BRILLIANT ACTING

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1082, 20 September 1930, Page 15

BRILLIANT ACTING

NORMA SHEARER IN “THE DIVORCEE” NEW REGENT PROGRAMME Norma Shearer has never offered her public anything better than her characterisation in “The Divorcee/* which opened at the Regent last evening. FURTHERMORE, ‘The Divorcee” is easily the most important talking picture that has been entrusted to the young Canadian, not forgetting “The Last of Mrs. Cheyney.” This M etro-G old wyn - Mayer drama of marriage, divorce, free-thinking and acting, and engagingly frank social relationships between the sexes represents the appearance in talkie guise of the onee-familiar “problem picture’’ of silent film days. Let it be said at once that “The Divorcee” is an excellent play, excellently produced. It is best described by that hackneyed word “powerful,” and, of its kind, it is perhaps the best picture the Regent has secured in the past 12 months. We are introduced in a new and interesting way to the old, apparent anomaly: “One law for the women, another for the man.” On the third anniversary of their marriage a young couple, become estranged because the wife learns of the existence of a mistress. After much pleading the husband is forgiven. “Like a small boy who has been caught stealing the jam, then scolded and let off,” as the wife puts it, the husband departs to Chicago on business. (The young people, by the way, live in New York.) Coming to the conclusion that what’s sauce for the goose, and so forth . the wife embarks upon a seven-day affair with a young roue of her acquaintance. Unfortunately, and because she is thoroughly feminine, when her husband returns she takes a certain, amount of bitter delight in telling him all about it. Next scene: Furious husband packing his bag, despite the protests of his tearful and contrite wife. Vain glorious male denouncing his spouse in horrified tones, and refusing to listen to the argument that the position was reversed a week before. All very caddish and unreasonable! but very human and very true. It happens quite often. Next scene: A divorce court . . . But to go further would be to spoil a rattling good talkie, splendidly directed in a way that presents the tale, clearcut as a carneo, superbly photographed, and brilliantly acted. The acting is probably the outstanding feature of “The Divorcee.” Norma Shearer moulds herself into the part with a skill that would do credit to an artist of three times her experience. She speaks excellently, getting away from that “elocuted” monotone that is the curse of most silent stars coached for talkies. The supporting characters are well liandl ed, particular praise being due to Robert Montgomery and Conrad Nagel. Best action scene: The motor smash and its sequel. Best acting: The divorcee’s verbal fencing with her admirers in the railway carriage. Aiuiuueu xhe Divorcee” is a long talkie it is by no means the only Regent offering for the coming week. A Hearst News-Reel opening the show, is followed by a group of attractive short subjects—a Grantland Rice “Sportlight” of circus life and animal training, and a “song film” of the U.S.A.’s sunny south, also laregly engineered by that most versatile journalist, Mr. Rice. Finally, a laughter-maker, worth going quite a way to see: Laurel and Hardy in bedroom antics with a pneumatic mattress that compels laughter from first to last.