NEW REGENT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 647, 26 April 1929, Page 17

NEW REGENT

“THE BELLAMY TRIAL” “Talkies,” hailed as the eighth wonder of the world, continue to attract crowded houses to all sessions at the New Regent Theatre. The main pictorial attraction at the New Regent is an exciting mystery murder story, “The Bellamy Trial.” In the film, which is particularly exciting, the mystery is skilfully unfolded in a court room, where a man and a woman are on trial for their lives, accused of having slain the wife of the man. The weight of the evidence is against them, but a last-minute surprise witness turns the court in their favour. The question then arises as to who actually killed the murdered woman. Taken from the novel of Frances Noyes Hart, the story has been skilfully handled, both with respect to screen and dialogue, by the director, Monta Bell. The leading player, Beatrice Joy, as the woman accused, is surrounded by a very capable cast, including Margaret Livingstone, George Barraud, Betty Bronson, Kenneth Thompson and many other well known to picture-goers for their work on the purely silent screen. Although one of the earliest dialogue films since the recent rise of the “talkies,” “The Bellamy Trial” is undoubtedly one of the best yet made, and is unexcelled entertainment. The rest of the- programme is also both seen and heard, arid contains items by Ella Shields, the Prince of Wales’s favourite entertainer, who sings two songs in her inimitable manner; a black-face comedy act by Barnum and Bailley, which includes some particularly good banjo playing; a number of pianoforte solos by Vincent Lopez; and two songs, “Mary Ann” and “Beloved,” by Joseph Regan, tenor. Finally there is an interesting Gazette, with synchronised musical score.