“UNCLE TOM’S CABIN”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 482, 11 October 1928, Page 15

“UNCLE TOM’S CABIN”

A SCREEN CLASSIC Despite the bad weather, full houses greeted the first New Zealand showing of the latest version of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” last evening. It was shown in three theatres simultaneously, the Plaza, Tivoli and Everybody’s. One of the most novel, and attractive atmospheric prologues ever seen in Auckland preceded the showing of the film' This was Mr. Charles Marrs’s stage presentation, “Plantation Days,” by a large minstrel troupe of darkie singers, banjo players, dancers and chorus. The singing of real old-time darkie songs, such as “Masas’s in the Cold. Cold Ground,” provided just the right atmosphere for the screening of the great American negro classic. Mr. Marrs gave a fine rendition of Poor Old Joe” and “My Old Kentucky Home, ’ assisted by a subdued chorus. “Topsy” sang a boisterous item, “Ain’t T Awful Wicked.” The Plantation Quartet of well-bal-anced male voices, sang the old favourites, “Way Down Yonder in the Cornfields” and “Don’t You Hear Pm ; Bells.” All the marvellous advances in motion picture technique have been made use of. and this picture is as nearly perfect as it could be.

The story is a pathetic one. The characters seem to have just stepped from the pages of the book bringing with them refreshing glimpses of the days “befo* de wa” below the Mason-Dixon line. The story is told most powerfully, climax following climax until the great finale which

i 3 the grandest climax of them all. Gripping drama enthralls one for the entire two hours of the performance, lightened occasionally with logical, excruciating humour, especially the excellent comedy characters of Mona Hay as Topsy. Lucien Littlefield as Lawyer Marks and Aileen Manning in her role of Aunt Ophelia. The leading roles, Eliza and George, are splendidly portrayed by Margarita Fischer and Arthur Edmund Carew, whose performances denote a wealth of capability. George Siegmann gives a graphic portrayal of the wicked Simon Legrree; James Lowe is a sympathetic and lovable Uncle Tom: Virginia Grey is ethereal in her spiritual role of Little Eva: Eulalie Jensen as tho harassed Cassie gives a memorable performance, as .indeed do all the members of one of the best casts ever seen in a motion picture. From a directorial angle the picture is perfectly turned out. The death of little Eva was handled beautifully, a distinct departure from the usual maudlin manner in which we have been accustomed to* seeing this scene put over. The crossing of the ice by Eliza is a masterpiece of action and composition, as are all the important scenes including the well-done St. Clare and Shelby sequences. This picture is the high mark of the industry. No other production has reached its standard and we doubt whether any future production will equal it. Certainly it occupies a niche all its own in the history of motion pictures. Mr. Howard Moody, conductor of the Plaza Orchestra, provided a very fine musical score during the evening, consisting of all the well-known plantation songs and also several of the lesserknown, but none the less beautiful, negro “spirituals.” The score synchronised perfectly throughout, and succeeded in sustaining the atmosphere of the picture. The musical numbers included “Sounds from the Sunny South” (Isenmann), “The Water Melon Patch” (Bidgood), “Reminiscences of the Plantation” (Chambers). “The Florida Spiritual” (Foulds), “Bandanna Sketches” (White), “New World Symphony” (Dvorak), “Plantation Songs” (Ciutsam). “American Suite” (Thurban) and “Negro Songs” (Solomon). At the Tivoli Theatre, Miss M. Anderson's Orchestra played “Plantation Patrol” and “The Nigger’s Birthday,” also “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” (Lampe), “A Southern Wedding” (Lotter). “Bandanna Sketches” (White). “Tallahassee Nights” (Stoughton), and Clutsam’s “Plantation Songs.”