AMUSEMENTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20096, 1 May 1935, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS

“THE LOST PATROL” STIRRING DRAMA AT REGENT The harrowing experiences of a small company of men is told in “The Lost Patrol,” which is to be screened at the Regent to-day. Trapped in a desert oasis of Mesopotamia by ruthless Arabs, a small cavalry unit faces certain death as the Arab circles close in, and one by one the soldiers find a last resting place beneath a little mound of sand from which a sabre protrudes. How they live and how they die forms the basis for the tense, stirring drama with a plot evershifting like the sand dunes of the desert immensity. They fight among themselves. They use every resource taken from their respective backgrounds of hardship to down the cunning Arab. RKO-Radio assembled a mighty cast of stars, many of whom have known the very adventure, the hardship and heroism written into the screen play, which is based on the novel “Patrol,” by Philip MacDonald. Victor McLaglen is the never-say-die sergeant who takes command early in the picture when the officer of the unit is killed and headquarters orders are unknown to any of the men. Suffering from heat, thirst and hunger they happily reach the oasis, only to meet a fate more terrible than wandering on the burning sands. Boris Karloff, Wallace Ford and Reginald Denny are featured along with McLaglen, with the remainder of the cast including J. M. Kerrigan, Billy Bevan, Alan Hale, Brandon Hurst, Douglas Walton, Sammy Stein, Howard Wilson and Paul Hanson.

“DR. MONICA” AT MAJESTIC THE DIONNE QUINTUPLETS In addition to a fine dramatic offering, “Doctor Monica,” Majestic patrons will to-day be afforded an opportunity of witnessing a supporting film depicting a day in the lives of the Dionne Quintuplets in their specially guarded home. The tremendous story of “Doctor Monica” is made even more notable by a cast that includes, besides Miss Kay Francis, Warren Williams, Jean Muir and Verree Teasdale, all stars in their own right; as well as Phillip Reed, Emma Dunn, Herbert Bunston, Ann Shoemaker, Virginia Hammond. Hale Hamilton and Virginia Pine. “Doctor Monica” is based on a famous Polish play, and tells the story of a woman physician whose husband’s love has been stolen by a friend. She does everything possible to assist the friend. How the girl repaid her debt of gratitude is the thrilling climax of a story replete with thrills, including a steeplechase in which a girl is hurled from her horse, and an airplane crash at sea. Only as notable a cast as the one provided by Warner Bros, could have properly presented so powerful a love drama, and wherever the picture has appeared it has been acclaimed by both public and critics as the outstanding dramatic screen presentation of the year.