THE MIRACLE MAN

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 442, 28 January 1933, Page 7

THE MIRACLE MAN

A WONDERFUL FILM MAKING MOTION PICTURE HISTORY. ORIENTAL FLAVOUR. 'The wonder picture of the year — of many a year — opens on Monday at the Majestic Theatre. It begins in San Franciseo's Chinatown, where Oriental cunning and white man's greed join in a welter of wiekedness, and thievery, lust 'and violence are in the fetid air. It ends in a sunny country village, -with two lovers ann in arm and a peaceful smile on an old man's face. In between — how much happens- Happens not only to the players- on the screen, but to you, when you see "The Miracle Man." Sylvia Sidney, whom you last saw in "Street Scene" or in "Ladies of the Big House," and who first won universal praise for her perfect performanee in "An Ameriean Tragedy," is now seen in a wholly different role. In "The IVIiracle Man" this accomplished and appealing actress is not merely the victim of other people's wrongdoing, she is herself a clever crook. But if you find it hard to believe that one so lovely could be so dishonest, you'll be right in the end; for when in the course of tbe story she leaves the underworld behind this girl "goes straight" as naturally as a fiower turns to the light. Not so easy to refonn is her hardhoiled lover, played by Chester Morris. For reasons of his own, Morris transplants himself and his crook

friends to the quiet seaside haven where "The Miracle Man" heals the siek. It's ohvious that those who come to be healed liave money in their pockets, and if "The Miracle Man" is too dumb to collect, why shouldn't a wiser person dig into his gold mine ? Morris has tried a lot of games, but the religious racket promises to he the best yet, and he goes into it in a big vTay. Everything looks rosy, for the scheme includes advertisement of the village healer through a "miracle" specially staged. Back in Chinatown "The Frog," an expert contortionist, makes his living hegging and stealing from tourists. Lying helpless on the footpath, "The Frog" fools the passing crowds into believing him a hopeless cripple — but in the liideaway of his friends he can snap out of it in a second. What a wonderful recovery this will make — for ^he pretiended paralytic to crawl to the healer's feet, then stand erect! 'The hitch comes when least expected; through "The Miracle Man" himself, who is neither a quack nor a fool, and through a crippled child who provides a surprise climax. Thanks to this unexpected event — which it would not be fair to reveal in advance — there is weakening within the cohorts of crime; hrst "The Frog" (John Wray), and then the pickpocket (Ned Sparks), desert Mr. Morris in his enterprise. Even the village Atheist (Irving Pichel) is, in the end, eonvinced that the healer"s powers are genuine. As the father of the crippled child (Robert Coogan), Mr. Pichel gives a nottable characterisation as in "An Ameriean Tragedy," in which he played the very different role of prosecuting attorney. As his son, Robert Coogan — yes, Jackie Coogan's little brother — is every bit as appealing as he has been'in "Sooky." Indeed, so good are all the players in Paramount's all-star production that it is difficult to single out any one for special praise. Together, under the expert direction of Norman McLeod, they give new meaning and power to a story that is perhaps th'e greatest ever brought to the screen.