EVERYBODY’S

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 320, 3 April 1928, Page 16

EVERYBODY’S

“THE KING OF KINGS” The picturisation of the world's greatest story, that of Jesus Christ, the carpenter of Nazareth, is indeed great, and continues to attract audiences to the Everybody’s Thatre. The audience receives the presentation with reverence and in a way far removed from others. “The Ten Commandments” set a standard for Biblical pictures, but “The King of Kings” far exceeds it and sets an entirely new standard for future works. It is doubtful if ever again a picture of such appeal and interest will be screened in this generation. The making of the picture has been accomplished with reverence and with sympathy, and is a faithful portrayal of the life of Christ, from the time when Ho began His ministry. The picture has been severely criticised, mainly on account of the intrigue between Judas and Mary Magdalene, for which there is no written authority. But this criticism is purely a question of opinion and there can be very little criticism of the picture as a picture. The characters have been chosen true to the type in the original story. Deeply religious people may consider it blasphemy for a man to characterise Christ, but when one follows the central figure through the story one forgets that it is a picture and lives in the days of old. The actor gives to the screen a characterisation which would be hard to better. Judas is pictured as an ambitious man with no thought of heavenly glories, but only of things of the earth. Mary Magdalene is shown as a haughty woman in a Roman banqueting hall who is conscious of her power over men. Then she meets Jesus and before His gaze she is humbled, her sins leave her and she is clean. The disciples are all well cast and make their parts live. The scene on Calvary is perhaps the most striking in the whole picture. Christ is crucified and when His earthly suffering has finished the wrath of God pours forth upon the earth. The rocks are split in twain, the lightning flashes and the veil in the temple is rent. Before the picture a special orchestra under Mr. Howard Moody played sacred music, and the Lyric Four sang the “Pilgrim’s Song.”