ENTERTAINMENTS

Waipa Post, Volume 42, Issue 3305, 4 June 1931, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS

FINAL SCREENING TO-NIGHT. “CONDEMNED.” When Ronald Colman’s first alltalking picture, ‘ “ Bulldog Drummond,” was shown, it did not seem humanly possible to improve on this great production, and yet in his newest picture, “ Condemned! ”, which had its local premiere at the Empire Theatre last night, Ronald Colman has reached still new heights of artistry and dramatic savoir faire. Once again Colman is seen as the romantic, yet loquacious lover, among settings the like of which never have been seen on any screen before. In “ Condemned! ” he is seen as a French pickpocket who is deported to the notorious French penal colony, “ Devil’s Island.” Here are shown the tortures inflicted on the inmates, the drama of prison life, and the seething unrest ever present among the convicts. It is in these settings that Ronald Colman, as the fearless renegade, becomes infatuated with the warden’s wife, played by Miss Harding. Their resolution to escape from their grim surroundings, the trials and tribulations which they are forced to undergo when the prison officials have discovered their absence brings the picture to a climactic conclusion. In this thrilling all-talking romance which was adapted from Blair Niles’ biography of an unknown convict, Mr Colman is supported by Miss Ann Harding, of stage fame, Mr Dudley Digges, of the Theatre Guild, and Mr Louis Wolheim, of both stage and screen fame.

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. “IT’S A GREAT LIFE.” “ It’s a Great Life,” the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture starring the Duncan Sisters, which opens on Friday. at the Empire Theatre for two nights, is an all-talking, singing and dancing film directed by Sam Wood and filmed with outstanding technicolour sequences. Local moviegoers have a great thrill in store for them when they see and hear these genuinely great musical comedy stars of the London and New York stage. The new film incorporates " a number of skilfully executed dance routines handled by Sammy Lee, who has received no little distinction as a result of his work in 'several Broadway musical comedy successes. The Duncan Sisters, as usual, score with their songs. The music was composed by Dave Dreyer, responsible for “ Me and My Shadow,” “ Rainbow Round My Shoulder,” and other hits. Ballard Macdonald wrote the lyrics. “Trail of the Lonesome Pine ” started him off on one of the most careers in the field of popular music. A very capable supporting cast is headed by Lawrence Gray and includes Benny Rubin and Jed Prouty, the former being the Jewish comedian of ‘ Marianne,” and the latter the “ stuttering Uncle Bennie ” of “ The Broadway Melody.”