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New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1498, 9 January 1919, Page 27

Sixty-five O. ,Henry stories have reached the movie screen. * • * • In the new drama, “The Bird of Paradise,” by Richard Tully, to be staged in Auckland shortly, playgoers are transported to Honolulu, and the local atmosphere is convincingly presented by the realistic scenery, the quaint Hawaiian music, the native dancing, and the certain aspects of island life which Louis Becke, among other writers, has made familiar. Miss Muriel Starr takes the role of the Princess Luana. The exquisite tropical scenery, the gorgeousness of the volcanic eruption, the pathetic love-story of Luana —the bewitching child of nature —the Hawaiian atmosphere contributed by the dusky belles in the hula hula dances, and the haunting melody of the ukuleles, all go, it is said, to make up a novel drama. In contrast to the fascination of the too simple life, there is the story of the redemption of “Ten Thousand Dollar Dean” by the educated, refined white girl, who leads him to the light.