THRILLING DRAMA.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 932, 30 November 1933, Page 3

THRILLING DRAMA.

Smuggling and Romance in “ I Cover the Waterfront.” James Dunn ant? Gloria Stuart are the principal piayers in the liospiial drama, “The Girl in 419,” which will conclude its season at the Theatre Royal to-morrow night. It has always been the proud boast of American newspaper men that they know how and when to capture a good story. “ I Cover the Waterfront,” which will head the new programme at the Theatre Royal on Saturday, shows how this is done, and, besides giving an insight into the workings of a large city daily, provides one of the best film stories yet produced. The plot revolves nustly around three personalities—a smuggler of Chinese into California, his attractive daughter and the waterfront reporter—and they combine with others to make a thrilling and memorable picture. Miller (Ben Lyon), a reporter whose assignment is to cover harbour activities, has for long been suspicious that Eli Kirk (Ernest Torrence) is smuggling aliens into the United States. The difficulty lies, however, in obtaining definite proof that this is a fact. Resourceful as most American reporters are alleged to be, Miller takes the opportunity of a romance with Kirk’s daughter, Julie (Claudette Colbert) to secure some of the wished-for information. This is forthcoming, and in the ensuing revelation of Kirk's methods the smuggler is shot by the coastguards. Miller has by now upset relations with Julie, who realises that he has betrayed her father. In the following scenes the tale is deftly brought to a fitting climax. Throughout the picture tense episodes follow one another with rapidity, and* scenes showing a giant shark attacking a man, the dim-lit waterfront and the never-ceasing movement of harbour life, are brought together in a really fine T he Photography is indeed excellent, some of the " shots ” being indicative of the -high standard reached by the American studios. Plenty of light humour is provided in the "exchanges between Miller and his chief of staff. Ben Lyon is well cast as the enterprising newspaperman, and Claudette Colbert makes a charming heroine, but Ernest Torrence, as her father, Eli Kirk, fisherman, smuggler and murderer many times over, gives such a displav of powerful acting that the picture—the last before his <?eath—may justly be called his.

In addition, the Theatre Royal will present on the stage a fashion parade exhibiting the latest styles in bathing suits and beach pyjamas for the summer season. The sunporting programme will include a Mickey Mouse cartoon and a Laurel and Hardy comedy entitled Any Old Port.”