CINEMA PROGRAMMES

Taranaki Daily News, 3 June 1935, Page 6

CINEMA PROGRAMMES

“IRON DUKE” SPECTACLE. FINE PICTURE AT THE STATE. Wellington, Napoleon, Blucher and Ney—these giants in a purple patch in European history are made to live again in “The Iron Duke,” a magnificent pictie that drew a packed audience to the State Theatre, New Plymouth on Saturday night. Of course, George Arliss as the Duke of Wellington domin- ; ates the play, but thd story embraces a wide field and brings into the limelight many of the characters who played a prominent part in the vital events in the period surrounding the battle of Waterloo. Into those hundred days between the escape of Napoleon from Elba and his defeat at Waterloo are packed some of the most dramatic events in the history of Europe, and the producers of this fine 'picture have taken full advantage of an unusual opportunity to present a thrilling epic, with particular emphasis on the decisive battle of Waterloo. Arliss shows his versatility by becoming a great soldier yet with remarkable human qualities. His steadfastness when the alarm of Napoleon’s escape spread through Europe, his cunning planning of the site of the battle, the anxious waiting while the fortunes of battle swayed for the delayed arrival of Blucher’s forces, the “Up guards and at ’em!” the final victory—and then the intensely human grief at the loss of fine comrades; all these are played by Arliss with consummate artistry. Follow the diplomatic struggle between Wellington and Madame, daughter of Marie Antoinette, the scandal engineered by Madame to secure the return of Wellington to England while she had -Marshal Ney tried and shot, and then the uprising of the people and Wellington’s demand upon Louis XVIH. for his signature to the renunciation of the throne. The story is set in magnificent scenes and is indeed a memorable one. Preceding lron Duke” is a fine programme of short subjects, notable among which fs a synopsis of the reign of King George, throwing upon the screen motion pictures taken during the enactment of the most important events of the reign. The enthusiasm of Saturday’s audiences indicates full houses for the remainder of the season. “JEW SUSS” OUTSTANDING FILM. EVERYBODY’S THEATRE SUCCESS. To suffer with, his long persecuted people, the Jews, in a German State of the early 18th century, to. make his one aim the striving for power with which to help his people, to win such power as to make him the most hated man in the duchy and bring about his downfall and his death as a Jew when a declaration of the recently discovered fact that he was of Christian birth would have saved his life—such was the destiny that the following of his star brought for Josef Suss Oppenheimer, the central figure in the screen adaptation of the extremely successful novel “Jew Suss,” ; which opened a three-night season at Everybody’s Theatre on Saturday. It is remarkable that a great tragedy should have been translated to the screen with such outstanding success. It is a tragedy of the most delicate lights and shades, both of human character and of the pattern of events, and it shows the very best the screen can do. The whole burden of the play rests 6n Conrad Veidt, perhaps the greatest actor in Europe to-day, who has the part'of Jew Suss. The story is first and foremost that of the Jew, and the value of the play lies in its clear and deliberative presentation of an amazingly complex human motive in the one character. It was not easy for the film to do in a few feet what the novelist took many pages for, but Lothar Mendes, a young director, has recreated the period, and the spiritual heritage and environment of the Jew, with distinct success. Lavish settings were required for both street scenes and brilliant ducal court, and Gaumont-Bri-tish has obtained the services of many famous actors, including Sir Gerald du Maurier and Sir Cedric Hardwicke. The supports comprise newsreels of interest, a cinemagazine and an all-technicolour •novelty. . . \ COURAGE AND COMEDY. “MRS. WIGGS” AT OPERA HOUSE. The story of the pluck and kindliness of the immortal “Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch” is delightfully interpreted in the picture which commenced a New Plymouth season at the Opera House on Saturday. Miss Pauline Lord’s presentation of the principal character, “Mrs. is admirable. In her unselfishness, her loyalty to a ne’er-do-well husband, her determination to make the best of things even in the moments of greatest pleasure and deepest tragedy, Miss Lord’s interpretation is true to life and her reticence makes her characterisation the more attractive. Miss Zasu Pitts as “Miss Hazy,” the old maid in search of a husband, looks as well as acts the part inimitably, and W. C. Fields gives just the touch of caricature to the personality of “Chesterton Stubbins” that makes the audience appreciate the fun. All the minor parts, including the Wiggs children, are. handled extremely well and the picture is sure to make a wide appeal, to those who like to see courage and determination succeed, even if it is only in obtaining a husband like Mr. Stubbins, or a horse like “Cuba.’ The supports to the main picture are excellent. They include a Betty Boop cartoon which gives a colourful presentation of the always popular story of Cinderella, a clever musical revue, and-some of the exhilarating sport and travel scenes for which Paramount reels are noted. THE REGENT. MATINEE AT 2 P.M. TO-DAY. “Society Doctor,” a romantic drama centring around life in a great hospital and similar to such successes as “Men in White” and “The White Parade,” commenced at the Regent on Saturday before huge audiences. The whole of the action extends over only eight hours, yet into this short time is packed a powerful drama depicting the rivalry of two doctors, played by Chester Morris and Robert Taylor, for the love of a nurse (Virginia Bruce). It is replete with very fast action, the highest point of drama being reached when one doctor is Shot. Other doctors refuse to operate and he is .forced to direct his own operation, with his rival using the knife. A splendid supporting cast gives excellent assistance to the principals, Billie Burke, who wa's last seen in “Forsaking All Others,” being outstanding in the part of a neurotic patient. Once again the Regent programme includes an excellent variety of 1 subsidiary Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films. “Toyland Broadcast” is an imaginative musical cartoon in technicolour, in which noted American radio artists are caricatured with great skill. “Music in Ybur Hair” combines music and comedy and Laurel and Hardy are right up to their best standard in “Them Thar Hills.” A matinee will be held to-day at 2 p.m. PLAZA; STRATFORD. “LITTLE WOMEN” TO-DAY. Louisa M. Aleott’s “Little Women,” to be shown to-day at the Plaza Theatre, comes to the motion picture screen in an elaborate production designed to animate this classic of wholesome romance

