MAJESTIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 664, 16 May 1929, Page 15

MAJESTIC

NEW PROGRAMME TOMORROW This evening will see the final screening of the final double-feature programme now at the Majestic Theatre. This includes “Q Ships,” revealing the inside story of the warfare between submarines and mystery vessels, also “True Heaven,” a romantic wartime story starring Hois Moran and George O’Brien. How a good director can puzzle theatregoers was shown in Hollywood recently when a test was made of the -puzzle power” of “Trent’s Last Case” at a preview of the picture. The film, in the same form as it will be shown at the Majestic Theatre I from to-morrow, and was exhibited in one of the smaller picture houses on Hollywood Boulevard to a cosmopolitan group of spectators, and in the middle of the last reel, just before the mystery was revealed, the pictui'e was stopped by order of Howard Hawks, who directed the production. As the lights went up slips of paper were handed to each member of the group with a request that they write down the name of the killer, and their reasons for believing that their guess was correct. Out of the 542 spectators only seven picked out the real “murderer” out of ' the six possible “suspects.” “Trent’s Last Case” is claimed to be one of the finest mystery films* ever made. The all-star cast is impressive. Raymond Hcitton and Raymond Griffith, both stars in their own right, emerged from retirement to portray two of the mdst thrilling roles that have ever been the lot of either. Marceline Lay, Lawrence Gray, Lonald Crisp and Nicholas Souss-anin are other personalities who have important parts. Closely following the novel bv E. C. Bentley, the plot, baffling to the end, still remains one of the most ingenious on record. Howard* Hawks, who directed “Trent’s Last Case,” has added to his laurels by maintaining an even and fast-moving story throughout the photoplay, and carefully blending comedy with gripping suspense.