STATE THEATRE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 120, 7 June 1937, Page 10

STATE THEATRE

"MICHAEIi STROGOFF" TO-NIGHT. o An adventure picture ofi'ering a wealth of excitement, a tender romance, some of the most spectacular scenes ever photographed and entertainment which should iind favour with father, mother, sister and brother shows at the State Theatre to-night in "Michael Strogoff," with Anton Walbrook. As millions who have read tho fainous story will recall — and here, for once, is a film version of a book that faithfully follows the original plot — "Michael StrogofE" coneerns itseif with the perilous journey of its hero across ^iberia and through hostiie Tartar patrols to reach a besieged Eussian army at Irkutsk with the Czar's orders for the campaign. A beautiful womau spy is on his trail; a Eussian giil befriends him; lie i-s trapped, battles river pirates, is captured and tortured by the Tartais, but with Lho aid of the loyal girl, attains his mission and a thrilling revouge over tlic Tartar ieader. . Besides its remarkablo pageantry of drama and action, this noteworthy version of Jules Yerne'a story introduces a new candidate for picture laurels in tho magnetie person of Anton Walbrook. The international stage and screen favourite offered a performance which skyrockets him into the ranks of Hollywood's top-notch screen celebrities. Carefully woven into tiie plot and extraordinary enough to jusfcify paeans of praise on their own account are tho tremendous panoramie scenes of tho Eussian army pitted a'gainst the barbarie Tartar hordes in two differcnt battle episodes. These scenes far surpass anything of the kind ever filmed, and they alone would mahe the pictuTO well worth seeing for their slioer, breath taking offeet