STRAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 594, 21 February 1929, Page 15

STRAND

“THE BATTLE OF THE SEXES” Tho gorgeous photoplay, “Two Lovers,” starring Vilma Lanky and .Ronald Colman in the screen version of Baroness Orczy’s “Leatherface,” will be screened for the last time at the Strand Theatre this evening. The utmost directorial care must be exercised in creating a photo-drama where characterisation is the chief consideration, Hollywood’s leading directors declare. A striking illustration of this rule is seen in “The Battle of the Sexes,” the big attraction coming to the Strand theatre to-morrow. In this picture, B. W. Griffith not only had one definite personality to work with, as is common in most motion pictures, but five vivid characters, each completely indispensable .io the structure of the drama. The play is primarily a character study of the typical American home, with its moments of supreme happiness and depression, all of which is refletced in the character development of the leading players. For example, Jean Ilersholt, the leading player, is made to go through a complete stage of building up until he appears as the ideal family man, then there is a period of degeneration when he meets the home-wrecker (Phyllis Haver) and relinquishes his homo and family ties for her sake. The end of the picture finds him regenerated and once more the family man—but a wiser one. The same holds true of Belle Bennett, who plays the wife of Hershcdt. She passes through the stages of happiness, bitterness and again happiness. Phyllis Haver remains the same character throughout the run of the picture, but her part calls for affectation of love for Hersholt and a duality of motives that makes of' her portrav'easily one of the best things she has ever done. In addition to a Strand Magazine and a U.P.A. gem, “Sleeping Death,” a colourful stage prologue will be presented, in which Mr. Walter Brough will be the soloist and Miss Edna McNaughtun the dancer. A prologue and enjoyable incidental music will be played by Eve Bentley’s Symphony Orchestra. S. S. Van Dine, the author of the mvstery story, “The Canary Murder Case,” visited the Paramount studios recently and acted as technical adviser for a number of important sequences of the film. William Powell played the part of the detective, Philo Vance, others in the cast being Louise Brooks, Jean Arthur and James Hall.