MAJESTIC

Southland Times, Issue 24421, 29 April 1941, Page 8

MAJESTIC

“Phantom Sea Raiders,” M.G.M.’s new Nick Carter detective adventure, is the greatest of all thrillers. It would not be fair to give the story away, but Walter Pidgeon and Florence Rice, the stars, have a wonderful time getting to the bottom of a baffling mystery in this absorbing picture. “Phantom Sea Raiders” opens a three-day season at the Majestic Theatre today. Pidgeon plays the part of Nick Carter, famous fictional Scotland Yard detective, the role he created in the first of the series. Florence Rice, with the help of dashing John Carroll, carries off the romantic honours. There is Donald Meek, too. as Mr Bartholomew, the Bee Man and Nick Carter’s self-appointed, eccentric sleuthing assistant, who delighted audiences with his hilarious antics in “Nick Carter, Master Detective.” Joseph Schildkraut, the screen’s ace villain, runs true to form again. Nat Pendelton is there as a tough night-club employee, and ex-champion of the Pacific Tuna Fleet, while Steffi Duna comes straight from her triumph in “Waterloo Bridge” to add a lively touch to every scene. The story all takes place in Panama, where every other person either is a spy or looks like one. Four ships are sunk at sea with all hands before Nick Carter can put a stop to this mass murder. For sheer excitement, see Nick Carter save a doomed ship at sea and find out who the phantom raiders are. The associate feature, “Lady of the Tropics,” co-stars Hedy Lamarr and Robert Taylor, today’s most talked-of screen personalities, in an exciting ad-venture-romance full of oriental intrigue.