FINE SEA PICTURE

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 660, 13 January 1933, Page 3

FINE SEA PICTURE

“Teas of the Storm Country* at Regent.

Such a flow of superlatives and ultrasuperlatives has been lavished by motion picture magazines on more or less mediocre films that it is difficult to find adequate words to express appreciation of such a splendid offering as “ Tess of the Storm Country,” with Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell, which will begin its second week at the Regent Theatre to-morrow. The story, the settings, the acting, the humour and the pathos are all admirable. Volatile and appealing, Janet Gaynor has never been seen to better advantage than as Tess. The part demands the portrayal of a laughing, innocent tomboy, who becomes a courageous and lovely woman. The star fills the role to perfection, being always natural and giving an unusual air of reality to the story. Charles Farrell does not have as much to do as in former pictures with Janet Gaynor, but his breezy good humour and handsome face are eminently suited to his part. The story opens on a sailing vessel with the chantyman leading the hands in hauling on a rope to the tune of “ Blow the Man Down.” The captain of the ship hap his daughter on board with him, but events prove that she is too old for life with a crew of rough men, and father and daughter build a cottage on the Maine Coast. The cottage is burnt down by order of an evil-tempered millionaire, and a feud begins, which is complicated when the skipper’s daughter, Tess, rescues the millionaire’s son from drowning. A fatal shooting affray follows, and the old skipper is found guilty of murder. The millionaire’s son wins Tess’s reluctant love by cutting adrift from his protesting father and finding the true facts of the murder, which secure the skipper’s release. A further tragic miaunderstandng is to occur before the lovers are restored to each other’s arms, but the climax is satisfyingly novel and the final scenes are most effective. An exceptionally good programme of “ shorts ” precedes the main picture.