AMUSEMENTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 March 1928, Page 1

AMUSEMENTS.

EVERYBODYS PICTURES. THE NIGHT OF LOVE,” TO-NIGHT Ono of the greatest forward steps in motion pictures lias been in designing sols to the action of the picture, according to George Fitzmaurice, director of ■* The Night of Love,” for .Samuel Goldwyn. which comes to the I’nncess Theatre to-night. In designing his sets for '‘The Night of Love.” George Fitzmaurice had made a large quantity of wooden blocks of every shape and description. Taking those blocks the director and Carl Oscar Horg, the art director, assembled them and built the designs of llie sets, endeavouring always to have them express the emotions which the actors were to portray. For example, when .Hiss Bankv as the Princess Marie leaves her lover and returns to the castle of her husband the duke-she ascends the castle by a long stone stairway flanked to the right and left by immense square cut pillars of stone. The whole atmosphere of the set sugosts menace and disaster, and the tiny figure of the beautiful duchess in her torn and bedraggled wedding finery is dwarfed by the loneliness and majestic grandeur of the huge bleak castle. As soon as Mr Fitzmaurice and Mr Borg had designed with tiltblocks a set which they felt would be appropriate a sketch was made of the setting with figures and action indicated. .Models were then made of every set and these models were photographed in order that the director might know with accuracy just how tho finished and dressed set would look. The grand ball room of the castle where Montagu Love, as the Duke de la Garda, holds high revelry was among the most impressive sets designed for the production. With this set Mr Fitzmaurice attempted to express barbaric - splendour, luxury and wealth. Co-ordinating with this atmospheric setting. Miss .Marion Morgan staged one of the most - beautiful dance sequences ever used for a motion pici tire and during the course of the dance placed her dancers in positions so that they would harmonize and accentuate the splendor of the architectural hackground. This Moorish Bacchanalian orgy is one of the most thrilling scenes in the production. The setting expressing ominous evil and horror were also used by Mr Fitzmaurice for the scene in the dungeon of the castle where. Miss Hanky is hold prisoner awaiting torture and death. the walls are ol rough grey stone, damp and forbidding in aspect and covered with slime. The ceilings are low and oppressive'. Spider webs fill every niche and cranny while ruty chains and implements of torture are strewn over the mouldy earthei-n floor. On Wednesday next the immortal story by Marcus Clarke “ For the Term of His Natural Life.”