NEW REGENT

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 235, 23 December 1927, Page 15

NEW REGENT

“THE ROUGH RIDERS” For the new holiday programme commencing to-day, The Regent have received a special big production, “The Rough Riders,” being something quite different to the ordinary type of picture. “The Rough Riders” is not a Western drama, but a true and intensely gripping story of Theodore Roosevelt’s famous regiment of amateur soldiers, who did .such valiant work in the American-Spanish War. Human and rollicking in places, grimly affecting in others, blending finely all the essences of love, struggle,

. bravery, humour, | pathos and death. I “The Rough Riders,” I a Paramount picture, I will bo shown at the S New Regent Theatre § to-night. I “The Rough Riders” I can truly bo said to 1 set a standard. It is I ono of the few films I which deservo the 8 adjective great, and which add immeas-

urably to the progress of the motion picture. To attempt to follow the drama in a brief review is useless. It is too swift, too breath-taking, too replete with moments of subtlety and too flooding in its emotional character.

One can say that Paramount has made a story in which a love theme with Mary Astor, Charles Farrell and Charles Emmett Mack winds like a glowing thread throughout the drama; and that the difficult sequences of the blowing up of The Maine, the gathering of the Rough Riders, their fierce courage in the hail of Spanish lead, and the dominant figure of Theodore Roosevelt, alive every moment, contribute to art and express history.

The sterling performances of Noah Beery as Sheriff Hell’s Bells, George Bancroft as Happy Joe, Frank I-lopper as Roosevelt, Fred Kohler as the topsergeant, knd Col. Fred Lindsay as Leonard Wood, are worthy of mention. Mary Astor is ideal as the sweet oldfashioned girl of yesterday, whose heart trembles in the balance of a love sought by Charles Farrell and Charles Emmett Mack. Farrell and Alack distinguish themselves by their superb acting. In addition, another very funny “Let George Do It” comedy will be screened, and an interesting Regent Review, a budget including some excellent shots of Byrd's hapless flight across the Atlantic, a Nature study of life of birds, and some beautiful colour film of the Gorge of Raccimadaur. Eddie Horton will play “The Holy City” as well as a novelty song film, “Auld Lang Syne,” while Maurice Guttridge and the Regent orchestra, with organ accompaniment, will play Rubenstein’s “Reve Angeliquo.” Wallace and Gennett, appearing for the second week, are presenting entirely new dances, introducing soft shoe and eccentric dances.

William Boyd has just completed “Dress Parade,” and has started on his next vehicle, as yet unnamed.