“BLACK COFFEE.”

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 521, 2 August 1932, Page 3

“BLACK COFFEE.”

Detective Story at the Liberty. Some plays lose much in the transition from stage to screen, for the wider range of scene provided by the camera is often counterbalanced by the fact that the dialogue of the play is written entirely to fit within the bounds of the boards. “ Black Coffee,” however, which is being screened" at the Liberty Theatre, represents an entirely successful transference of Agatha Christie’s successful stage play to the screen. The reason for its success is the crispness of the dialogue, which transcends the lack of scenic variety. Austin Trevor makes a complete success of Poirot, employing the foreign accent judiciously Richard Cooper is stupidity personified as Captain Hastings. The remainder of a competent English cast have voices which throw into high relief American nasalities. The second picture on the programme, “ Honeymoon Lane,” by its very simplicity throughout, successfully tones down the slight lapses into vulgarity which might have spoilt it. The story is simple. A gambler renounces his profession and helps an old lady to make a success of her hotel, famous for its cherry pie. The ostensible love story which gives the picture its title is forced rather in the background, and the hero and heroine, Eddie Dowling and June Collver, are overshadowed by the glorious comedy provided by Raymond Hatton and George Kotsonaros as the bodyguards of another gambler who finds his way to old lady Mary Carr’s hotel.