabeth Allan is charming in tlie role of the friendless girl whose

ally romance with the- courier provides tlie love interest, and Akim Tainiioff. as the traitorous Russian leading the Tartar rebellion, turns in a brilliantly convincing piece of villainy. Fay Bainter. Eric Blore. Edward Brophy. Paul Harvey, Paul Guilfoyle and William Stack arc- supporting players. Geo-rg* Nicholls Jr. directed ‘Michael Strogoff” from Mortimer Offner and Anthony Veiller’s seen a rio.