AMUSEMENTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19344, 19 November 1932, Page 7

AMUSEMENTS

“ ARROWSMITH” AT THE MAJESTIC. NOBEL PRIZE-WINNING STORY. Sinclair Lewis’s Nobel Prize novel, “Arrowsmith,” has been translated to the screen by Samuel Goldwyn, with Ronald Colman and Helen Hayes in the leading roles. The film, which opens at the Majestic to-day, is said to be one of the finest examples ever offered of what the screen can do with a great novel. Helen Hayes, the stage star, plays opposite Ronald Colman in the role of the devoted wife who risks her life for her husband's career. Richard Bennett has a major role as Sondelius, the plague-fighting Swede, and A. E. Anson, an eminent stage figure making his motion picture debut, has another rich character role. Mvrna Loy, Florence Britten. Claude King. Alec B. Francis also take important parts. The story of “Arrowsmith" is the story of one man's devotion and ambition in the battle of humanity against the death-dealing plagues which have always been the scourge of mankind. It sweeps from the mid-western countryside of America to a tropical island in the West Indies, where young Dr. Arrowsmith and his colleagues go to battle against the black death. His relations with the little nurse he marries as a struggling country doctor, continuing throughout the picture, weave a broad current of romance. , The auxiliary films promise additional good entertainment.

“ BURNT OFFERING." ROMANCE OF THE TROPICS AT THE ROYAL. “Burnt Offering,” the new Fox dramatic picture, featuring Elissa Landi in the leading role, is the attraction for the Royal to-day. The story depicts the adventures of a beautiful woman whose heart is filled with bitterness and hate. She pretends to love the man she marries until she is, for the first time in her life, drawn by real love. How' destiny works out her problem forms the basis of this romantic drama. The picture is played against a background of tropical Africa and an atmosphere of war. though no scenes of conflict form a part of the action. Paul Lukas, one of the most popular leading men of the films, portrays the principal male role, and Alexander Kirkland plays a part scarcely less important. Warner Oland. divorced temporarily at least, from Oriental characterisations, enacts a prominent role. Others in the cast include Donald Crisp. Earle Foxe. Yola D’Avril, Eva Dennison, Ivan Simpson, Bert Sprotte and Vera Morrison. The story was written by Harry Hervey and it was prepared for the screen by Bradley King and Leon Gordon. The picture was directed by Frank Lloyd, a veteran of many screen successes, including the Fox production of “East Lynne." The usual high standard supporting programme should please.

“ ALIAS THE DOCTOR.** THE REGENT'S ATTRACTIVE BILL. Some of the most sensational and dramatic incidents possible are promised in “Alias the Doctor," a grippingpicture that comes to the Regent Theatre to-day. In the picture, which features Richard Barthelmess and Marian Marsh, there is nothing stereotyped—everything is new, and the story loses nothing on that score. It is a drama with a tenseness in the situations and climax that hits hard at convention. Barthelmess, as Karl Muller, an orphan brought up on a Bavarian farm by Mother Breener (Lucille La Verne) who has a son Stephen (Norman Foster), and daughter Lotti (Marian Marsh), goes with Stephen to a university to study surgery. Karl proves the star student, but Stephen is almost a failure. Just before graduation Stephen performs an operation upon a woman, and when she is dying he tells Karl, and the latter, in order to save Stephen, says that he performed the operation. He is arrested and sent to prison. Stephen later dies, and Karl. released from prison, returns home. From here the action takes a peculiar turn, and how the problem works out to. bring happiness to all is clever and surprising. Both Barthelmess and Marian Marsh are responsible for brilliant acting. Bright short features are set down for screening.