ENTERTAINMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, 9 July 1930, Page 12

ENTERTAINMENTS

THE REGENT. “ROMANCE OF RIO GRANDE’’ If sound and dialogue is the answer to the excellence of such pictures as “Romance of the Rio Grande,” an alltalking Fox movietone with music, patrons will cast a unanimous vote for talking entertainment. “Romance of the Rio Grande” ie a story of the west in pioneer times revolving around the opposing forces seeking to conquer the, plains, and especially one particular vast estate below the Rio Grande border. It is an adaptation of Katherine Gerould’s stirring novel of the Spanish conquistadors, titled “Conquistador,” and in its conversion to the talking screen, Alfred Santell, the director, has done a masterful job in retaining the poignant beauty of locale and pulsating romance which predominates the story. Clever casting is mainly responsible for this grand product which Fox has turned out. Warner Baxter, a striking personality in romantic roles, and Mary Duncan, raven-haired beauty who has been 1 scoring repeatedly in stellar performances, enact the two principal roles. Baxter’s performance stamps' him as the ace delineator of romantic caballeros, his work even surpassing his brilliant characterisation in “In Old Arizona.” The supporting featlwettes will include Fox Movietone News and “The Salesman,” the funniest two-reel talking comedy yet made. It is . alone worth the price of admission.

EVERYBODY’S TALKIES. •SPECIAL MATINEE TO-DAY, 2 P.M. “The Hollywood Revue,” M.G.M.’s big special, commences a special season of three matinees and three nighte at Everybody’s ■ Theatre, New Plymouth, to-day, commencing at 2 p.m. and 7.45 p.in. The picture is about as joyous an evening’s entertainment as one could wish to have. There are many people who, since ,the advent of the talkies, have declared that the (f shorts,” if they are good ones, are the best part of the programme. Those folk —and their numbers cannot be disregarded —must 'be pleased with “The Hollywood Revue,” for it is in that respect that the picture shines. It is, in reality, an ordered series of shorts, with expert stage management to make them swing along, judicious selection to make them varied, and wonderful production to present Shein in’ the best possible light. It would be a difficult task to enumerate every feature. They come in such lavish profusion and the impression of one is apt to be swept away in the brilliance of the next. The best Scene of all is, fittingly, the concluding one, where, in coloured film, the Albertina Rasch Ballet give a wonderful dance in a wonderful setting. The “tableau of jewels,” a beautifully posed piece, which includes an excellent dance by a very ornamented lady, makes a great commencement for the second act. Then there is a striking dance in which three men and a girl participate, comedy numbers in profusion which make the sides ache with laughter, and some musical numbers that are up to the very highest standard. The staging is, perhaps, the most impressive thing about the production. It is artistic all the time. Then there is the marvellous ballet dancing. Among the personalities heard and seen are: Gus Edwards, June Purcell, Joan Crawford, Charles King, Conrad Nagel, Anita Page, William Haines, Bessie Love, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Marie Dressier, Marion Davies, James Burrows, Buster Keaton, John Gilbert, Norma Shearer, and Lionel Barrymore, surely the greatest collection coaxed on to the screen at the same time. There is an excellent news film before the big pictur.