WEALTH OF STORY

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 573, 28 January 1929, Page 15

WEALTH OF STORY

“THE FIRST KISS” AT NATIONAL GARY COOPER SCORES “Poor white trash”—the' taunt from the girl stung Mulligan Talbot. He realised how his family had fallen in grace. In tlio church graveyard that night, he looked at the wooden slab above the grave of his father, who had died tlirouglif drunkenness, arid at massive tombstones over the graves of earlier Talbots. They had given to Maryland leading judges and members of the clergy. The story of "The First Kiss,” showing at the National Pictures; is taken from Tristram TuffeFs book, “Four Brothers.” It has intense dramatic Yalue. How Mulligan Talbot turned river pirate to gain money for the edLication of three brothers is well told. Mulligan raised the three from drunketi village youths to positions of distinction at university. Gary Cooper plays the part of Mulligan and scores a success. As the tali oysternlan striving to regain the prestige., of the Talbots by audacious thieving he has an unusual part. And lie was no unusual thief. His attempt to return the stolen money proved his undoing. The police found him. When Anna Marshall (Fay Wray), daughter of the richest man in town, returned from European travelling to Mulligan, she was faced by the horror of his arrest.. Then came Mulligan's trial. Anna made a dramatic appeal in court in spite of the mass of evidence against Mulligan. At the last minute, the three younger Tlabots— 1 -are a lawyer, one a doctor and the third a clergyman—return. Leslie Fenton, as the lawyer, spiritedly defends his brother. Justice is lenient. How the Talbots have been restored in the eyes of the community and how Mulligan Talbot and Anna Marshall find happiness is told in the final scenes. “The Fix'st Kiss” is an enjoyable production. The National management has arranged a strong supporting programme. There is a Paramount News, a Billy Dooley comedy and a Dinky Doodle cartoon. The musical, numbers have been well chosen. Bizet’s “Carmen” is the overture. ROYAL SHOWS “DON'T MARRY'’ The beautiful little actress, Lois Moran, is the star of “Don’t Marry!” which will be shown at the Theatre, Kingsland, this evening. “Don't Marry!” is a delightful comedy-drama of a modern young girl who falls in love with a confirmed young bachelor. It is instilled with amusing and whimsical situations, and is a most breezy romance of the modern generation. Neil Hamilton plays the featured role with Miss Moran, and others included in the cast are Claire McDowel, Lydia Dickson, and Henry Kolker. “The Lodger,” the second feature, is a fascinating mystery-drama starring Ivor Novelln