ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 25305, 7 June 1935, Page 12

ENTERTAINMENTS

THE REGENT “BEHOLD MY WIFE” Sylvia Sidney, whose fine acting has made films outstanding, has a role of exceptional opportunities in “Behold My Wife,” the dramatic feature which is to have its final screenings at the Regent to-day. She plays the part of a Rea’ Indian maid, married by a wealthy New Yorker to spite his family, and in love and in revolt her portrayal is nothing short of brilliant “Behold My Wife” is an unusual story, even though it is a variation of the eternal triangle plot. Michael Carter wants to marry a penniless girl. His family intervenes, and the girl commits suicide. Michael, numb with grief, drives off to Mexico, where he is wounded in a brawl by an Indian. Tonita nurses him and falls in love. It is then that Michael conceives the idea of marrying Tonita, “a member of one of America’s oldest families,” to revenge himself on his family. He fails, for Tonita proves an immense success in New York society. So the story develops, until Diana, Michael’s sister, finds that her lover has fallen a victim to Tonita’s charms, and the stage is set for a second tragedy, though this time the result is not so disastrous as might be expected. Gene Raymond plays opposite Sylvia Sydney, and presents a convincing study of a spoiled, pampered youth whose desperate endeavours to break free from the crippling influence of his family seem destined to misfortune and tragedy. His role is difficult, but ‘ skilful acting enables him to avoid the rock of melodrama. H. B. Warner is, as usual, suave and convincing, and Juliette Compton’s Diana is adequate. Though essentially dramatic, the story has a useful leven of humour, particularly in the scene during which Tonita makes her first acquaintance with New York society. A short comedy, animal cartoon, and newreels complete a very interesting programme. THE REGENT TO-MORROW. “OUTCAST LADY.” Michael’s Arlen’s story of a very gallant lady as told in his novel, “The Green Hat,” forms the basis of “Outcast Lady,” which with Herbert Marshall and Constance Bennett in the leading roles, will be the new attraction at the Regent to-morrow. Produced with the customary Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer deftness and most ably acted by principals and supporting cast alike, the film captures admirably the postwar atmosphere which was so prominent in the novel. There is disillusionment among the characters, and a rather hard and glittering outlook on life, but under the masquerade there is nobility and strength of purpose, however unavailing it eventually proves to be. Constance Bennett gives undoubtedly the finest performance of her screen career as the notorious Iris March, descendant of a luckless and depadent stock, who is prepared to sacrifice her reputation and her happiness to shield her worthless brother. Tlie story has many curious and fantastic twists, as most of Arlen’s plots have, but the power of the acting makes it a very noteworthy film. Iris March becomes a figure which is tragic in its faults. Her pride and her inflexible courage form the very means by which her character is most bitterly attacked by the world, but they make her a personality which retains the deep interest of the audience throughout. Playing opposite Miss Bennett, as Napier, Herbert Marshall gives a typically restrained character study, while Ralph Forbes is also excellent as Captain “Boy” Fenwick. Henry Stephenson, Elizabeth Allen, and Mrs Patrick Campbell are also prominent in the supporting cast. An entertaining programme of short subjects will be shown. CIVIC THEATRE. “THE WHITE PARADE.” Men have but small part in the theme of “The White Parade,” which finishes at the Civic Theatre to-night, though the principal male roles are in the capable hands of John Boles and Frank Conroy. The story covers three years in the lives of a number of girls who go to a hospital for training as nurses. ,Theirs is a hard-working, strictlydisciplined life, made bearable, however, by their devotion to their work and their interest in one another. There are many types of girls in the institution, including the usual proportion of “cats.” The scheming of one of the latter gives a strange beginning to a romance. To cheer up her homesick room-mate, June Arden (Loretta Young) shows her a picture of a wealthy young man, Ronald Hall (John Boles), which she has cilt from an illustrated paper. The “cats” do not believe that June knows him, but, with the connivance of some of her friends, June scrapes acquaintance with him, and the “cats” are confounded. The acquaintance ripens, Hall, a wealthy idler, falling deeply in love with the attractive student nurse. Though he offers her unlimited wealth, he cannot .however, shake her loyalty to the hospital. Fate seems to favour him when, on the eve of graduation, June’s romm-mate tries to commit suicide with drugs from the narcotic cabinet, for which June had the key. This almost brings about June’s expulsion, but when the authorities decide in her favour, having regard to her undoubted ability, June decides in favour of nursing as against matrimony. Amongst the supporting items is an excellent musical comedy of life in a cabaret, with several catchy songs and spectacular ballet scenes. A STORY OF THE TURF. “BROADWAY BILL.” The Auckland Herald critic, speaking of “Broadway Bill,” opening to-morrow at the Civic, says: Exactly why horse racing is known as the sport of kings the world over, even in those countries which, have no kings, is revealed in “Broadway Bill.” Broadway Bill was a gallant horse who won only one race, and in that race ran himself to death and made his owner’s fortune. Had the picture been that race alone it would have been worth while, for it revived for the audience all the thrills they have ever known in any race on any course. But as well, taking the prominent parts in the picture, were Myrna Loy and Warner Baxter. It is not necessary to say much more. In Higginsville, the Higgins family dominated everything. The sons-in-law became puppets of the head of the Higgins family. The old man, his daughters and their husbands are dining. They are all eating soup. It is like a rowing crew. They all dip together. They all take their time from old man Higgins. He ruled all their lives until the owner of Broadway Bill broke away. Myrna Loy (Alice Higgins) was the young sister-in-law of Warner Baxter . (Dan Brooks). In other pictures she has played the part of the sophisticated woman of the world. In this she is young and untouched by the World. She loves Dan Brooks and* he does not know it. It was she who went with him to make his fortune. It was she who shared the hardships and the laughter and the sneers. It was she—and not his wife, who left him in the lurch—who finally found happiness through him. A noticeable feature of the picture is the use that has been

