NATIONAL AND LYRIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 29, 27 April 1927, Page 14

NATIONAL AND LYRIC

“THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER” To-morrow at the Xational *and Lyric will be shown for the first time "The Unknown Soldier.” A first-rate job has been done with the war theme. So powerful, in fact, that in some of the situations no one is able to suppress their emotions. The situation showing the hero, a soldier fighting in the trenches in France after he has learned that his marriage to the girl he loves had been performed by a fake chaplain, his offering to undertake the dangerous mission, his purpose being to go to the heroine and to have their marriage bound by an acknowledged chaplain, is sympathy arousing. Later, the one showing the heroine after her return home, leaving her father rather than give up her child, is deeply moving; but one that will bring tears to the eyes most is that which later unfolds in the purpose in order to give her child her husband’s name legally, she went to a priest and begged him to perform a ceremony, that she knows her husband is present because he had said to her on the morning they parted in France, that no matter what would happen God would let him come back to her. She made the priest feel that the hero was in some way present. The ceremony at Arlington, where the coffin of the Unknown Soldier is seen being carried is very impressive. These scenes are the real ones. They were photographed during the actual ceremony. The acting of the players is artistic. It makes one feel as if witnessing a real life occurrence. The direction by Renaud Hoffman is masterful, the photography is excellent, the front line scenes being especially good. c