FROM RUSSIAN HISTORY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 153, 30 June 1934, Page 14

FROM RUSSIAN HISTORY

I FINE MAJESTIC ATTRACTION. “CATHERINE THE GREAT.” Stirring scenes from Russian history are shown in “Catherine the Great,” iffie main feature at the Majestic Theatre. This picture introduces to New Zealand audiences the Continental actress, Elizabeth Bergner. In her first picture role, as Catherine, sue has already been acclaimed by critics as the “Bernhardt of the screen.” Douglas Fairbanks, junr., nas me leading male role as Peter. It is the story of the Teuton Princess of Anhalt-Zerbst iroin the time of her arrival at the court of Elizabeth, Empress of all the Russias, to her triumphal inarch to the same Imperial throne. The story traces Catherine’s summons to the Russian court by the Empress Elizabeth; her marriage to the unbalanced Peter; his infidelities; his cruelties when he becomes Tsar, and the revolution when Catherine is made ruler ana Peter is killed. As a subject for the producer’s canvas, these stirring times in Russian history present admirable material, not only on account of their powerful story value, but also on account of the glamour that surrounded trie imperial Court at its gayest and most dissolute period. Korda has translated all this to the film in vivid and realistic manner, backed by acting as line as the screen has ever shown. Good ••shorts” complete a great programme. Excellent entertainment is provided by the Columbia picture, “Lady for a Day,” which comes next Wednesday to the Majestic Theatre. Mother-love is the central theme, and May Robson achieves her greatest success as Apple Annie, who vends her wares in the streets of New York to support a I laughter in Europe. For years she has practised the deception, in letters to .he girls, that she is a society matron. Disaster threatens when the girl writes to say that she is coming over to America with her fiance and his father, a {Spanish nobleman, who wishes to meet her people. Annie is iu despair, but she has many Xriends in the underworld, notably Dave the Dude, an aristocrat-looking gambler, who regards her as his lucky charm. He installs the old woman in a wealthy friend’s apartment, and, with the ’asistar.ee of modistes and hairdressers, turns her out as a dignified society figure. All goes well for a start, and lhe visitors arc suitably impressed, but the police became suspicious of the unusual activity among the underworld people, and when they find Dave responsible for the disappearance of three society. reporters, whom he has kidnapped to prevent the true story from leaking out, serious tioublc threatens. Dave finally explains the whole position to the Mayor and the Governor who arc quick to realise the old woman’s plight. They respond to Dave’s appeal aud the belated function becomes a brilliant success. AH ends happily for Annie, who is content to resume her old calling.

To those who have read Zola's novel dealing with the life of “Nana,” one of the most notorious courtesans In Paris in the days of the decadent second empire, it must have come rather as a shock to discover that Samuel Goldwyn had decided to make the story into a film ■which is to be screened next Saturday at tne Majestic Theatre. They must have asiced themselves, “Where are the censors?” and. “How can he possibly get away with it?” But get away with it he did, and the result of his efforts is one o£ the niQSt amazing records of a woman’s life ever presented to the screen. Of course, there are parts of the book that -were impossible for screening, but Samuel Goldwyn, with the aid of Dorothy Arzucr. Hollywood’s only successful woman director, has built his film story around the original story, rather than actually on it. However, his greatest achievement of all appears to have been his selection of that alluring Russian actress, Anna Sten, for the title role in this great picture. Anna JSten, a curious mixture of moods and fancies, has the aloofness c-f Garbo, tne personality of Dietrich, and the charm of Alary Pickford. Anna Sten’s handling of the role of the girl who rose from the gutter to be the toast or Faris is as fine a piece of acting as one could imagine. The original Nana, whose real name was Blance D’Atrgny, was thoroughly bad, had a most extraordinary hoarse voice, and was celebrated lor her particular vulgarity. “Catherine The Great.” Elizabeth Bergner, the noted European actress now appearing in “Escape Me Never” London stage success, makes her screen debut opposite Douglas Fairbanks, junr., in “ Catherine The Great,” the new Alexander Korda production for United Artists release at the Majestic Theatre. The presentation of “Catherine the Great’- marks the first screen dramatisation of the career of the little Teuton princess from the time of her arrival ?n the court, of Elizabeth to her triumphal inarch to the throne of Russia. In addition to Douglas Fairbanks, Junr., who plays Peter 11L, the cast includes Sir Gerald du Maurier and Flora Robson, English character star. Tne picture, directed by Dr. Paul Czinner, husband of Elizabeth Bergner, is another of those brilliant epics from London Films, which gave us the successful “The Pivate Life of Henry VIII.”

* * * * ••As The Earth Turns.” In “As The Earth Turns” Warner Bros, have brought to the screen the most talked of work of fiction in the United States. The novel nas shattered more records and upset more tradition in the book-publishing aud nookselling fields than any novel published for many years. Brought out in May 1933, the first published novel of a young Maise woman, Gladys Hasty Carroll, it immediately leaped into the first place. A national record compiled bv the Publishers’ Weekly of New York City, is a sensational index to the book’s popularity. The timeliness and appeal of Gladys Carroll’s first novel is most forcibly brought home when it is remembered that it outstrips in popularity the latest novels of as Sinclair Lewis, Sabaiui’, ami n ’ ’ 11 ' : 1 ’ •