MAJESTIC DRAMA

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 602, 2 March 1929, Page 14

MAJESTIC DRAMA

D. W. GRIFFITH—DIRECTOR BARRYMORE AT HIS BEST It is pleasant indeed to welcome once more and study a production bearing the signature of David Wark Griffith, dean of American motion picture directors, creator of “Tmolerance”—a film classic —and inventor of that now universal camera trick, the close up. Is Griffith now worthy of the position he used tu hold, the reputation he earned so worthily? Have the younger, newer men who have entered the limelight in his long absence produced results which are beyond his capabilities? [The answer is that D. W. Griffith still leads. /Dbviously he has kept abreast of all that is modern in filmdom. for in “Drums of Love” he does what he used to

do invariably. He goes one better. There are- still those little peculiarities which stamped the D. W. G. productions of the past. That methodical action which includes everyLng in its

logical place, that careful character drawing, and those long close-ups used, apparently, to impress indelibly or. the minds of the onlookers the more subtle shades of feeling portrayed by the players. Furthermore, “Drums of Love” is another example of Griffith’s scrupulous care in choosing just the right cast. Lionel Barrymore is magnificent as the hunchback ruler, the central character of the play, Mary Philbin is graciously alluring as the princess, and Don Alvarado does the best work of his young career as the hero. Tully Marshall is excellent as th& scheming jester. The story tells of an “arranged” marriage between two Spanish families in South America. The hunchback bridegroom, a powerful ruler, sends his handsome brother to escort the bride, and the two fall deeply in love. Through his jester the ruler learns he has been betrayed by his wife, and he surprises the guilty pair in the acr of swearing they will never see each other again. Then death enters the climax and the hunchback is stabbed by the treacherous jester. An intensely dramatic picture, expertly acted, gorgeously photographed, and lavishly mounted, “Drums of Love” may be set down as one of the outstanding Majestic attractions of the year. The supporting programme is all that could possibly be desired. There is a newsy Fox g 0 -tte, a brisk comedy i of the Charley Chase brand, and an amazing UFA nature study devoted to submarine life. This week the stage interlude is provided by Mr. Tom Harris. whose medley of Dickens characters coni stituted a careful and adequately-pro- | duced elocutionary entertainment. “Fagin,” “Major Bagstock” and “Uriah Heap ' were three of his successes last evening. The Majestic Orchestra under Mr. j. Whiteford Waugh was in the best of form and many delightful selections were played. “THE WOMAN DISPUTED” AT STRAND NEXT FRIDAY “The Woman Disputed,” the love and hate drama of an outcost woman’s redemption, brings Norma Talmadge to the screen of the Strand Theatre on Friday next in what is said to be the ; greatest role of her career. | This United Artists picture is based j on the sensational stage play of the same name by Dennison Clift. The ! story has, in its film manifestation, all the drama, virility and charm of the i playA character of unusual strength and fascination, perhaps one of the

strongest in fiction, , is the way critics have described Mary Ann Wagner the heroine of "The Woman Disputed.” the part played by Miss Talmadge. Mary’ Ann’s life is the drama of regeneration, the romance of boundless love, and conflict between self and

sacrifice. Two men, inseparable friends, fall in l° v e with Mary Ann. Then comes war £ind the rivals in love find themselves rivals in war. Misunderstandings destroy the friendship of years, and a lust for vengeance springs up in its place. Boneliness. the unending tread of war-racked soldiery, the desolation of battle-scarred country and the pitiless hand of a steel-hearted invader sweep before the girl in kaleidoscopic . rapidity. Suddenly she finds herself face to face with a supreme test: she must i sacrifice either honour or country. | The same artistry and unerring ac- | curacy of detail that characterised the director, Henry King’s ‘Stella ; Dallas’* and “The White Sister” are ; reported to be a feature of “The ! Woman Disputed.” The players appearing in support of , Miss Talmadge in “The Woman Disputed” are well known to picturegoers. I Gilbert Roland, is the hero, and Arnold i Kent, is the rival suitor. and other ■ J members of the company totalling several thousand actors are Gustav Von ! Seyffertitz. Michael Vavitch, Boris de I Fas and Gladys Brockwell. Scintillating youth with the background of a prep school is the theme of Fox Films comedy-drama. “Prep and Pep,” shortly to be released in New Zealand. This picture was filmed at Culver Military Academy in Indiana and has Nancy Drexel and David Rollins in the leading roles. The story of “Prep and Pep” is the transition of a mother’s boy to the athletic of Calvert Military Academ'’ where he fights to duplicate the fame once held by his father, who was the great star of the school, in bygone days. Various rumours as to the future affiliation of John Gilbert have been dispersed with the announcement that this star has signed a new long-term contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Thus it is definitely assured that the star of “The Big Parade,” “The Cossacks,” “Flesh and the Devil.” “Anna Karenina,” “Four Walls” and “Man, Woman and Son,” will remain with the company under whose supervision these outstanding successes were produced. Gilbert recently completed “A Woman of Affairs,” in which he is co-starred with Greta Garbo, and he . is now making "Thirst,” under the direction of William Nigh.