ENTERTAINMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, 27 October 1932, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

THE REGENT THEATRE. “DANGEROUS YEARS.” Simple, vivid emotions —the everyday coin of human relationships—surge up at times unforgettably in Fox’s notable film, “Dangerous Years,” which commenced a three-night reason at The Regent, New Plymouth, last night. The picture has a moral, but it has been left wisely for people to infer. The film is a vital, arresting document, without being labelled as such. Its story is of the misunderstood “worst boy in the town,” a lad of 13 whose escapades are misinterpreted and strength of character unappreciated. He is met first in the Juvenile Court, where he appears not as a pattern to imitate but as an example to deter. By the time th© film ends he shows everybody how wrong they have been. The part of this boy is played by Tommy Candon, an extraordinarily capable young actor whose distinguished work never suggests the precocious. In a performer of Tommy Candon’s age this is a remarkable achievement, no matter how astutely the director, Frank Borzage, did his work. Tommy Candon, as Arthur Simpson, is a figure who wins the attention and sympathy of the audience to an astounding degree. The story of his experiences shows two things that most picture-goers have probably forgotten. Simple things, after all, are best, and sex appeal can, if necessary, be left out of the general film recipe. The immense success of ‘‘Dangerous Years” gives the lie to anyone who thinks otherwise. The human heart and mind may be among the deepest things in existence, but the heart and mind of a 13 -year-old like Arthur Simpson must be considerably deeper still. Arthur has a friend of about his own age, Nutty, whose part is played by Raymond Borzage. Lew Borzage was behind the scenes as an assistant director, so the Borzage family was well represented. Arthur and Nutty do some gripping work together, and they appear alone in the best and most powerful “shot” in the picture—when Nutty is dying and the tormented Arthur is sitting with him. It is an aching scene. Supporting short features are of splendid standard and include Fox News, “Babes in the Wood” (interest), Fox News, “Fisherman’s Fortune” (travelogue) and Australian Fox News (including the Karasick-Walker wrestling bout held in the Town Hall, Auckland).

EVERYBODY’S.

THRILLING JUNGLE DRAMA. All of the breath-taking adventures contained in the famous Edgar Rice Burroughs story have been brought faithfully to the screen by Metro-Gold-wyn-Mayer in their thrilling jungle picture, “Tarzan, the Ape Man,” which opened at Everybody’s Theatre last night. Johnny Weissmuller, world’s champion swimmer, is almost an exact personification of Tarzan and is shown swinging through the trees and in hazardous encounters with jungle beasts. Swimming sequences in the production are a very interesting demonstration of the technique that has enabled the aquatic star to win and hold most of the world’s records for speed in water. The plot of the Burroughs story is more or less familiar' te the millions of readers who have followed the adventures of the famous fictional character. The English Lord who has been raised by apes as one of their kind meets a young English girl on ah ivory-seeking safari with her father. After amazing adventures together in the. jungle, a love springs up between them and Tarzan risks his life to save the safari members from horrible death at the hands of a savage pygmy tribe. One of the most notable thrills of the production is the elephant charge in which an entire native village is destroyed and an area of several acres trampled down. The animal scenes are some oi the most unusual that have been shown on the screen and will not fail to quicken the pulse. The entire family will find plenty of entertainment in this latest jungle adventure picture directed by W. S- Van Dyke of “Trader Horn” fame. The strong supporting east with Weissmuller includes such well-known players as Neil Hamilton, Maureen O’Sullivan, C. Aubrey Smith, Doris Lloyd, Forrester Harvey and Ivory Williams, all of whom do well with unusual roles. “Tarzan the Ape Man” screens again this af tern on and to-night and at • both sessions to-mor-row. NEW PLYMOUTH OPERA HOUSE. “SYMPHONY OF SIX MILLION.” A simple story of a child’s all-absorb-ing ambition, his rise to fame, his transference from the Ghetto, or slum quarters of New York, to the wealth and power of Park Avenue, his failure in the high ideal set himself, and his glorious eventual redemption of that ideal. Just such a story is “Symphony of Six Millions,” the drama which has been enjoying big audiences where it has already screened in New Zealand and is sure to attract large attendances during its New Plymouth season today and to-morrow at the Opera House. “Symphony of Six Millions” tells the life story of the great numbers of people who forever dwell in the poorer sections of the city. It breaths a human message to the whole community—it is the type of film that once seen is not easily forgotten. Some splendid acting rewards the directors for the fine .arrangement of the scenes in order to provide the setting for histrionic triumphs. Gregory Ratoff, as the father of the brilliant young doctor around whose strange life the plot revolves, displays true artistry in his character role, while his mother (Anna Appel) is hardly lees convincing. Ricardo Cortez, as the central figure, himself portrays a definite personality, giving the impression that he is in reality living his experiences. Irene Dunne is beautiful and ..p pea ling as the heroine. One other member of the cast deserves notice for a fine portrayal. That is Nat (or Noel) Madison, the celebrated son of Maurice Moscovitch, who is so well known to Australian and New Zealand stage followers. He is well cast here as Magnus Klauber, brother of the hero.