ROXY AND CRYSTAL PALACE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 743, 16 August 1929, Page 14

ROXY AND CRYSTAL PALACE

“THE DONOVAN AFFAIR” A dog howling in the night—rain dripping—a man with a wooden leg tap-tapping on the porch outside—-blood-curdling screams in the dark — and there lies Jack Donovan with a knife in his back—murdered. These are the introductions to “The Donovan Affair, the big all-talking production which has been such a success at the Roxy Theatre that it will be presented for another week. Among the featured players is Jack Holt, hero of many great films, and the charming actress, Dorothy Revier. A tremendous cast'of players, including William Collier, jun., John Roche, Fred Kelsey, Ethel Wales and Agnes Ayres, support the leading actors in the picturisation of this whirl-wind drama of mystery, murders, thrills and suspense. From the fjnoment the cat’s-eye ring, a superstitious element, is mentioned in the story, things begin to happen. Clues come up at every possible turn, suspicion is diverted in many ways and then to cap the climax, a denouement is reached that will bring the spectator up standing—a complete surprise. A picture of this type is a stimulant as well as entertainment, since the complications and suspense keep the audience on the “qui vive” throughout. The Roxy programme includes a number of other all-talking features, including the running of the English Derby, a novelty entitled “Screen Snapshots,” and a sound gazette.

The first New Zealand actor has just been signed for a long term contract in the talkies. Shayle Gardiner, who, by virtue of his splendid acting in Rex Ingram s “The Three Passions,” in which production he played opposite Alice Terry, has been signed by Warner Bros, to appear in several of their forthcoming productions.