GRAND THEATRE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 159, 27 February 1932, Page 6

GRAND THEATRE

TRADER HORN REALLY WONDERFUL PICTURE FINAL SCREENING TO-NIGHT. Thrills of the wildest jungles, beasts in their struggles for life, savage tribesmen in the strange, fanatical and deadly rites of the juju; crocodiles, rhino — every peril an explorer could face — these are filmed, with actual sound, in "Trader Horn," Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's gigantic pageant oi savage Africa.

The story, as adapted from the famous hook by Alfred Aloysius Horn and Ethelreda Lewis, deals with the trader, and his protege, Peru, who promises a woman missionary to find the "White Goddess" of the savage Isorgi, whom she believes to be her daughter, lost in a native raid as a baby. The dramatic highlights of the pieture include the chase of the dread juju priests of the Isorgi, the barbaric dance of blood-thirsty tribesmen to doom the white traders, Horn's promise to the missionary and her dramatic death, his sacrifice to save the life and loves of the two young people, and conflict between himself and Peru over the love of the girl, the death of Mutia, and "Horn's terrific feat of swinging through the snapping jaws of huge crocodiles in the escape sequence.

Harry Carey, in the title role of "Trader Horn," has a splendid part which he portrays with that facile naturalness which gives it its charm. Edwina Booth, as Nina, the white goddess, plays the difficult role of a savage child who becomes tamed by love. It runs the gamut of emotions and, played in the hardships of a jungle trip, is unique among characEerisations. Duncan Renaldo as Peru does splendid work, as does also Olive Golden as Mrs. Trent. A dominant figure is Mutia, the giant native who plays Renchero with all the skill of a civilised acton.