STRAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 784, 3 October 1929, Page 16

STRAND

“COQUETTE” TOMORROW

A new Mary Pickford in a powerful story directed by Sam Taylor is coming to the Strand Theatre, when ••Coquette,” Miss Pickford’s all-talk-ing version of the Broadway stage success, opens tomorrow. This combination of star, director and story has made ‘‘Coquette” the sensation of the cinema world. In this picture Miss Pickford is revealing to the world an entirely new and changed personality in a story replete with comedy and pathos, laughter and drama. The voices of Miss Pickford and her players have been reproduced with a clarity and naturalness new to the sound pictures. The charming Mary, who will be seen in this story of a gay little flirt, modern daughter of an old-fashioned father, whose dancing feet led her into grim complications, will make a new place for herself in the heart of the world. Gone are the famous Pickford curls. Gone are the childish pout and little girl mannerisms of America’s sweetheart. In their place is a smartly-bobbed, chic, ultra-modern young woman, the epitome of today s spirit of youth, culture and the sheer joy of living. As Norma BesanCin “Coquette Miss Pickford plays the role of the belle of a little Southern town, who laughed her merry way in and out of countless love affairs and thrilling flirtations. With a youthful zest for life and the sheer living of it, she played in the moonlight, secure in the safety of her little world. Always beside her stood Stanley Wentworth, son of her father’s attorney and best friend. Stanley loved her with an unexciting and steadfast devotion which could smile with understanding at her coquetries. So life moved on for Norma in a gay whirl of kisses, dances and conquests, until she met “the boy.” This is the first time that the voice of Mary Pickford has been heard since her childhood years behind the footlights of the theatre. With a fundamental knowledge of the theatre and the use of the human voice. Miss Pickford was, in the beginning, a lap ahead of the screen luminaries, whose only experience had been before the cameras. With her usual perfection of detail Miss Pickford studied the intricacies of the sound-recording devices, and rehearsed herself and her company until each inflection, each tone, of their voices, was as near perfect as human agency could make it. Each scene of “Coquette” was rehearsed countless times, and experimental records made of the voices, before the final recording of sound and action. This picture, however, will be only one attraction on a long and enjoyable programme. Among the other enjoyable talkie items will be two selections by the Flonzalev Quartet, who have been called “The world’s foremost string ensemble”; a novelty’ item by Ruth Glanville, an American saxophonist, who is accompanied by the Vitaphone Symphony Orchestra; and, best of all, another comedy by George Robey, the eminent London comedian. To add to an already’ fine entertainment, the Strand will also present the latest edition of the Fox Movietone News, and a TJ.F.A. gem, entitled “Ancient Art.”