STATE THEATRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 October 1938, Page 2

STATE THEATRE

“BLOCKADE” TONIGHT. The large audience at the State Theatre last night thoroughly appreciated that splendid picture, “Blockade.” The most dramatic situation of the present day—the Spanish civil war—forms the background of the tempestuous love story which is told in “Blockade,” Walter Wagner’s thrilling romantic drama which stars Madeleine Carroll and Henry Fonda. This is the romance of a man and a girl drawn into the conflict almost against their will —lovers who were at the same time bitter enemies. “Blockade,” though it employs the war only as a background and favours neither side in the conflict, furnishes a highly,interesting and remarkably accurate picture of Spain’s civil strife. Produced on a lavish scale, its many elaborate settings are outstanding examples of Hollywood’s uncanny skill in achieving realism in locale and atmosphere. One setting, the scene of much thrilling action, shows the entire waterfront of a Spanish town, with its sea wall fronting on the Mediterranean and a welter of buildings crowding almost to the water’s edge. Airplane raids, fierce bat-1 ties in rural areas, the flight of refugees—all are shown in a manner that clearly brings to the audience an understanding of a condition that has disrupted the life of an entire nation. Without being propaganda in any sense, the picture nevertheless demonstrates the complete futility of war as a means of solving the problems of the world. In addition to Leo Carrillo, the cast supporting Miss Carroll and Fonda in “Blockade” includes John Halliday, Reginald Denny, Vladimir Sokoloff and Robert Warwick. There is an excellent supporting programme.