STRAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 709, 8 July 1929, Page 15

STRAND

“THE DOCTOR’S SECRET” There are a number of scenes in Paramount’s all-talking picture, “The Doctor’s Secret," now at the Strand Theatre, which were recorded and filmed out of doors during the night time. One in particular shows a public street, with motor-cars and pedestrians passing. The traffic is thick and the street noises are brought to tho audience with amazing realism. A man steps from one of the houses to call a taxi, he walks across the road, and does not see a lorry that is almost on top of him. There is a screeching of brakes, the violent blowing of the horn and the cries of warning from other pedestrians, but it is too late, the man is run down. Realistically, the hushed remarks of the crowd that gathers are heard, then the sound of a doctor’s voice commanding them to stand back. This scene alone in “The Doctor’s Secret" demonstrates the great dramatic possibilites that the talking picture has. The street is a real street, the motors are real motors, and the eye of the camera in its sweep takes in a breadth of scene that was never possible on the legitimate stage. The principals of the cast are heard plainly, and their voices are realisti-'

cally modulated and life-like in their intensity. The strong manly voice of H. B. Warner, who plays one of the leading roles, contrasts with the soft melodious tones in that of Ruth Chatterton, a famous Broadway actress, who plays the part of Warner’s wife in

the picture. Other important members of the cast are Ethel AVales, John Loder, Robert Edeson and Wilfred Noy. The whole production was made under the direction of William C. de Mille at the Paramount Studios in Hollywood. De Mille, besides being one of the most experienced of stage producers, is also well-known as a film director. He is particularly suited, therefore, for the production of talking pictures. This new programme includes a number of excellent supporting talkies. They are 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-talkie comedy entitled “Nap,” and finally spectacular views of the British Fleet at sea, actually filmed during the manoeuvres with full sound synchronisation.