PLAZA THEATRE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 90, 18 April 1938, Page 9

PLAZA THEATRE

“KING SOLOMON'S MINES." ( , Rider Haggard's thrilling story . "King Solomon's Mines” is brought to the screen in highly convincing man- ; ner in the Gaumont British production of the same name which will continue , its Wanganui season at the Plaza Theatre to-day. The outstanding > player is Paul Robeson, and his performance is notable both for his , singing and his acting. His numbers , include “The Waggon Song” and “Climbing Up.” He sings the latter , twice, once with a remarkable echo ef--1 feet that is particularly suited to the impressive mountain setting of the sequence. As the intrepid hunter , Allan Quartermain, Sir Cedric IlardI wicke gives a masterly portrayal, i The popular English serten comedian Roland Yourtg is particularly effective as Commander Good, and his quaint remarks provide welcome comedy re- . lief in the highly dramatic sequences of the film. A romantic interest is i provided by Anna Lee and John Loder, i The party set out across the desert in . search of the girl's father. The latter has gone in search of King Solomon’s mines, and the expedition, after facing ’ the tortures of thirst and sandstorms in the desert, ultimately reaches the ' mines. Here they are taken prisoner ! by a trib of hostile natives. It is only the timely arrival of an eclipse ot the sun that saves the white people from a ' horrible death. There follows a battle • between two factions of the tribe, one led by Robeson and the other by the brutal chief. Robeson’s army is victorious and the party are at last at liberty to enter the historic mines. Here they find the girl’s father and after escaping the attentions of the local witch doctor and a volcanic eruption they escape with a small fortune