ST. JAMES

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 946, 12 April 1930, Page 14

ST. JAMES

“THE ARGYLE CASE” | ! Thomas Meighan, celebrated star of ' .stage and silent screen, is making his local debut in talking pictures at the rit. .lames Theatre in Warner Bros.'s latest a 11-talking Vitaphone production "The Argyle Case.” In this adaptation of the play of Harriet Ford and Harvey J. OTliggins, Mr. Meighan stars as a masterdetective who deftly unravels the mystery that surrounds the death of the wealthy John Argyle. The forceful and manly presence of the young Irish American is augmented by his voice. All the members of his support have had stago experience. Included in the cast are JL.Ua Lee, H. B. Warner, John Harrow, Zasa Pitts, Bert Roach, Wilbur Mack, Douglas Gerrard and Gladys Brockwell. Harvey Thew prepared the story for the stage. Howard Bretherton directed. The well-constructed drama provides many situations of peculiar strength—thrills abound, and there is constantly the element of surprise—the suspense is sustained and not until the fadeout is the mystery solved. There is robust comedy, too, and love interest, to take away the curse of grimness. Don’t fail to see Thomas Meighan in his first talking picture. The programme at the St. James includes half a dozen short talkie featurettes of which the most notable is an operatic selection by the famous tenor Gigli.