“UNTAMED”

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 937, 2 April 1930, Page 15

“UNTAMED”

ORIGINAL LOVE THEME j NEW REGENT TALKIE How a young girl brought up in j the wilds of South America triumphs over the barriers of her tremendous wealth and her lack of knowledge of civilisation to win the man she loves is the theme of “Untamed/’ the new all-talking picture which opened the week at the Regent Theatre last evening. The tyart of “Bingo” Bowling is taken by Joan Crawford, who has plenty of opportunities to display her versatility in the role. As a young girl brought up by her father in the jungles of Latin America, far from the amenities and luxuries of civilisation, the part of “Bingo” demands a fresh-, ness and frankness that is admirably portrayed by Miss Crawford. How Bingo falls in love with the first white man she meets, and how she flies in the face of accepted convention to gain and win love, and to hold it in the face of the difficulties set up by her wealth as against his poverty, makes the story an interesting one. The theme is not hackneyed. The part of the poor lover is played by Robert Montgomery as Andy McAllister, who is kept busy between the extremes of his love for the jungle girl and his deep poverty. “Bingo’s” guardian, Ben Murchison, is played by Ernest Torrance, whose broad Scottish accent, humour and shrewdness add considerably to the success of this, pleasant picture. Believing that Andy is a fortune-hunter, picking out his ward as a desirable and wealthy partner in life, Murchison does everything possible to get the girl to give up Andy. When this fails he attempts to drive Andy away by wounding his pride. Success almost accompanies this effort, but “Bingo,” with true feminine intuition, sees through the play and takes things into her own hands. The subsequent dej velopments leading to alleged matrimonial bliss come as a surprise, the | whirlwind “Bingo” leaving nothing to chance in overcoming the reservations iof her poor, but nevertheless ardent, j admirer. The plot is worked out i smoothly and there is no apparent im- | probability about the whole affair to the audience. Restrained acting and a. full understanding of' what their parts call for, on the part of the actors, raises the picture to a high standard, striking a new and original note. In the supporting programme, a comedy, “Great Gobs,” is a riot of fun. Charley ChasQ, as a “gob” in the American Navy, gathers gales of laughter from his adventures in South America among the senoritas. the guitars, and the hot peppers! Excellent dialogue and genuinely humorous situations, rei moved from the ordinary rut, make the comedy an outstanding one. In addition. “Ukulele Ike,” whose real name is Cliff Edwards, entertains on his litUe string instrument and sings to his own accompaniment. ! Irving Aaronson’s “Commanders” are \ also heard in a series of novelty musii cal numbers. A Hearst Metrotone ! Xews fills a splendid programme to j overflowing. A feature of the latter lis a short address by’ the British ! Prime Minister and representatives of j the great naval Powers.