“LES MISERABLES”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 337, 24 April 1928, Page 17

“LES MISERABLES”

COMING TO PRINCESS AND TIVOLI The Universal Film de France production will be shown on Thursday at the Princess and Tivoli Theatres. Many of the scenes of this French super picture were taken on the exact locations indicated by Victor Hugo in the novel. This entailed the necessity of reconstructing the main streets of the towns and villages in which the action takes place, to appear as they did a century ago. So intense was the interest of the French nation in the success of the gigantic motion picture enterprise that permission was readily granted by town authorities so that the reconstructors might do their work unhampered, even to the extent, in one case, of taking up a section of pavement and laying cobble stones. The streets of Paris could not, of course, be reconstructed, but massive sets were built that are said to be remarkable for their fidelity to the period represented. Leading actors from the French stage were engaged to portray the characters created by Hugo, Gabriel Gabrio appearing as Jean Valjean. The other principal roles are enacted by players of equal note and the extra players, all in period dress, number thousands. In the finished film, as exhibited throughout France, there were more than six thousand separate scenes. So long was the complete picture that it was exhibited in a series of five showings. Universal has reduced the picture to feature length, leaving out many, of the side excursions so dear to the heart of the French, and leaving only the highly dramatic substance of the story of Jean Valjean. According to reviewers in the several cities in which, the picture has been shown in its present length, a gripping story unfolds on the screen in an astonishing succession of “big scenes.” Herbert Brenon has completed “Laugh, Clown, Laugh,” at the MetroGold wyn-Mayer studios. The new picture is a Lon -Chaney starring vehicle, and a screen version of the famous Belasco play. Loretta Young, Nils Asther, Gwen Lee and Cissie Fitzgerald have prominent parts.