’QUAKE AREA SHOWN IN FILM COMING TO CRYSTAL PALACE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18805, 6 July 1929, Page 9

’QUAKE AREA SHOWN IN FILM COMING TO CRYSTAL PALACE.

One of the party of men who were the first from the outside world to pene—trate through the devastated fastnesses of the Murchison. Maruia and Mata—kitaki regions was a. cinema photographer from the Government Publicity Office. The film that he took on his perilous and adventurous journey through the stricken area will be screened at Crystal Palace Theatre next week, and is a very complete and interesting picture of the horrors worked by the earthquakes. Pictures of the Miurchison and Nelson districts, as the party slowly travelled across spaces that were once fields and roads, and pictures of the towns themselves, show, as no other report could, the havoc wrought by the visitation. This ofiicial film is an excollent record of the national _disaster. and by seeing it others can gain a fair idea of what the unfortunate Coasters went through. _ The two feature length pictures are “Show Life" and “Red Wine," the lat~ tar being recommended to adult audi—ences. Anna. May Wong is the star 0! “Show Life," a. tragic romance based on that oldest of themes. and, in the hands of. a good playwright. that best of themes, the eternal triangle. Anna May Wong. an accomplished actress of the modern school with all the passive grace of the Oriental. has the role of a Chinese waif who is befriended by a brokenodown actor, the two form a sort of troupe, and befriend each other. With the advent of prosperity, due to the girl's reforming the man. and to her abilities as a player, there enters into the story the other woman, who has scorned the man in his obscurity. Just another straight-out drama of real life. perhaps a. little more colourful and picturesque than the usual. but a. most ongrossing example of the artistic, honest, tragic romance. "Show Life" is a drama. of a. very considerable worth. and is splendidly acted. “Red Wine" is bright, modern, American comedy, based on the theme of the young husband who needs the sound of siren music one night: and of a. wife who be~ came tired oi? sitting by the family hearth alone, and who exercised her womanly wiles and wits. Conrad Nagel, June Collyer and Sharon Lynn have the leads in “Red Wine." It is a supremely amusing little skit on the strange ways of men and the wisdom of women. Mr Alfred Bunz has arranged a. special musical score for the Symphony orchestra. Box plans are at The Bristol Pianodcompany, where seats may be reserve .