DRAMATIC SPECTACLE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 691, 17 June 1929, Page 15

DRAMATIC SPECTACLE

WONDERFUL “INTERFERENCE” NEW REGENT’S GOOD BILL ‘•lnterference,” the Paramount alltalking picture which had its premiere at the New Regent. Theatre on Saturday evening before a packed house, would bo great without the “talkie” effects, but with them, it is wonderful. It can be said with safety that the Regent’s new bill will eclipse in popularity any of the talking pictures which have been shown previously, and will mark a decided step in dramatic pictures. From first to last “Interference” is sheer drama, and the splendid cast make a spectator live through the maze of interesting situations. More magnificent acting has not been seen before, either on the silent screen or in the latest developed pictures. Added to the dramatical side of the picture is mystery—for those concerned —with the audience in the secret. It is a story of a woman scorned, who interferes. The tale opens with the buying of a buttonhole in a flower shop. The purchaser sees a name gn a wreath, asks its destination and, on being told, attends a memorial service to men who fell in the Great War. Here he is seen by a woman who follows him to his hotel, and the audience learns that he is the man for whom the wreath was intended. Instead of being killed in France as reported he is alive and living under another name. The woman is one of his past loves but now he has no use for her. She refuses to divulge the whereabouts of his wife but goes and sees her and reveals bis presence. Believing her husband dead, the wife has married again and is now Lady Marlay. She refuses to believe the other woman until she is convinced by hearing her former husband’s voice on the telephone. Lady Marlay is thunderstruck, and her worries are inI creased when she learns that her informant has letters in her possession i which mean scandal and ruin—not only j for herself but for her famous husj band and physician. Sir John Marlay —if they are published. She has to [ part with money to keep the other woman, Deborah Kent, quiet, j It is revealed that when the man, : who now calls himself Aekroyd, and j Deborah were lovers the future Lady Morlay came between them. Now j Deborah has the upper hand and ; makes the most of it. Aekroyd, suffering from heart ! trouble, calls on Sir John and meets | Lady Marlay, his former wife. He learns of Deborah’s blackmailing, and 1 promises to do his best to retrieve the letters. H€i tells Sir John who he is and the trouble which Lady Marlay is experiencing. Sir John goes to Deborah’s fiat, delivers an ultimatum, and promises to come back for an answer later on. He returns and finds her dead, the evidence pointing to the ! fact that his wife committed the deed. , He endeavours to make look like I suicide and returns home. Subsequent ! events are thrilling. Thus it can be seen that there are 1 all the ingredients for outstanding I drama in the plot and as it. unfolds j the greater and more intense the in- | terest becomes. { Acting honours go to William I Powell, who gives a masterly pev- | formance as Aekroyd. He never fails | to be convincing. From the moment I he appears in the story until his doom > is sealed he lives his part, and his deep, melodious voice, whether sooth- ! ing or angry, goes far to make the pic- [ ture such a success. Evelyn Brent, as

the scheming Deborah, too. gives a linished portrayal, and although she ;s the only one in the cast to betray any noticeable American accent, she is none the less pleasing. Clive Brook and Doris Kenyon, in the characters of Sir John and Lady Marlay, do more than live up to the reputation they gained on the silent sheet. “Interference” is a masterpiece of acting and direction and as long as such pictures are shown, there will he no doubt of the future of the talking spectacle. A good programme of supporting talking items is screened. Of special interest to the younger set is a discourse by Elinor Glyn oil “What Is It?” She describes woman's efforts to please mankind and recounts how she , came to coin the catch word “It” 20 years ago. Eddie Cantor, the famous screen star of “Kid Boots." appears in a delightful sketch. He introduces himself by ringing up and, making arrangements for making a talking picture and then appears in the sketch. It is admirably done, the humour being typical American. Another short sketch is introduced as being written by an efficiency expert, who says that 20 minutes in each day are wasted by unnecessary words, and he proves his contention. The characters in the sketch utter no more than one word at a time and get through a surprising amount of talking in record time. An Australian scenic dealing with Sydney, and a news pic--1 ture complete a most entertaining bill.