THE REGENT.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 June 1938, Page 2

THE REGENT.

“THE BRIDE WORE RED.” “The Bride Wore Red,” with Joan Crawford in the leading role, will be shown finally tonight. “Life of emile zola.” ' One of the greatest claims to fame possessed by the Republic of France is that it was the birthplace and the homeland of Emile Zola, the immortal novelist. His name is to France what Shakespeare’s is to England.' And now, for the first time, Zola reaches the films. With Paul Muni in the name part, “The Life of Emile Zola,” an immense production by Warner Bros., comes to the screen of the Regent Theatre tomorrow night at 7.45 p.m. Zola is seen as a struggling young writer, sometimes obliged to pawn even his shirt for bread. Then he meets the girl of the streets, “Nana” (played by Erin O’Brien-Moore) whose life he depicts in a novel that earns him enormous sums and lifts him to international fame. But most of the story has to do with Zola’s courageous defense of Captain Alfred Dreyfus, the army officer who was framed on a false charge of selling secrets to Germany. Paul Muni’s portrayal of Emile Zola is a magnificent piece of work. Captain Dreyfus is splendidly played by Joseph Schildkraut. Others of note in the cast are Gale Sondergaard as Mme. Dreyfus, Gloria Holden as Mme. Zola, Henry O’Neill, Louis Calhern, Vladimir Sokoloff, Morris Carnovsky and Donald Crisp. “The Life of Emile Zola” is a thrilling, absorbing story.