THE THEATRES

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 234, 2 October 1931, Page 3

THE THEATRES

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

“ Dishonoured ” will be screened at the Theatre Royal for the last time tonight. One of the most outstanding- films ever seen as a silent or a talking picture comes to the Theatre Royal to-mor-row. This is “ Abraham Lincoln,” about' which a great deal has been heard. Following is a review written by an overseas critic who deals with the principal features in the production:— “ It is impossible to point the finger of admiration at any one particular scene of ‘Abraham Lincoln,’ without slighting the whole. Griffith has managed perhaps the most difficult directorial job ever undertaken with a touch of genius that harks back to the time of his ‘ Birth of a Nation.’ He has taken the full life of a man —from birth to death—and assembled his moments of broad humour, romance, suspense, drama and tragedy into a documentary film that must touch the heartstrings of the most ascetic man and woman. The picture opens simply with -a symbolic passage showing the evils of the traffic in negroes, and then takes up the Lincoln saga at the birth. This scene is reproduced with remarkable fidelity and feeling. Lincoln is next seen during the time of his clerkship in a country store, and from there on moves rapidly in his courtship of Ann Rutledge until she dies, to his jilting of Mary Todd and their subsequent marriage,_ with its many amusing domestic bickerings. The Lincoln of the story books appears after his election as President. From there on Lincoln is seen as a changed man; the lines of worry crease his rugged face and set it in a sublime misery of conflicting emotions. Lincoln’s struggle to preserve the Union against the intrigues of State and war is graphically told in a series of dramatic incidents. The death of Lincoln by the hands of an assassin must rank as one of the greatest scenes of a tragic nature ever filmed. Here Griffith toys with suspense and makes the spectator a living part of that real audience which heard John Booth's cruel shot at Ford’s Theatre. The end is lyrical poetry transferred to the screen, and thanks for this must undoubtedly go to the eminent poet, Stephen Vincent Benet, who wrote the dialogue and many of the romantic and symbolic scenes. “ The remarkable performance by Walter Huston, as Lincoln, is easily one of the best things done on the talking screen.” MUSICAL COMEDY AGAIN. The ever-popular and delightful musical comedy, ‘A Country Girl.” will begin its season to-morrow with a matinee. which is timed for 2.15 p.m. The evening performances begin at 7.55 p.m. and will continue nightly until Saturday week. St James Theatre will be a scene of gaiety for eight nights, as this joyful and carefree comedy lends itself admirably as a gloom chaser and the delightful musical numbers are so infectious that toes will be kept tickling. and lips a-humming to the lilting refrains. The play is famous for its unusual collection of main characters, all of whom have been specially selected and have gone through an exacting course of training during the last two months. Those who have been privileged to witness rehearsals are loud in their praises of the general excellence of the whole cast, and the magnificent chorus of seventy picked voices. The dressing, scenery and lighting will be special features of the production* Everything augurs well for a successful season and indications are many that the present venture will be the best of the society’s efCarts. The presence of Mr Stan Lawson will be welcome and the theatreloving public may safely look forward V>. a really" first-class entertainment. Miss Ins Edmonds and Mr Desmond Day will be the specialty dancers in the production. The box plans are at The Bristol, and day sales may be secured at The Bristol and also at the “ Silver Box,” next St James.

CIMARRON ” FOR PLAZA.

“The Chance of a Night-time” will have its final screening at the Plaza Theatre to-night. “ Cimarron,” which opens at the Plaza Theatre to-morrow has a title which needs explaining. The word means wild or unruly, and the principal character in the picture. Yancey Cravat (Richard Dix) is exactly described by this expression. “ Cimarron ” is decidedly an epic film spectacle. Like the Edna Ferber novel on which it is based and which it followed very closely, it deals with the struggle for land in early Oklahoma, with its accompanying outlawry and unleashed, rampant passions. The director of the picture explains the success of “ Cimarron,” however, by pointing out that the plot is powerful enough to balance the massiveness of the spectacle. “ I have seen film spectacles with very slight plots, and that in my opinion is fatal,” Director Ruggles says. ” The slight plot often is delicate, beautiful and effective, and it has its place, but only In the picture cf simple, quiet backgrounds. To be effective, the picture as massive as ‘ Cimarron,’ with its thousands of players. many periods of time and sweeping historical significance, must be balanced by a plot great enough not to be overshadowed by its background. Such a plot has ‘ Cimarron.’ As great as the picture Is from the standpoint of massiveness, I think it is more than balanced by at least one character it creates —Yancey Cravat.” Richard Dix plays Yancey and Irene Dunne, the distinguished stage actress, appears as his wife,' Sabra. Many other favourites of the screen appear in the big cast. A REMARKABLE TALKIE. “ Seed ” is probably the most discussed picture that has come to Christchurch for a very long time. Heading the programme at the Regent Theatre, it is a film whose coming has been anticipated with the greatest interest by all picture-goers. A mannequin parade and fashion display are interesting features of the programme. JOAN CRAWFORD S FILM. Versatile Joan Crawford has one ofthe most colourful roles of her career in “ Dance. Fools. Dance.” which is being screened at the Crystal Palace. The supporting programme is an excellent one. DOUBLE FEATURE BILL. What happens to a beautiful young girl who falls into the company of a gang of silk-hatted crooks is revealed in “ Hush Money,” a drama which heads a double-feature programme at the Liberty Theatre this week. The second picture is “ Sons of the Saddle.” “ OLD ENGLISH.” With his magnificent work in ” Disraeli,” George Arliss gained a secure place in the fancy of the Christchurch theatre-going public, and a further picture. “ Old English,” in which that fine character actor plays the title role, is being screened at Everybody’s Theatre. . UPROARIOUS COMEDY. Uproarious comedy situations develop in “ Stepping Out,” the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production which is being screened at the Majestic Theatre this week. A Hearst Metrotone News and other shorts complete the nr o err am me.