TALKIES AT THE ROXY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 739, 12 August 1929, Page 15

TALKIES AT THE ROXY

“THE DONOVAN AFFAIR” SATURDAY’S FINE PROGRAMME A great talking picture! “The Donovan Affair,” the Columbia 100 per cent, talking picture which opened at the Roxy Theatre to a crowded house on Saturday evening, is by far one of the most thrilling things that has been done in talking pictures so far. Never before have voices come over with such naturalness. The dialogue is snappy and clever. “The Donovan Affair” will be remembered by many as the great Owen Davis stage success. It concerns the mysterious murder of Jack Donovan at a dinner table, and the later murder of another guest in the same manner and by the same means—a carving knife. Suspicion is cleverly directed at every member of the cast. False clues suddenly appear, and are as quickly discarded. The action of the play is confusing until the conclusion, which comes as a complete but logical surprise. For sheer entertainment, a lot of thrills, laughter, and any amount of excitement, “The Donovan Affair” leaves nothing to be desired. It is a picture with a real story, developed logically and with adequate suspense. Tho entire cast —and there are many admirable roles—ls admirable. The cast includes such well known stars as Jack Holt. Dorothy Revier, William Collier, jun., Agnes Ayres, John Roche, Virginia Brown Faire. Ethel Wales, and Hank Mann. Their acting is superb, and their voices are well pitched and intelligible at all times. The recording has been done exceedingly well, and the reproduction is perfect. Jack Holt, in tho role of Inspector Killian, gives the most outstanding performance of his career. The production, balancing good comedy with exciting drama, is on a par with the best, and supplies one of the most satisfactory means of spending a couple of hours that could be devised. The Roxy’s first talking programme also includes a number of excellent short talkie features, of which the most outstanding is a British one of the famous Derby race. The real Derby atmosphere has been caught, including a gipsy baby crying in the encampment, a Cockney’s solo on his mouth-organ, the bookmakers shouting the odds, and the roar ' They’re off.” Then the galloping of the horses and the crowd’s amazed silence when the outsider, Trigo, won, are linked in clever photography. Others items are “The Snappy Coeds,” a musical show starring Nan Blackstone, a Pathe Sound News, and screen snapshots in which the voices of famous stars are heard.