“SONG OF SONGS”

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20234, 19 February 1934, Page 3

“SONG OF SONGS”

Marlene Dietrich’s Greatest Role. Beautiful Marlene Dietrich, one of the most distinguished actresses of the screen, scores a notable triumph in “ The Song of Songs,” a moving and magnificently-produced story of a great love, which was presented before capacity audiences at the Regent Theatre on Saturday. The film story is based on the famous literary classic by Hermann Sudermann. Marlene Dietrich has the role of Lilly Czepaneck, a Hungarian peasant girl who goes to Germany on the death of her father and becomes deeply attached to a sculptor, who makes a statue of her. The exotic German star gives one of her most brilliant characterisations to date. She is seen first as the timid country girl who places her love on almost a holy plane and then gradually undergoes a change in her character until finally all her high ideals are destroyed and she appears as a woman of the cabarets. It is an extremely difficult part, but Marlene Dietrich rises to heights of supreme artistry in her interpretation of* varying moods. Playing opposite her is Brian Aherne. a talented English actor, who makes his first appearance in an American production. He is cast as the ambitious young sculptor, who goes into raptures when he discovers the little peasant girl in the bookshop of her aunt. Later, when the girl falls of-fact attitude and coolly steps aside in love with him, he adopts a matterwhen Baron von Mersback expresses a desire to win the girl for himself. The desertion of the sculptor, who was the man of her dreams, is a terrible blow to the girl, and she accepts the baron’s offer of marriage with a heavy heart. This union ends in disaster. Lionel Attwill, in the role of the baron, gives a polished performance, and Alison Skipworth is particularly successful as the drunken old aunt whose peccadilloes add a touch of humour to the story. Hardie Albright and Rita la Roy also appear in important roles. Marlene Dietrich sings two songs, one in German. The excellent supporting programme includes the latest newsreels, a Paramount Pictorial, an amusing cartoon, and a film presenting a number of capable radio stars.