“UNCLE TOM’S” CABIN

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 483, 12 October 1928, Page 15

“UNCLE TOM’S” CABIN

PLAZA, TIVOLI, EVERYBODY’S “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” a thoroughly enjoyable entertainment sure to plerfse every member of the family, will be shown at the Plaza, Tivoli and Everybody’s Theatres again this evening. Picture producers, above all others, know the value of humanity in their films—they know that lovable characters able to arouse the sympathy of an audience is worth more than cold, frigid folk in high places. The skin of Uncle Tom may be as black as the ace of spades, but Uncle Tom has a heart of gold—and the audience having been made privy to the fact, is quite obliging in giving of its tears and sympathy. We see Liza, bearing her baby, Harry, leaping from one cake of ice to another, the bloodhounds of her pursuers hot on the trail, while on the far Ohio shore (the flight was from Ole Kaintuck’ over to Ohio—from a slave State into a free State) —the helpful Quaker, Phineas Fletcher, waited to lend assistance. Then there is the story of the Shelbys, kind slave owners, who were forced by money troubles to sell Uncle Tom, most faithful of the slaves, down the river to the slave market at New Orleans. On the river boat, ?is it churned its way down the muddy Mississippi. Uncle Tom sat in his chains, cheered up by a sight of that angelic Miss Eva St. Clare, an only child, whose desire was law with her adoring father—she wants Uncle Tom and he is bought for her. Here the Topsy episodes follow: those episodes wherein the devilish Topsy steals from the puritanical Miss Feely, steals and is caught in the act One of the best performances in the film is given by a negro actor. James T. Lowe. He is a tall, upstanding fellow. strong of face and *rentle in his demeanour. Margarita Fischer is rhp ’Liza, skillful in certain of its emotional reouiremfmts. Arthur Edmund Carew is the Harris, her husband, a artor. “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” is a sincere effort. It is, we think, a well-made film, and its biggest moment. the escei>e over the ice. amazed and the large audience. The actual screening of the film !s rv-pceded by a stag** nresentation. “Plantation Days.” Harkie songs, choruses and banjos provide a real minstrel show.