STRAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 704, 2 July 1929, Page 15

STRAND

LAST DAYS OF “CANARY MURDER CASE” Few real detectives have attained to prominence of many sleuths whose existences have been contained between the covers of a book. The latest addition to these great sleuths of fictional history is Philo Vance, the detective character in S. S. Van Dine’s series of murder stories, and Vance has been given a new reality with the creation of a talking moving picture from the story, “The Canary Murder Case,” which has had such a wide reading during the past year. Philo Vance is the amateur detective whose interest in crime brings about the solutions of the apparently baffling killings in “The Canary Murder Case,” the mystery talkie now at the Strand Theatre. William Powell has the leading role, and is supported by a particularly strong cast, in which appear Louise Brooks, Jean Arthur and James ITall. .The Paramount all-talking picture, “The Doctor’s Secret,” the next talking picture for the Strand, is remarkable for the purity of the English spoken by the principals. It is not too much to hope, therefore, that in the near future, tlie talkies will be a recognised force in the teaching of the English language. There is no doubt that public demand will create a supply of such productions as the Paramount sound film. .It is also a remarkable fact that the talking picture is not confined by any means to English-speaking nations alone. Germany and other European countries already have installations of sound picture equipment, and are showing such talking films as “The Doctor’s Secret.” “The Doctor’s Secret,” which is taken from the famous play, “Half An Hour,” by Sir James M. Barrie, comes to the Strand Theatre on Friday next, and the following great dramatic artists will be seen in the principal roles, H. B. Warner, Ruth Chatterton, Ethel Wales, Robert Edeson and John Loder.