TALKIE EXCELLENCE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 857, 28 December 1929, Page 15

TALKIE EXCELLENCE

“TWO BLACK CROWS” AT THE REGENT AN IMMEDIATE SUCCESS Paramount’s first production starring the famous “Two Black Crows,” without any shadow of doubt, is one of the most successful talking pictures seen in Auckland. Delightfully humorous and human, it present© two unique personalities with magnificent effect, and its reproduction last evening at the Regent, together 'with that of the short, subjects supporting it, reached a new level of clarity. “Why Bring That Up?” Where gramophones abound the query has become almost a household phrase. It brings to mind immediately the doleful conversations and languid philosophies of Moran and Mack who, a couple of years ago, had no peers as gramophone “bestsellers,” and are still in the first flight of recording popularity. Under their sable nom de guerre, Moran and Mack have delighted thousands; now, it seems, they are destined to number their followers in millions, for a talkie career offers still greater scope.

It was a foregone conclusion that their first talking picture should be titled “Why Bring That Up?” for it is the phrase on which they have built their novel chit-chat.

Whenever Moran plies Mack with a question that contains a pitfall (in the purely gramophone* days the identity of each was yague, but the picture solves the problem), Mack asks plaintively why it is brought up. This seems to satisfy Moran, and on they go to fresh inanities and chuckles, carrying their audience with them in irresistible fashion.

Last evening it became clear from the first reel that the film was an outstanding talkie success. The worth of the picture as a comedy-drama was doubled by the almost startling realism of the speech and sound. A weakness of many an otherwise excellent talkie lies in the fact that the artists are unused to the mechanical medium which conveys their speech to the screen. But in Moran and Mack Paramount was backing a. theatrical certainty. When players have been tried and proven in gramophone work, their suitability for the speaking screen is practically assured.

Moran and Mack have other factors in their favour. They act exceedingly well and their performances in the clever story built round their quaint jests and repartee are delightful in every way.

The story casts them as two vaudeville troupers who, on the eve of success, are turned apart by the infatuation of one for a dangerous woman. Evelyn Brent, thus introduced, also plays exceedingly well; in fact, it is doubtful if she has given a better performance at any time. In contrast to the moments of laughter are the scenes in which a note of pathos is struck, notably that in which Moran speaks to his injured comrade at a hospital, in a moving and admirably-acted scene. Why some members of last evening’s audience thought it funny passes reasonable understanding.

The remainder of the programme, apart from its varied interest, was sheerly delightful because of the excellence of the reproduction. In fact, it may be said fairly that no word uttered from the Regent screen last evening was lost. A Pathe sound news was followed by

“He Did His Best,” a delightfully naughty and really funny Christie talking comedy, and “Dark Eyes.” a novel Russian song scena. Jack Lumsdaine, singer of popular song 3 at the piano, presented a first-class programme and, was an undoubted success. Lastly, Mr. J. WhitefordWaugTi and his orchestra contributed pleasant incidental music.

William Powell, who will star for Paramount in “The Colour of Money,” will portray a notorious metroplitan gambler in the production. “The Colour of Money” was adapted from an original story by Oliver H. P. Garrett.