STATE THEATRE

Southland Times, Issue 23183, 26 April 1937, Page 12

STATE THEATRE

“EAST MEETS WEST” POLISHED MELODRAMA First-class melodrama, with brilliantly pointed dialogue and more than competently acted, “East Meets West, which began a season at the State Theatre on Saturday, should prove highly popular with Invercargill audiences. The chief role is filled by George Arliss, who is a magnificent figure as a wily sultan who plays the diplomats from the East and West against one another to serve his own ends and, when his consummately clever plan threatens to be upset at the critical moment by a revolution, proves more than equal to the emergency and scores heavily on all sides. The leading feminine part is taken by Lucie Mannheim, one of the most famous German actresses at present. There is plenty of action in the film and a generous measure of romance. The story tells of the keen rivalry between Eastern and Western powers for the friendship of a comparatively small, but very conveniently situated Eastern kingdom the ruler of which, in dire need of a large sum of money, determines to replenish his exchequer at the expense of the rivals. His deep plot is almost upset when his son falls in love with the wife of one of the English officials, Carter, a drunkard, who is also guilty of rum-running to the natives. Carter is captured and the sultan threatens to hang him, being sure that his threat will put an end to the temporizing of the diplomats and bring at least one to a favourable decision. He has reckoned, however, without the strength of his son’s infatuation for the white woman. The young prince listens to the wily Eastern ambassador who plans • to force the sultan to hang Carter for, if he refuses, the people will rebel and place the prince on the throne, and if he consents he will antagonize the English and leave the East triumphant. It is a delicate dilemma in which the sultan finds himself placed, but, dramatically, he wins the sympathy of his people and finds an ingenious solution to all his difficulties. The supporting programme is one of outstanding merit.