“HENRY VIII.” AT PLAZA

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20232, 16 February 1934, Page 3

“HENRY VIII.” AT PLAZA

Great British Film to Run Third Week. The great British film, “ The Private Life cf Henry VIII.”, will enter the third week of its successful season at the Plaza Theatre to-morrow. It is a complete triumph for the cameraman. Chari: s Laughton, an actor whose characterisations for the screen are among the best yet witnessed, is the star. As the King, he roisters through all his scenes with schoolboy gusto, and he refuses to allow each small piece of history to become serious or insignificant. The whole tone of the picture is set by the opening scene where a woman spectator at the execution of Anne Boleyn requests the woman in front of her to remove her hat, as it obstructs her view! From that point on the jokes come fast and furious. The production has so many good points that one could go on describing them indefinitely. The photography is perfect, and some of the settings are truly magnificent. Historically, everything, so far as scenery, customs and dr:sses are concerned, has been carried out with great attention to detail. Even the sport of falconry is introduced. To endeavour to describe the acting and general characterisation of Charles Laughton in the role of the spoiled. violent-temp: red monarch, would be to “ gild the lily Suffice to say that he actually seems to live the part. To the audience he is not Charles Laughton; he is King Henry VIII. One can say no more. Outstanding “ shorts ” complete the entertainment.