DRAMATIC STORY OF FRENCH COURT NOW AT EVERYBODY’S.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18358, 10 January 1928, Page 5

DRAMATIC STORY OF FRENCH COURT NOW AT EVERYBODY’S.

In European history there are many examples of women, who, as the favourites of amorous kings, have ruled the destiny of nations. French history is particularly well supplied with women of this sort, and one of the best known is Madame Pompadour, the favourite of Louis XV, who, though one of the most wicked and most sinister persons to be met with in the storied past of France, is at the same time one of the most fascinating. It has been said that history is mainly a record of the evil doings of kings and their statesmen and favourites. This certainly seems to be true of the period in French history, 1721 to 1764, when

Marquise de Pompadour flourished. It was a gay and glittering period for the French Court, in which luxury and wickedness ran riot. The story of this period has been brought to the screen in a picture entitled. “ Madame Pompadour,” which was shown for the first time in Christchurch at Everybody’s Theatre last night. With Marquise de Pompadour as the central character the story unfolded is entirely interesting. She was a child of the people, the daughter of very humble parents, but, when her beauty attracted the eye of the monarch of France, she was raised to a position which enabled her to sway the destiny of the nation, to send armies and navies to destruction, to elevate statesmen and churchmen or hurl them from their high positions, and to rule the magnificent French court so thoroughly that her slightest wish was law. Thus from her humble origin Marquise de Pompadour rose to be in fact, if not in theory, the first lady of the land, also the best hated. The picture does not pretend to deal with the entire life of Madame Pompadour. That would be impossible in a film of ordinary length. It deals mainly with one incident in her career, her love for the poor poet, Rene Laval. No one, it is said, is wholly bad, and probably this love story of Pompadour reveals her better self, and shows how she might have been had she not fallen under the baneful spell of the court before she met Laval. The story is very well produced on the screen. A considerable amount of humour is introduced, and also much pathos. There are many intrigues, plots and counterplots. Brilliant court scenes are shown, and then the spectator is transported to the squalid surroundings of the tavern where Pompadour first meets her poet lover. In order to meet him she is forced to pit her wits against those of the court official, who has been entrusted by the jealous king with the task of watching his favourite while he is away on a journey. She outwits him all along the line, and in the end she is forced to outwit the king himself and save the life of her lover. It is a mighty drama throbbing with interest all the way through. The ending is not conventional, but, when historical facts are being dealt with, it is not always possible to finish a story in the manner common to most novels.

As for the acting it is of the highest class. Dorothy Gish plays the part of Madame Pompadour and she shows a fine appreciation of this complex character, bringing into bold relief the struggle of the woman between her desire for power as the mistress of the king and her true love for the poet Laval. Dorothy Gish will be remembered for her portrayal of Nell Gwynn in the picture of that name. Her acting in “ Madame Pompadour ” is even better than it was in “ Nell Gwynn.” Antonio Moreno, as the poet Rene Laval, is also excellent, his acting in the emotional scenes being impressive and at the same time restrained. The role of Louis XV is played by Henri Bose, who carries himself throughout in a manner that denotes kingliness, but at the. same time with a strong suggestion of the weaknesses that marred the character of the monarch. The picture is superbly produced, and one feels that those responsible have faithfully depicted on the screen the spirit and atmosphere of those far off times. The supporting programme includes an amusing comedy drama entitled

“ Syncopating Sue ” in which a love story is used to introdiice a great deal of fun. A gazette picture also is shown. The orchestra under the baton of Mr Albert Bidgood plays an enjoyable programme, the numbers being well suited to the pietttres shown. The following pieces are included:—Overture, “Celebrated Prelude” (Rachmaninoff), “Military Symphony” (Ilaydn), “In An Old World Garden” (Ketelbey), selections from “ Monsieur Beaucaire ” (Messager), “Duchess of Dantzic ” (Caryll), “Madame Pompadour” (Fall); strings, “Pastel Minuet Vif ” (Paradis). “ Farewell to Cucullain,” arranged by Kreisler; “Gavotte Louis XIII.” " Two Salon Pieces” (Ireland), entr'acte, “Minuet” (Paderewski).