HAWERA OPERA HOUSE.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 July 1929, Page 8

HAWERA OPERA HOUSE.

“THE GARDEN OF ALLAH.” Once again Rex Ingram has demonstrated his ability to combine intense drama with exquisite pictorial beauty. Ingram has already given picturegoers vivid screen translations of three famous novels, “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,” “Scaramouche” and Marc Nostrum,” and last night at the Hawera Opera House his latest directorial a screen version of Robert Hichens’ The Garden of Allah,” was presented to a large and enthusiastic audience. The new Metro-Goldwyn-'Mayer picture was photographed on the actual locales ui Northern Algeria as described in Hichens’ novel and moves with a subtle dignity amid the spell of the unfathomable East. Glowing sunsets, withering sandstorms, voluptuous Arabian dancers and quaint glimpses of desert life are all combined to form a vivid background for the story of a man’s soul torn between the call of love and the equally insistent voice of his holy vowSj Alice Terry plays the leading feminine role, and never before has she been more beautiful and appealing than as the woman who despite the great love she bears her husband, sends him back to the monastery from whence he came. Ivan Petrovich, in the leading role, contributes a forceful and brilliant characterisation, and the supporting cast of European and native players is worthy ofaspecial mention. The box plan is at Miss Blake’s sweet shop.