made of the photography of faces to reveal the trend of the story. When the crowd bets on Broadway Bill, the faces of many of the bettors show more than any words what they feel. Dan says jokingly that he had married , the wrong woman, referring to something that Alice had done. The fleeting expression on Alice’s face shows the tragedy she keeps from him. .The scenes that show the change that came over old man Higgins’ (Walter Connolly) views are simply fine. The scene where- Alice finally leaves to join Dan is just as great, and there again facial photography has been used to striking effect. Then the race, and what a race! The sport of kings and a gallant horse; a fighting heart and a race to the death. Here was tragedy, and the audience sensed it as more .than the death of a horse. The supports are of more than ordinary interest. MAJESTIC THEATRE. CHARLES DICKENS’S STORY. “GREAT EXPECTATIONS.” The motion picture world has scored another triumph. A novel of that brilliant English writer, Charles Dickens, has been successfully interpreted on the silver screen. In “Great Expectations,” which opens at the Majestic Theatre to-day, no small detail has been overlooked by the director, the result being that the film cannot fail to satisfy the most ardent lover of Dickens. Indeed, the picture offers the director unparalleled opportunities. Its many characters are distinct and vital; its story powerful; its settings out of the ordinary, and therefore doubly interesting. “Great Expectations” is definitely among the screen’s most wonderful achievements. The closest examination merely accentuates the brilliance of this production in all departments. The photography is notably impressive and in places startlingly effective, especially in the scenes where Magwitch appears. The film which has been produced is nothing short of marvellous in the way it reflects the real authentic spirit of Dickens’s narrative. It is an unusually long picture, taking about tv/o hours to screen, but interest is never allowed to flag for an instant throughout that time. From the moment that Pip is revealed seated among the graves of his family in the little Kentish churchyard up to the last romantic scene the progress of the story never falters. The acting is exceptionally good. One of the finest pieces of character acting seen on the screen for some time is that of Henry Hull, who takes the part of Abel Magwitch, the convict. The strange personality of a man who is at once criminal and unfortunate, coarsened, yet with a heart for gratitude passing imagination, is handled with admirable skill. From the first scenes on the desolate marshes after his escape from the prison hulks, to the death-bed scene in a London gaol, Hull convinces that here is Magwitch as Dickens meant him to be, a tragically repulsive figure, touching at all points the destiny of the young blacksmith’s son, Pip, raising him to be a “gentleman” and at the same time imperilling his happiness. Florence Reed, as Miss Havisham, is sinister yet human. The discretion which marks the production ‘of the film throughout, is in no case more noticeable than in the characterization of Miss Havisham. It was realized that any attempt to place constructions, however plausible, on Dickens’s picture of the embittered recluse, would damage the integrity of her character, and, indeed, of the whole play. So Dickens’s lines have been left to speak for themselves, or for Miss Havisham. The novelist’s minute descriptions of scenes, manner and gesture, have been followed with unusual faithfulness. The supporting programme includes two topical newsreels and an intriguing symphony in colour entitled, “Jolly Little Elves.” This afternoon’s matinee will commence at 1.50. MATAURA REGENT THEATRE. FEATURE PROGRAMME. “Glamour,” Edna Ferber’s intriguing exposition of the eternal triangle, is the main feature of the double bill programme showing at the Mataura Regent this evening. Constance Cummings and Paul Lukas play the leading roles in this drama of wandering hearts. Musical romance is supplied by Phillip Reed, who sings several numbers. The other feature on the programme is “The Show-Off,” with Spencer Tracy in the role of a likeable braggart, who talks for the love of talking, and who tells people what he would do if they would only listen to him. Madge Evans plays opposite Tracy in this rollicking romance that brings you laugh after laugh.