AMUSEMENTS

Opotiki News, Volume I, Issue 10, 14 March 1938, Page 1

AMUSEMENTS

“PRINCE AND THE PAUPER" Modern writers who bring down the wrath of governments on their Heads by a too pointed reference to actual history might learn a lesson from the example of Mark twain, famous humorist and man of letters. In ids foreword to '‘The Prince and the Pauper,” which, ■ incidentally, will he repeated at the start ut tne Warner Bros/s picture- showing to-night. Twain' cleverly side-stepped possible criticism in this manner: — "This is not a history, but a tale oi i nee upon a time, -o it may have happened, it may not have happened, hut it could have happened. " H«s story deal:; with ah incident at the close of the reign, of Henry \ ILL, of’ England and the accession of his ha?r, Pri nee Edward Tudor, to the Throne. Twain pictured the court of the dying ruler as beset with intrigue among ambitious men eager to rule as Regent during the young Prince’s minority. Edward Tudor he saw as a lonely little hoy who eagerly adopted Tom Canty, son of a pauper, as a playmate when chance threw them together. It would have boon a harmless prank had not the hoys, for. a lark, exchanged clothes; and then the Prince,- hunting for his dog, was mistaken hv the Captain of the Guard for the beggar boy, and thrown out of the Palace grounds. This mishap set into action an exciting chain of circumstances that- almost resulted in the real beggar bey being crowned King of England, and might have actually done so. had it not been lor the strong right arm of Miles Hendon, swashbuckling soldier of fortune, who restored the Prince t oliis rightful place. Warner .Bros, is lortunate in having the 12-year-old Maucli twins, Billy and .Bobby, in the title roles. Billy portrays the pauper, while, his brother has the role of the Prince. Errol Flynn, who has shared to stardom in less than a year by his work in “Captain Blood” and “The Charge of the L’iglit- Brigade,” has the part of Miles Hendon.