REGENT THEATRE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 178, 30 July 1932, Page 11

REGENT THEATRE

“BROKEN LULLABY” TO-DAY. Telling a tale that reaches down to fundamentals, showing yet a simple story of life in moving form, and having an appeal that is not to be denied, "The Broken Lullaby” opens to-day at the Regent Theatre. Seldom does a pic* ture come round with all the essentials of the current feature, seldom is a story of the heart and enmity between nations told with such consummate beauty and truth. Said to have the simplicity of a parable, the directness of a lightning bolt, "The Broken Lullaby” tells of the post-war events in the life of a former soldier in the war-time army. The principal roles are played by Lionel Barrymore, Nancy Carroll, and Phillips Holmes. Holmes ig seen as the soldier of France—sensitive, roman-tic-minded, who, in the performance of his duty, kills a young German soldier during his big enemy drive. As soon as the deed is committed, he begins to suffer a profound remorse. From a letter on the person of his victim he learns the name of the dead soldier ’s German sweetheart, Nancy Carroll, and the name of the town in which she lives with the dead man’s father, Lionel Barrymore, a stolid German nationalist who harbours a great hatred for all Frenchmen. After this brief war-scene prologue the picture is occupied with the events in the Jives of these three after peace has been declared. Holmes driven by a sense of remorse and contrition, goes to Nancy’s home town, to confess to her and the father that he was the man who killed the youth she loved. She intercepts this errand when she meets him at the grave of the deceased lover, and persuades him to say nothing about the war to the stern father. Barrymore meets Holmes, likes him, and soon forgets his old animosity for tho French. Holmes falls in love with Nancy, and they plan to get married. But the sensitive youth feels that it will be dishonourable to wed Nancy until he has told Barrymore the truth about his war-time deed. The remainder of the picture is concerned with the dramatic events which take place before the lovers smooth out their problems.