STRAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 570, 24 January 1929, Page 15

STRAND

“FOUR SONS” TO-MORROW This evening will see the final screen- - ing at the Strand Theatre of the trer mendous drama of the Russian revolution, “Tempest/’ * which has John Barrymore in the leading- role, sup* ported *jby Camilla Tlorn. Exceptional care was used by John Ford, director of “Four Sons,” the new Fox film to be shown on Friday at the Strand Theatre, to make all the details authentic. All the iptimate touches of home life in this story by Miss J. A. T-t. Wylie were bound to catch the eye of the spectator because of their picturesqueness, and hence Ford had to be doubly sure. ' Consequently Ford spent several months in Europe, studying the territory in and around the locale of that part of the story which required the greatest pains for accuracy. F. W. Murnau, out of his wide knowledge of conditions on the Continent, assisted him in looking the ground over. Consequently the modest cottage which is shown in an early sequence of the picture is held to be as near true to life as human ingenuity can make. The characteristic clock with weights for a pendulum, the old-fashioned oil lamp, the homely chairs, the sturdy tubie, the well-worn chests for liivei.

and keepsakes—all these are thoroughly in keeping. So are the unusual costumes typical of the region. The American backgrounds were also reproduced with the utmost care. An important part of the story passes on Ellis Island, and experts were called in to make sure all the settings for this were reliable. The whole production was pervaded with a desire to make it conform to actuality as much as possible. Margaret Mailn. a capable actress 60 years of age, is admirable as the mother in this picture. Charles Morton, James Hall, George Meeker and Francis X. Bushman, jun., are the four sons, and June Coliyer and Earle Fox have important roles. Tho programme will also include a Strand Magazine, comedy and a col- : ourful stage presentation to precede | the actual screening of the film. New musical selections have been prepared by Eve Bentley’s Strand Symphony Orchestra.

“NONE BUT THE BRAVE” AT ROYAL - Carrying a wealth of scenic charm and feminine beauty, “None But The Brave,” with Charles Morton and Sally Rliipps, is now* being shown at the Royal Theatre, Kingsland. It is evident that Hollywood must have been searched closely to produce such a wealth of feminine beauty as seen in the prodLiction. The charmers participate in a contest that was filmed in teclinicolour. The picture is a comedy romance with a novel angle on the college boy “shoAV off” who exudes self-confidence —boasts of how good he is and makes good on his boasts—and when finished with college and forced to buck the business world also makes good, but only after real hardships and many disappointments. “Square Crooks,” the second picture, is a comedy-drama of two boys who tried to go straight but couldn’t.