CIVIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 918, 11 March 1930, Page 15

CIVIC

“ROMANCE OF RIO GRANDE” If sound and dialogue is the answer to the excellence of such pictures as “Romance of the Rio Grande,” an all talking Fox movietone with mufeic, Civic Theatre patrons will cast a unanimous vote for talking entertainment. This, at least, is the conclusion after viewing this Fox Movietone production and witnessing an audience entranced for more than an hour with the stirring picture which unfolded before it. ‘‘Romance of Rio Grande” is a story of the west in pioneer times revolving around the opposing forces seeking to conquer the plains, and especially one particular vast estate below the Rio Grande border. It is an adaptation of Katherine Gerould’s stirring novel of the Spanish conquistadors, titled “Conquistador,” and in its conversion to the talking screen, Alfred Santell, the director, has done a masterful job in retaining the poignant beauty of locale and pulsating romance which predominates the story. Clever casting is mainly responsible for this grand product which Fox has turned out. Warner Baxter, a striking personality in romantic roles, and Mary Duncan, raven haired beauty who has been scoring repeatedly in : stellar performances, enact the two principal roles. Baxter’s performance stamps him as the ace delineator of romantic caballeros, his work even surpassing his brilliant characterisation in “In Old Arizona.” The remainder of the programme includes selections by Ted Henkel’s Symphony Orchestra and by Fred Scholl at the Civic grand organ, also a sound gazette, talking comedy and a talkie item by the famous Kentucky Jubilee Singers.