POWERFUL DRAMA

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1021, 11 July 1930, Page 17

POWERFUL DRAMA

“THE CZAR OF BROADWAY” FINE SHOW AT THE CIVIC He ruled gangsters, newspapers, night clubs and business circles; he was a cool gambler'for amazingly highvstakes; he kept a man whose sole duty was to kill opponents. He was the Czar of Broadway. TVRAMA so tense lias rarely been seen in Auckland, as that pre- ! sented in "The Czar of Broadway." The audience at the Civic Theatre last night sat enthralled. John Wray portrays "Mort Bradley" so vividly and so accurately that the part seems to have been made for him. “The Czar of Broadway" holds one’s interest from the first scene to the last. Ik opens in the busy office of Bradley, financier, insurance agent, and New York gang leader. N T o scheme is too small to bring grist to his mill, and none is too large. He would gamble thousands on the throw of the dice without the flicker of an eye. Always cool, always laughing, and always getting his money—somehow. C)ne man named- Harper, tried to ignore his 1.0. U. with Bradley. "The Czar" suggested a big life insurance policy, as quid pro quo, got Harper’s signature, passed the word along to his private gunman, and only a day or two later handed the insurance money over to the widow. He was smiling, but ruthless. The only weak spot anyone ever found was his friendship for young Grant, a simplo and trusting lad from a farm in lowa —or at least so lie said. They became great pals, and went everywhere together. Just about that time a New York paper published a front page attack on "The Czar of Broadway," indicting him for being a leader in bribery, vice and crime. But not a shadow of suspicion fell on Grant. Grant was a reporter. He made one false step when he fell in love with Connie, Bradley’s fiancee and a night club entertainer, and confessed his avocation to her. The second error was nearly fatal—Grant lost a revealing metal badge. Bradley gets it. realises his danger, and against his own affection for the boy, passes, the word along to his gunman to do his job. Then, to make the suspense even more terrible, a rival gang, viciously jealous, plans to kill Bradley and his gunmen. The night previous Bradley lost 800.000 dollars to them in gambling and refused to pay up. The film ends in probably the only way it cou'd end. But for the consummate acting of the principals the end would have been merely melodramatic. GUNMAN-GENTLEMAN

The acting of John Wray tops that of all the others easily. Betty Compson is alternatively brazen and wistful as Connie, and John Harron makes a good "simpleton." Among the supporting players there is Claude Allister in the serious role of the gentlemangunman, quite a new characterisation for him. Although a New York "underworld" story, "The Czar of Broadway" has no backgrounds other than those of the smart and fashionable set. The remainder of the programme at the Civic is of an equally high standard. Ted Henkel’s Civic Concert Orchestra plays selections from "No, No. Nanette," as well as a number of wellknown pieces before 8 o’clock. Fred Scholl, at the grand organ, entertains with a novelty entitled "Sharps and Flats.” Among the shorter pictorial items there is a particularly clever and witty comedy, "Her New Chauffeur." an Oswald the Rabbit cartoon, and the latest Fox Movietone News. Among these interesting snapshots of news there is an interview with Mr. Stanley Baldwin.

"Hold Everything" is another musical comedy which will be presented entirely in technicolour. This production has a cast headed by Winnie Lightner, Joe E. Brown, Georges Carpentier. and Sally O’Neill, and it is said nothing has been overlooked to make this talking picture even more I successful on the screen than it has been on the stage.