MONEY-MAD WALL STREET

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 732, 3 August 1929, Page 15

MONEY-MAD WALL STREET

PLAZA’S TENSE DRAMA BANCROFT’S GREAT TALKIE ROLE Of all the talkies which have so far been presented in Auckland, there has been none which, for outstanding dramatic power, surpasses that shown at the Plaza Theatre to a crowded house last evening—“The Wolf of Wall Street.” This picture is not primarily a romantic tale, and it has no spectacular or historical scenes other than a few of the New York Stock Exchange. It depends on the power of the plot and on the ability of George Bancroft, the chief player—and Bancroft more than satisfies. If this picture had been his sole effort, it would have established him as a great actor. It comes as a crowning piece to a long list of stage and screen successes. Bancroft can well be said to be in a class of his own. For the role of a ruthless gambler, fierce, relentless, there is no other actor on the lists today which could have been chosen. The bars of Wall Street, “the most fascinating street in the world,” are thrown down in this picture. Here we see the inner workings, the operation, the stock broker at his best —or worst. Paramount, ever alert to capture on celluloid that 'vS'hich interests the man on the street today, has produced one of the finest pictures of the current cinematic season. With two-fisted virility, Bancroft portrays the “Wolf” of Wall Street. He is the unscrupulous, self-made, ruthless stock broker who deliberately loses a fortune to keep his faithless wife and her lover from getting it. Intriguing to say the least. Bancroft’s work in this picture further stamps the accomplished actor as the leader in gripping dramatic characterisations. The list of supporting players includes well-known names from the “silent screen.” There is, for example, Olga Baclanova, that charming young Russian actress. Her English is spoken with a delightful foreign accent, but that is in keeping with her role, that of “the wolf's” Russian wife. Her singing though, is really wonderful. Then there is Paul Lukas, an actor with a polished English accent and manner, in the role of the other man, and little Nancy Carroll In the role of a very love lorn servant girl. The supporting players do really support—they are uniformly good. Among the short talkie features which make up the remainder of the programme there are a number of interesting and most enjoyable novelties. Two or three of them received warm (and quite richly deserved) applause, which is always a novelty at a picture theatre The audience appluded heartily the singing of two Italian grand opera stars, also an exceedingly humourous one-act play, in which appeared that fine light comedian Edward Everett Horton, together with Lois Wilson. More laugh's greeted a new sound novelty—a talking cartoon, “Old Black Joe.” Other items were a set of songs by the Brox Sisters, and jazz music by Reb Spikes and his negro jazz band.