AMUSEMENTS

Opotiki News, Volume I, Issue 8, 9 March 1938, Page 4

AMUSEMENTS

‘‘SOULS AT SEA” 1 Gary Cooper-plays tlie role of a heroic seafaring man in Paramount’s maritime saga, “Souls at Sea,” which opens Thursday at the De Luxe Theatre. Georgc Raft is co-starred with him. Their personal love dramas with Frances Dee and Olympe Bradua- respectively, are set. against ouo of the most powerful sea tragedies of history. The story of “Souls at Sea”, is the story of the slave trade and sailing ships in the 1840’s. It is based on the week of the famous packet “AVilliam Brown”, and the subsequent trial of its captain for manslaughter on the high seas. \ Gary Cooper plays “Nuggin” Taylor, sea captain of the ’4o’s, who assumed command! of the brig “William, Brown” when that ship caught fire in mid-Atlantic shortly after her master died. The “AA’illiam Brown” was equipped with only ,‘twoi life boats and. Taylor realised that he could never bring the entire ship’s company to safety in the frail craft. He ordered a trial to determine who , should !>e permitted to go aboard the lifeboats and who should be ordered—at pistol point-—to remain aboard and go to the bottom with the ill-fated vessel. He included himself among the survivors not because he wanted to save his life, he later told an admiralty court, but because lie knew lie was the only man who could bring the life-boats 'safely through to land. There followed a trial which is now epic among sea trials. Taylor was accused of manslaughter not only by most of the survivors, but what hurt most, by his sweetheart, played by beautiful Frances Dee. This powerful Paramount picture lists in its cast Henry Wilcoxon, Harry Carey, Robert Cummings, Porter Hall and a roster of supporting players culled from Hollywood’s most noted feature players.