with all its native thrill, and power. The version is said to adequately encompass all the adventures of “Little Women” that brought the book recognition as a classic. The film story opens when the four girl heroines are entering womanhood and have just begun to take themselves seriously. It tells the strange story of Beth, her beautiful life and more beautiful death. It carries the complete moulding of Jo from ; the advanced miss of her time who hated marriage through her romance with Laurie and later with Professor Bhaer, whom she marries in the end. Also showing on the same programme and an exclusive Central Taranaki addition is that of “The Dionne Quintuplets.” Everyone will want to see Dr. Dafoe, the country physician, thrown into, prominence by his brilliant handling of such a difficult case; will want to see his hospital, nurses, special instruments, etc., with which these five girls are kept living. The Dionne Quintuplets represent the most published event in recent years. And well it might be. It has happened but once in 500 years, and that, the only phenomenon of its kind out of 57,000,000 births. Truly this is rare entertainment.

KING’S, STRATFORD. SHIRLEY TEMPLE IN BIG ROLE. J “Cheating Cheaters” and “Ace of Aces,” a special doube-feature programme at f the King’s Theatre, will be finally screened to-night. With Adople Menjou, Dorothy Dell, Charles Bickford and little Shirley Temple playing , the principal roles, B. P. Schulberg’s Paramount film, “Little Miss Marker,” comes to the King’s Theatre to-morrow. The story deals with a .new type of screen character—the Broadway bookmaker, who does not make books, . but who bets on horse races, and who never goes to races. Early in the film a little girl, blonde, curly-headed and.five years of age is left with a grouchy, selfish bookmaker''as security for a race bet. The bookmakers begin playing nursemaid to the tiny tot, and, before long, she has learned their rough ways and is talking their crude language. An unusual and very dramatic finale is reached when they attempt to win back her innocent faith! Interwoven with this plot is’a romance between the bookmaker and the sweetheart of the town’s worst "citizen,” ’ ■ /