STRAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 707, 5 July 1929, Page 15

STRAND

“THE DOCTOR’S SECRET” "The Doctor's Secret," the new Paramount all-talking picture, commences its season at the Strand Theatre today. The story commences with Richard Garston (H. B. Warner), a wealthy, self-made man, who resents his wife's aristocracy. He calls her a parasite, says his money has bought her, laughs at her threats to leave him. Lillian Garson (Ruth Chatterton), the wife, has stood enough from her bitter, ruthless husband. A quarrel hastens the end.

She telephones Hugh Paton (John Loder), her lover, and tells him she will go to Egypt with him that night. It is seven-thirty. She writes a note naming Paton, and locks it with her jewels in a drawer in her husband's desk. Then she goes to Baton's rooms. He is overjoyed at Lillian's decision, and hastens to finish packing. They aro ecstatically happy. They also realise that Lillian has brought no clothes. Paton goes out to get her some.

Paton is brought back to the apartment house, dead, by Dr. Brodie (Robert Edeson), a doctor, who saw a bus strike and kill him. Lillian, distraught, explains her dilemma to the doctor. Because of the note she has no place to go. She intimates that she was not Baton’s wife. Misunderstanding, the doctor tells her to go before the inquest is held.

j Lillian has no choice —she returns to < her husband’s house. She tries to get ! her note back, but fails. She starts : dressing for dinner. Garson finds the ‘ jewels, but not the note. He closes but ! does not lock the drawer. Dinner guests begin to arrive. He j jokes with them about his wife’s care- ; lessness with her jewels. Another ! guest arrives—it is the doctor. He is | telling of the accident as Lillian enters. | They recognise each other, and there 1 is tense drama as the guests press the doctor for more details of the accident Lillian is terrified, but the doctor j does not reveal their secret. Lillian

• discovers her jewels on the mantel, j and fears that Garson has found the ; note. All the while the conversation j goes on about the dead man’s mistress, | and the turn it takes makes Garson ; suspicious of his own wife. He rej members the jewels—Lillian is forced I to take a desperate chance —she stands ! with her back to the drawer, and is able to get the note out of the drawer l as Carson’s doubts reach a climax.

He jerks open the drawer, and looks for a note. Lillian is cleared and the guests laugh. Garson is forced to apologise for his suspicions. The chattering guests walk in to dinner, as the clock strikes eight.

The new programme this evening is also notable for the excellence of the supporting talkies. They will include instrumental music by the “Squire Octette”; a Fox Movietone News with events of the day in sight and sound; banjo playing by Eddie Peabody; another English all-talking comedy entitled “Nap”; and finally spectacular views of the British Fleet at sea, actually filmed during the manoeuvres, with full sound synchronisation.