“THE GOOD EARTH’’

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 244, 14 October 1937, Page 3

“THE GOOD EARTH’’

VIVID STORY OF CHINA DRAMA AT MAJESTIC Four years in the making, Metro-Goklwyn-Maycr’s film version of Pearl S. Buck’s novel, ‘‘'l he Good Earth,” is said to be - one of the most distinguished mo- | lion pictures to reach the screen. ■ It will come to the Majestic I Theatre on Saturday. Not only is it an artistic achieve- [ ment but it is said to be one of the ! most stirring, most vibrating, and 1 gripping stories ever to be umulued I on the screen in the history of pic-ture-making. No little of this is due to the portrayals of its two stars, Paul Muni and Luise Rainer, in the respective roles of the poor Chinese farmer Wang, and his obedient, self-effacing slave-girl wife, O-Lan. Here are two portrayals of brilliance and acting intensity. In support of the stars is a cast headed by Walter Connolly, Tilly Losch, Charley Grapewin, Jessie Ralph, and hundreds of Chinese playlers. The excellent work of the cast, together with the artistic direction of Sidney Franklin, fuse the whole of the narrative together, giving it clarity and depth. The story of "The Good Earth” is familiar to the thousands of readers of Pearl Buck’s best-seller. Its screen treatment is based on the novel and on the stage adaptation. The story describes the rise of the Chinese peasant, Wang, following his marriage to the slave-girl O-Lan, who works beside him in the fields. Famine sweeps the country and they are ruined, but through O-Lan’s efforts their fortunes are restored. “The Good Earth” is a picture of pictures. The tragedy of the Chinese peoples is laid bare in a series of interludes which shift from the barren lands of the poor peasants to the palaces of the aristocracy. Direction, camera work, the spectacular backgrounds are outstanding triumphs, but above all will be remembered the portrayals of Paul Muni and Luise Rainer as the central figures of the narrative.