STRAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 716, 16 July 1929, Page 17

STRAND

“THE DOCTOR’S SECRET” “Tho Doctor’s Secret,” the powerful talking drama now being presented at the Strand Theatre, will be shown for the last time on Thursday evening next. “Tho Doctor’s Secret” is an interesting production because it is a film based on a stage play and enacted by a group of stage players. It is based on Sir James Barrie’s play “ilalf-an-Hour,” so entitled because the greater part of the action takes place in the period of half-an-hour —between T. 30 and S o’clock one evening. In that period a woman decides to leave her husband, goes to her lover, he is killed, her secret is guessed by a doctor, and she is successful in a battle of wits with her husband who never knows that she ran away. Tho players are Ruth Chatterton, H. B. Warner, Robert Edeson and John Loder, all of whom have had extensive experience before the footlights. An excellent programme of short talkie features is also presented. “Four Devils” will head the movietone programme at the Strand Theatre on Friday. Janet Gaynor, Nancy Drexel, Charles Morton and Barry Norton are the featured players in this drfima of the sawdust ring. It tells the tale of two brothers and two sisters who are being trained by a circus proprietor, and whose let is everything but happy. When the brothers join the circus they stand as champions for the girls. All four are saved later from the master by the circus clown. Charles, the leader of the troupe and Marion the star acrobat, fall in love with each other, but trouble soon looms on the horizon. On their opening night in Paris a wealthy lady makes love to Charles, and within a few days he falls a complete victim to her charms. He neglects his work and through being OLit of practice nearly meets with disaster in his famous “death dive.” Just in time he realises his folly and decides to break away from the siren. However, on the opening night she sits in a box at the circus and tries to catch Charles’s attention prior to the big leap. Instead she catches the eye of Marion, who falls to the ground as a result of losing her nerve. She is not seriously hurt and Charles, her devoted lover, once more nurses her back to health and happiness. The Roxy Theatre Orchestra provides the synchronised musical score, including the theme song “Marion.” “THE FARMER’S WIFE” AT LYRIC One of the most enjoyable stories of English country life by Eden Philpotts, seen here one time as a play, and now bark as a film, is “The Farmer’s Wife,” the feature at the Lyric Theatre this week. It is an interesting story of English farm life, depicting an old farmer who decides to get married, but is refused by all the likely ladies in liis neighbourhood. How lie finds love at his own doorstep with the housekeeper, who has lived with him for years, makes a stirring climax to a thoroughly absorbing film. The leading roles are taken by Jameson Thomas and Lilian Hall-Davisu It is a British International picture. “Bare Knees,” the second attraction, is an enjoyable story of ultra-modern youth. “The Daily Sentinel,” New York, says: “Until you see it with your own eyes, and hear every wondrous, moment of it with your own ears, you cannot know the thrill of a lifetime that is in store for you in ‘The Broadway Melody.’ In this picture the talking screen reaches its most amazing fulfilment.” “The Broadway Melody,” which is in its fifth month on Broadway, will shortly* be released at the Regent Theatre. “Words and Music,” a new musical offering to be made by Fox Movietone, goes into production in a few days, with David Percy, Broadw’ay favourite, and Lois Moran, already experienced in screen musical work through “The Belle of Samoa,” in the loading roles. It will be directed by .James Tinling, with a story by Jack McEd- j wards, songs and lyrics by Dave Stamper. i