ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 21072, 2 May 1930, Page 11

ENTERTAINMENTS

THE CIVIC. LAST NIGHT OP THE FOX SPECIAL—“FOUR DEVILS.”

To-night will see the final screening at the Civic of “Four Devils.” A fine circus picture, the opening sequences showing the “Four Devils” in childhood, being trained as acrobats by a brutal master, who made use of terror and the whip for his teaching. But the elderly clown —Farrell MacDonald —intervenes, and after a terrific struggle, thrashes the brute, and taking the children, sets forth on a new life for them. During the years, we see them grow up into four graceful specimens of young man and womanhood, while the old circus develops round them into the splendid modern show, the Cirque Olympia in Paris. The eldest boy and girl, Charles Morton and Janet Gaynor, fall in love, and all is going well when a gay lady in the audience falls heavily for the fine looking Charles. Next she decoys him away to her wealthy home and undermines his health and general fitness for his arduous and perilous work of swinging on a trapeze and doing all manner of difficult stunts thereon and in midair. The attempts of Daddy Farrell and Barry Norton, little Nancy Drexel and sweet Janet to save him from himself avail nothing, until he himself sickens of the temptress upon an occasion when Janet had followed them home and pleaded with the gay beauty—to her intense amusement —and he repents. There is, of course, a fall from the trapeze, but subsequent recovery and harmony. The circus sequences are grandly produced. Janet Gaynor is wonderfully appealing, and there are many moments with Farrell MacDonald as good in pathos as he is in comedy, while Morton gets over some very fine work in his role of the athletic acrobat.

MAJESTIC.

LAST NIGHT OF THE PARAMOUNT - ALL-TALKING SPECIAL “THE BATTLE OF PARIS.”

A new type of picture closes at the Majestic to-night in the form of “The Battle of Paris,” a Paramount all-talking special, which will remind most ex-service men of very pleasant memories. Gertrude Lawrence, musical comedy star who combines beauty, grace, acting ability and immense charm into such a delightful hodge-podge that you can’t resist her appeal. The story is that of a young waif who sells music on the streets of Paris before the war. Zizi (Charles Ruggles) is her part-

ner. In the scurry before a police raid, Georgie (Gertrude Lawrence) meets a young American artist Tony, and when she leaves she takes his wallet with her. Returning the wallet to Tony, the next day, she is persuaded to remain and model for him. They fall in love. War is declared, and Tony enlists, Georgie keeping his apartment until he returns. While nursing in a large hospital in Paris Georgie becomes the pet of three strange friends, the three musketeers. She learns that Tony is in Paris on a two days’ leave, and rushes to his apartment to meet him, but Tony fails to put in his appearance, so she goes in search of him, finding him in the arms of an adventuress. The three musketeers come to her aid, but her efforts fail, she is lured away and made a prisoner. Tony joins the three friends in their search for her. It will spoil the picture for you to tell you the rest, but we will say this much, the action is as stirring as you can imagine. A splendid selection of all talking and sound subjects completes this worth while programme.

THE REGENT.

GEORGE ARLISS IN “DISRAELI.”

“THERE IS NO GREATER PICTURE.”

A masterpiece! Such undoubtedly “Disraeli” is, and it is no wonder that capacity audiences are being attracted to the Regent. Its absorbing story is told by one of the finest casts yet assembled for a talking picture and above them all is Arliss, the incomparable! The distinction of George Arliss in the title role is something that I will linger in the memory long after a legion of ordinary pictures have come and I passed into oblivion. The part of “DisI raeli” fits Arliss like the proverbial glove. One is startled time and again by the uncanny resemblance between the actor and the statesman who became the English Prime Minister and acquired for his country the Suez Canal and the power that went with it. A variety of cunning tricks are in the Arliss bag. Disraeli was a many faceted personality who achieved his ends either by cruel directness or sinuous subtlety, according to circumstances. Arliss is called upon to be sinster and masklike, wheedling and fascinating, human and appealing. and never once does he fail to convince. The picture concerns that part of Disraeli’s career when he struggled to make England a world empire. In spite of the fact that he had many politicians swaying the crowd in opposition to him, Disraeli became Prime Minister and turned his efforts to getting the Suez Canal for England. Many powerful men were against the idea, believing it to bo improvident. Disraeli stuck to his guns, and through all oppositions and the intrigue of spies, secured the canal for England and was decorated by Queen Victoria. There is also ’a pretty romance running through this story and this, added to the intense dramatic power of the picture, makes it entertainment of a high order. There is poignant tenderness in the relation between Disraeli and his wife, and much charm in the romance of Lady Clarissa and Lord Charles Deeford. Joan Bennett is bewitching as Lady Clarissa; Anthony Bushell splendid in the i role of Lord Charles Deeford. Florence Arliss is Lady Beaconsfield, wife of Disraeli; David Torrance, the head of the Bank of England; beautiful Doris Lloyd portraj's the spy, Mrs Travers; and Ivan Simpson is the international banker, Hugh Meyers. A most unusual cast, every member of which gives an excellent performance. “Disraeli” will be repeated again to-night and at the matinee and night sessions to-morrow.