CIVIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 994, 10 June 1930, Page 15

CIVIC

LAST DAYS OF “SPLINTERS” The merit of “Splinters,” which is still at the Civic Theatre, lies in its having: captured the heart of the singing- soldier. The humour and sentiment and drama contained in the picture are proof positive and joyous that, in reality as well as by repute, oid : soldiers never die, and that the insinuation about their fading away is a libel. ? “Splinters” is grand stuff, but not enough. One cannot remember any other picture' so happily leaving one "with an appetite for more. There is sheer joy in every foot of its length. One of the chief joys is Sydney Howard, who, by the most brilliant character comedy, achieved an enormous intellectual vacuum. To arrive at such a x’esult intentionally is a feat rarely encountered in the film world. Although rich in comedy, a very great part of the virtue of this picture is the singing of the men in chorus. That is rousing and inspiring, and will prove unforgettable to many. Other special features are the views of the Britain-Wanganui match and of Amy Johnson's arrival in Australia. Popularity of Charles Farrell, featured with Janet Gaynor in “High Society Blues,” Fox Movietone musical romance, was attested in his recent personal appearance tour through the East and Middle West. At every stop, Farrell was greeted by bands and thousands of movie fans. In New York and Boston, Farrell was constantly mobbed by admirers and autograph hunters. In New York he had to seed for his father to come and act as a sort of bodyguard. In “High Society Blues,” coming to the Civic Theatre as the next change. Miss Gaynor is the daughter of a wealthy and socially prominent family, Farrell’s family also has great wealth, but it is recently acquired and the efforts of the youngsters to surmount the tremendous social chasm between their families makes this production unusually entertaining. The stars have five song numbers in the production, especially written for them by Joseph McCarthy and James F. Hanley. David Butler directed. Others in the cast include William Collier, sen.. Joyce Compton, Hedda | Hopper. Louise Fazenda, Lueien LittleI field. Brandon Hurst and Gregory i Gave.