REGENT THEATRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 October 1940, Page 2

REGENT THEATRE

“EARL OF CHICAGO.” A Chicago gangster becomes an English Earl by inheritance. That is the interesting situation in the most unusual motion picture ever made, “The Earl of Chicago,” starring Robert Montgomery, and which will be shown at the Regent Theatre. In this “different” picture, Montgomery plays Silky Kilmount, a gangster who operates a streamlined liquor enterprise, strictly “legitimate” and “government,” but uses the gang salesmanship methods of prohibition days. Silky inherits an English estate and title, becoming the Twelfth Earl of Gorley. Illiterate, but shrewd, cold, calculating and cruel, his distorted personality has a queer quirk. He has a terror of guns. Greed takes Silky to England where he avidly expects to collect £2,000,000. Bewildered in a situation he can’t understand, he is forced to depend on his lawyer and pal, Doc Ramsey, played by Edward Arnold. When Doc “rats” on him, Silky murders him and is tried by his peers in the House of Lords, a murder trial scene never before filmed. He goes to his death in the Tower of London, wearing full court costume, plumed hat, embroidered satin coat, silk knee breeches and silk cape. And he dies, not as Silky Kilmount, Chicago gangster, but with the courageous dignity and ceremony befitting Lord Gorley. Silky gives Montgomery a role powerfully dramatic, but tempered with rich humour innate in the surprising and spectacular situations. These are just a few highlights of a fascinating entertainment. It features a supporting cast of 159 players, including Reginald Owen, Edmund Gwenn, E. E. Clive, Ronald Sinclair, Norma Varden and others. The featurettes are outstanding and include an Our Gang Comedy, a colour Fitzpatrick, a Pete Smith specialty and the latest Cinesound Gazette. .