A Picture That "R.L.S." Would Have Loved

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 23, 14 December 1934, Page 18

A Picture That "R.L.S." Would Have Loved

"Treasure Island" Makes Fine Enterfainment: Acting Triumph for Wallace Beery

(By

Our Film Critic

One of the films scheduled for Christmas release in New Zealand is: the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture of Robert Louis Stevenson’s "Treasure Island," with Wallace Beery as Long John Silver and Jackie Cooper as Jim Hawkins.

HIE first literary classic to which any. boy in an English-speakiag country, at all events, is introduced is surely "Treasure Island," Robert Louis Stevenson’s glorious tale of adventure. There are plenty of stories of pirates and other excitements of the seas few centuries. ago, but none of them have won such uwuniversai applause as ‘this delightful book To-day owe may’ have amorg our authors «a J. B. Priestley who is often very near to Dickens, aud: a Shaw who is "Better than Shakespeare?" but no one has taken the place of "R.L.S." as a writer of adventure stories. Now "pyeastre Island" has been made into a film, with everything just uS We remember it in the book-some af

the things have had to be left out. of course, but nothing has been added to "improve" the film for American audiences. There can be no higher. praise for the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture of "Treasure Island" than to say that ‘R.L.S." would have loved it as Surely as he would have loved the little boy who sat in front of me when the picture was privately screened in Wellington last week, and became so excited as the fight with the pirates progressed that he leapt about in his seat, making enough noise to drown every sound of the battle. That is the sort of picture "Treasure Island" is--a fine unsophisticated entertainment, with pirates and fights and hidden treasure and mysterious islands and castaways in just the proper propor- . tions.

‘ The acting from every member of the cast could not be -improved uponOtto Kruger as Dr. Livesey, Jackie Cooper as Jim Hawkins (an American Jim Hawkins, admittedly, but neyer the worse for that), and "Chic" Sale as "Poor Ben Gunn," are all excellent. As Squire Trelawney. Nigel Bruce ‘> an outstanding success-a surprise for those who have seen him before only in English films as a slightly idiotic and invariably intoxicated husband. Still, the chief acting honours go to Wallace Beery as Long John Silverthe kindly-sinister one-legged leader of . the pirates. Beery has given many fine performances on the films, and several great ones, but he has nevez surpassed his work in "Treasure ISland." He dominates every scene he appears in-in spite of the fine acting of the rest of the cast, it igs Wallace kerry who will be remembered longast when "Treasure Island’ is discussed? "Treasure Island" is a picture that could not have been made a few years ago-there is not a single female pict of any importance in it; no love scenes ‘and no mock heroics-for Jim is, more often than not, just a very frightened little boy, as any other little boy would be in his place-but for sheer entertainment it will take its place among the best films of the year. Children of all,ages will love it just as much: as their parents and grandparents will