STRAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 245, 6 January 1928, Page 15

STRAND

“BEN-HUR” To-day, “Ben-Hur” will run into its fourth week at the Strand Theatre. At this advanced date in the season, when, if regular picture goers have not actually seen the picture, they at least are fully educated up to its standards, either through the medium of the newspaper, or from their friends, little more can be done, than to reiterate what has gone before. Every angle has been dealt with, every player has received attention, every outstanding scene has been explained. The story of "Ben-Hur” is a skilful combination of the corporeal and the spiritual, and provided that combination is exploited with effect, the result must necessarily be a masterpiece. There can be no doubt about it, “Ben-Hur” is a great achievement for the screen, and it is surprising that the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer organisation or any company for that matter, should have chosen so difficult a play to translate in such terms. It says much for natural tenacity and courage. It is produced with a bold disregard for

cost, it is historically faithful, and, quite the most remarkable aspect of the picture is its all-embracing sense of reverence and the good taste in the handling of the more obvious scenes. The famous chariot race and the naval battle are the outstanding scenes in the film, although those that linger longest in the memory are the tableaux from the world’s greatest art galleries. Dresden, Liverpool, the , Louvre, and Burlington House have been painstakingly noted, with the result that Da Vinci, Rubens, Tissot and Munkacsy are seen on the screen in all their colour and splendour. In the title role is seen Ramon Navarro, excelling in the difficult role of Ben-Hur; Betty Bronson is the Madonna, May McAvoy is Esther, while Claire McDowell, Winter Hall and Nigel De Brulier play other prominent parts. Mr. Birrell O’Malley sings "Star of Bethlehem” in the prologue to "BenHur.” The Strand Symphony Orchestra has been special! augmented and gives brilliant assistance to the production.

The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production of “The Merry Widow” has been produced on a magnificent scale, with a notable cast including Mae Murray in the title role, the versatile John Gilbert as tfce dashing prince and. supported by Roy D’Arcy, George Fawcett and Tally Marshall. This picture which has received the highest praise from the critics in England and America, will have its New Zealand premiere at the De Luxe Theatre, Wellington, shortly.