NEW REGENT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 644, 22 April 1929, Page 15

NEW REGENT

“THE BELLAMY TRIAL” As the beautiful murder defendant in “The Bellamy Trial,” the “Talkie” picture now at the New Regent Theatre, Beatrice Joy makes her debut as a “Talkie” star. In this mystery drama Miss Joy acquits herself with a splendid performance that showed her great appreciation of the dramatic values of the part. With Kenneth Thompson, who plays the role of Stephen Bellamy, husband of the slain woman, Miss Joy, as Sue Ives, stands trial on a murder indictment. Since the dramatic heights of the film are attained in the dialogue sequences within the court-room, Miss Joy’s role makes unusual demands, but the poignancy of her portrayal is a delight to behold. “I wonder how she feels?” has been a question almost everyone has asked themselves when reading of a sensational murder trial involving a woman defendant. Beatrice Joy, in her vivid delineation, gives an answer in the eloquence of her screen presence. Guilty or innocent, you feel the suffering that is hers. The silent pleading of her eyes, and the tremulous quaver in her voice, fascinate you. You look upon her as does the jury, and try to find in her reactions in court some guidance for the verdict you are turning over in your mind. Margaret Bivingston is the woman whose murder provides the mystery plot. Betty Bronson is a reporter, as is Edward Nugent, a new screen “find.” Charles B. Middleton and Charles Hill Mailes, two sterling veterans of the stage, appear as rival j attorneys. The story is a most unusual one, and, in bringing it to the screen. Bell preserves the suspense of the murder mystery to the end. The short “Talkie” features are also very entertaining. These include songs by Joseph Regan. the wellknown Irish-American tenor, items by Ella Shields, the popular Bondon comedienne, piano work by Vincent Bopez and a comedy by two black-face artists. “Barnum and Bailey.’ FINE PICTURES AT ROYAL Another excellent pictorial programme will be shown at the Royal Theatre, Kingsland, this evening, headed by “Irish Buck,” a delightful romance starring Thomas Meighan. and “Wet Paint,” a sparkling comedydrama with Helene Costello and Raymond Griffith. Building a huge tropical jungle by transplanting tropical plants about an artificial lagoon, and nurturing them by means of steam pipes in the ground supplying necessary heat, was the huge task accomplished in the production of “West of Zanzibar,” Bon Chaney’s new starring vehicle. Although even experts would declare that the exterior scenes were filmed in an actual tropic jungle, the entire set, covering some 10 acres, was built and raised inside the M-G-M studios at Culver City. Alligators, monkeys, cockatoos, parrots and a gorilla added “local colour” to the strange location. The cast of “West of Zanzibar” includes Bionel Barrymore, Mary Nolan, Warner Baxter. June .Duly and Kalla Pasha.