STRAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 405, 13 July 1928, Page 14

STRAND

“ANNA KARENINA” To-day, at the Strand Theatre, the theatre which shows only the world s greatest pictures, another colossal production, “Anna Karenina,” will have its Auckland premiere screening. Only such artists as John Gilbert and Greta Garbo could bring Tolstoi’s beautiful drama so vividly to life, as it is told in this production—told against a glittering, gorgeous background. It is a more romantic Gilbert even than appeared in “The Merry Widow” who gives the remarkable portrayal of Count Vronsky, the Russian lover, in the vivid new photo-drama, and Miss Garbo, as the tragic Anna, has a role that one might well imagine written specially for her. The story is a tense human interest tale —the story of a great love that sacrifices all, and that is dogged by sinister fate and dramatic tragedy. This story is set in gorgeous surroundings; the pomp and circumstance oi the Russian aristocracy before the revolution, when Russia’s court was the gayest in the whole world. A brilliant Russian dance spectacle, the famous Coppelia Ballet, with Mile. Valeska and her Follies, will precede the picture. Coppelia is a beautiful, life-like doll, the masterpiece of Dr. Coppelius, an eccentric dollmuker in a Hungarian village. Coppelius places the doll in a window of his workshop overlooking the village square, where it appears so life-like that the villagers think it is actually a living girl. Franz, a village youth, falls in love with the figure. Mr. George Tarr, the wellknown artist, takes the part of Hr. Coppelius, Mr. Len Wilson that of Franz, and Mile. Valeska that of Swanilda. A beautiful musical programme has been specially arranged by Eve Bentley for her Strand Symphony Orchestra. This brilliant combination includes among the musical gems to be rendered “Canzonetta” (Tschaikowsky), “Swansong” from “Lohengrin” (Wagner), “Three Songs” (Brahms), “Russian Scenes” (Friml), and “Sehummerlied” (Schumann), specially featuring as their overture “Marche Slav” (Tscliaikowsky). An amusing Our Gang comedy, “Rainy Days” and “Thrilled in Many Lands.” concludes the programme.