MAJESTIC THEATRE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 277, 18 July 1932, Page 5

MAJESTIC THEATRE

TO-NIGHT New vehicle oflrers Chester Morris a powerful role dealing with modern pirates upon the high seas — a sensational cast. Emerging after three spectacular years as a star in his own right, Chester Morris comes in "Corsair/% the Roland West adaptation of the Walton Groen novel of society piracy upon the high seas. Thus the scion of one of America's most prominent stage families reaehes heights commensurated with those attained by his parents in another generation. As befits a star, Chester is surrounded by four leading women in "Corsair," which is a United Artists pieture. One of the four is unrecognisable by name, but fans will know her 'instantly when they see her upon the screen, for the first leading women — Alison Loyd — has been known for years as Thelma Todd. Miss Todd has changed her personality in this pieture from that of a light eommedienne to that of a dramatic actress, and her screen name was changed to fit the metamorphosis. The other three leading women are Mayo Methot, Gay Seabrook and Addie McPhail, all former stage aetresses. Besides the ahove-mentioned young women it includes William Austin, Fred Kohler, Frank McHugh, Emmett Corrigan, and Ned ' Sparks. As co-directors, producer West had Rollo Lloyd and Robert Ross. Most of the pieture was shot uppn chartered ships twenty miles* off Catalina, in California, and the fleet

was so large that West was forced to direct their operations by use of radio telephone. ; He was in touch at all times with all of the ships, with his base at Catalina Island, jwith the Hollywood studios- and with the coastal authorities at San Pedrq. The story of "Corsair" conqerns a university student who starts his business career in Wall Street, only to encounter the ruthlessness of a certain' financier. In order to circumvent the powerful multi-million-aire he tnrns to piracy upon the; liigh seas, and thus not only to bring .him to his knees, but to win his arrogant daughter. The shorts include a Slirn Sommerville comedy and "Strange as it Seems," etc.