ST. JAMES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 909, 28 February 1930, Page 14

ST. JAMES

“THE DESERT SONG” TOMORROW “The Gold Diggers of Broadway,l the gorgeous colour and singing production, will close its long season at the St. James Theatre after this even, ing*s show. To date over 180,00® people have seen this picture. In no other picture has there been so convincing a demonstration of the possibilities of the Vitaphone as in “Ihe Desert Song.” which comes to the St. James Theatre tomorrow, and whidi will go down in screen history as tin first musical play to be transferred in its entirety to the motion picture SC Other “all-talking” pictures had already been made by Warner Brothers, and also many which ireluded singing, but when they undertook the production of “The Dese-t Song” they were confronted with a new problem—the inclusion of a lane chorus for the ensemble numbers, wrh its members grouped all over the ac - tings which constituted the scenes it well they met this situation is indicated by the fact that the chorus consists of one hundred men ana women, and that they bring to the screen’s first operetta the most glorious ensemble work ever heard n America. , . Many of the singers were ; so } who had never before worked “ chorus, or who had graduated from that estate into principal parts, am so great was the number of these that the ensemble of “The Desert Song might almost be described as a chonis of principals. Sigmund Rombergs lilting music is played by the Vitaphon Symphony Orchestra. . The all-star cast includes Jo™ Boles, Carlotta King, Louise ***?““£ Johnny Arthur, John Millan. wyrn Loy, Jack Pratt, Marie Wells, Edward Martindel, Robert E. Guzman many others, and was Produced unaethe direction of Roy Del Haxv - Gates adapted the book of the operei to the screen. The desert scenes are exceptional beautiful.