STRAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 894, 11 February 1930, Page 17

STRAND

“THE LADY LIES” ' ' i The striking talkie drama, “The Lady .Lies,” at the Strand Theatre, introduces two most capable players in Claudette Colbert and Walter Huston. The story of “The Lady Lies” is absorbing to a degree, for it strikes a refreshingly new note. It tells of a widower, Robert Rossi ter, whose attentions to a shop girl are hopelessly misconstrued by those who are only too ready to see evil in everything and make scandal out of it. 111-founded innuendoes made by Rossiter’s relations, who possess narrow ideas, awaken his precocious children to the belief that the woman who is likely to become their stepmother, Joyce Roamer, is unsuitable for the position, and threatens to rob them of the affection of the man who means everything to them. Selfishness and priggishness result in some plain speaking between father, son and daughter. Complications follow in quick succession and everything imaginable is done in an endeavour to wreck the innocent romance. Ultimately, distracted and despairing, Rossiter decides to break with Joyce, but the timely intervention of a friend whose standards of life may be questionable, but whose heart is of the golden variety, makes the obstreperous children realise Joyce’s many good qualities and purity of character. Reconciliation is the outcome and the end is happy. The dialogue is well done and the characters have speaking voices of remarkable clarity. The chief items on the big supporting programme are “The 1812 Overture,” by a symphony orchestra of 75 players, a sound cartoon, a sound gazette and views of the Mangere Airdrome. SUBURBAN THEATRES The following films will be shown at" Thomas A. O’Brien’s suburban theatres again this evening. At the Tivoli Theatre, Karangahape Road, is “Dangerous Curves.” a talkie of circus life, starring Clara Bow and Richard Arlen. At the Rialto Theatre, Newmarket, and the Regent Theatre. Epsom, is “The Woman from Luna” (Mary Astor) and “The Painted Post” (Tom Mix). At the Britannia Theatre, Three Lamps, is “Masquerade,” a fine talkie drama, starring Leila Hyams, Alan Birmingham, Clyde Cook, and Farrell McDonald. The Theatre Royal, Kingsland, is showing “Xot Quite a Lady,” an English comedy starring Mabel Poultbn, and “Hearts of the West,” starring William Fairbanks. Harry Hartz, noted motor-car racing driver, has been signed as technical advisor on “Burning Up,” Richard Arlen’s first starring talkie. Hartz was winner of the famous 000-mile Indianapolis classic in 1927.