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"THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO”
!
Alexandre Dumas' Immortal Story Coming Shortly To The King's
Alexandre Dumas written
his own ticket as the world's highest-paid scenarist, if he had been born a hundred years later.
could have the island stuck in his mind, and a few years later, in 1943, heari ranged with an editor for the pub- lication of a work for which be needed a romantic plot. One day he read a short story,. *Le Diamant et la Vengeance,' laid in the period of the second Bour- bon Restorsulon, which intrigued. him. The idea for "a great Dumas plot began taking shape.
This is the opinion of Rowland V. Lee, ace Hollywood director. whose most recent assignment was Harry M. Goetz and Edward 'Small's million dollar Bellance production of "THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO."," released through United Artists coming shortly to the King's Theatre,
"Dumas'
Stories are perfect screen material." declared. Lee. "His characters are so vital with hin plots build and move with such powerful action that they "are as intensely entertaining to- day as they were when crowds walted outs.de Paris newspaper offices for the next installment. of his romantic thrillers..
Had Facile Pen
"What had started out to he ravel impressions in the form at a romance, now became romance pure and simple "The love affair o Edmond Dantes and the fair Mercedes, played by Robert Donat and Elissa Land in the f'm; the treacherous schems of de Villefort, (Louts--Calherr). Danglars (Ray- mond Walbura) and Mondego (Sidney Blackmer); the grim happenings in the Chateau d'If: chapter after chapter flowed from his pen as he wove the whole into a prodigious popular, masterpiece. It is a matter of record that
breathlessly esch
Was Hero of Paris "He was at the zenith of his fame and powers, as the greatest novelist of his day when he wrote The Count of Monte Cristo.-the Parls waited favorite hero of Paris, with best-morning for a new Installment of sellers literally rolling from his The Count of Monte Cristo" to pen, and his private life as appear in 'Le Journal des Debats." romantic and thrilling as his "It was first, published in novel form in the middle 1840's, and since then it has beet the most widely read plece of fiction, year. in and year out. In every country at the world.
stories.
"Dumas got the title from an Island which his boat had passed in the course of a Mediterranean erulse. He had been unable to land because the island was 'en contumace" wilfully disobedient to a lawful order of a judicial or legislative body.
"Dumas, Ike Shakespeare, created history and made legends come to le, and his character, will be as real to future genera-
"The incident and the name of tions ar they are to this one."
A scene from "The Count of Monte Cristo" starring Robert Donat
HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1935.
SHOWING TO-DAY
2.30.5.10.7.15 & 9.30 P.M.
KINGS
THEY KISS WHILE THEY'RE DANCING! YOU WISH WHILE YOU'RE WATCHING!
The
FRED
ASTAIRE
GINGER
ROGERS
See them dance "The Continental," new ball-room
Lidze.
BOOKING AT THE THEATRE TEL. No. 25813 -w" 25332
FROM SATURDAY
indre Dumas
COUNT
OF
GAY DIVORCE MONTE
RIGHT NOW
THE
WHOLE UNITED STATES
IS WHISTLING ITS GAY ENCHANTING TUNES!
PARKO-RADIO
PICTURE,
ALICE Directed by Mark
Sandrich. Pandza,
BRADY $ Berman produc
Bon
'IDWARD EVERETT HORTON,
THE GAY DIVORCEE
Showing To-day At The King's
The staging of the various dances was excellent the choruses being wonderfully trained and
The Gay Divorcee showing at the King's to-day was previewed last week and being one of the privileged few I thoroughly enjoy-compare very favourably with the
CRISTO
WITH
ROBERT DONAT-ELISSA LANDI
FINE MUSICAL ROMANCE
Happiness Ahead At The Alhambra
Yet another musical romance
ed the production. R.K.O, Radio best Paris "Revue." The Doll has come out from the studios of Films are to be congratulated on Dance was fascinating and ori-Warner Bros., and this one rivall- such а marvellous production, ginal. The costumes were excel-"ing those of its predecessors, Not only did the story keep lent creations and sufted their Dames, 32nd Street etc., etc. everybody interested and amused pretty wearers. It was interesting but also the music was nappy to have present one of the Holly- and full of pep. And the "Con-wood Blondes (recently perform- tinental" the new sensational ing in Hong Kong). Eleanor dance, as danced by Fred Astaire Walton, seeing herself in this and Ginger Roberts, was wonder- film. Our best advice is on no fully demonstrated and "kept one account to miss "The Qay spell bound.
Divorcee."
R.A.
AT THE STAR
Shoot The Works'
in and out of the plot. Highlights in a secondary plot are Ben. Ber- nie, the gag-spouting maestro, who leads his well-known lads in, a story that is almost like a bio- graphy of the man himself. Hls music is both delightful and original,
Hapiness Ahead, now showing at the Alhambra Theatre, glorf- fles one of the few unsung heroes of modern life-the window wash- er.
This picture boasts of a new team in Dick Powell and Josephine Hutchinson.
The picture has five song hits all cleverly put over by Dick Pa- well and a duct between him and Frank McHugh who, incidentally, provides most of the league in this. picture. The catchy airs will get you and after viewing the picture i you will be humming its tunes. The inimitable Jack Oakle with
In "Hapiness Ahead" these dar- hls Missouri" accent and wise-
ing window washers and pail per~| Hysterically funny is Roscoe formers not only do their stunts. cracks, and Ben Bernie's music are Earns, in the role of a goofy stunt but engage in hair raising fights the principal features in the flagpole sitter-who is in a hilariously
con-with deadly enemies. funny "Shoot thestant turmoil about his philander- well, as the brave young window Dick, Po-
AT THE QUEEN'S THE GAY BRIDE Works the Paramount comedy ing sweetie while he stays aloft washer, and Josephine Hutchin-
Laurel and Hardy
13
Picture
Current Attraction At The Queen's
racketeera
which is showing at the Star to win a sitting championship.. Theatre to-day.
Sterling performances are given heart
son, as the beautiful cause of his The film is a comedy in rapid by Allson Skipworth,
throbs, are the leading as Oakle's figures in this unusual big city tempo. It takes mugle, song, faithful and unofficial mother; romance — and a grand cast and by William Frawley, who through a tempeat of action which portrays a famous gossiping speeds its characters through. side-columnist. shows, flea circuses, carnivals and
the radio world, with intimate glimpses of each. ***
Oakie is pictured as a gib tongued promoter of freak shows and flagpole sitting champion ships, with side. excursions into Morris twilight romances. Between bu
failures and
ལྟ་
But the palms for this rollicking fim go out to Cakle, Ben Bernie and the director, Wesley Ruggles who made a splendid job of direc ting this aim from the successful play by Ben Hecht and Gene
Fowler.
"Babes In Toyland" featuring The last laugh on America's Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy is
provides rib-tickling One of the funniest talking picture only in The Gay Bride, /attraction to be shown in local fastest moving farce of the year theatres for some time. The pic-recently, completed by the Metro ture commenced yesterday at The Lombard
Goldwyn-Mayer studies with Carole Queen's Theatre and drew good featured. It will be scen shortly stness
and Chester audiences at each screening.
at the Queen's Theatre. The story, kisses, he meets up with a beautical Inds. The Maestro is fortun written by Charles Francis Coe, ful singer, and is headed for the beginning to end and although deals with the hilarious difficulties straight road when the dice throw some attempt has been made by of racketeers after repeal when him, and he loses his girl
their emormous profits have been cut off.
The film is a laugh riot from
the producers at a theme, this is completely overshadowed by the antics of Laurel and Hardy who are the heroes of the story.
The scene takes place in Toy- land" and the photography is ex- cellent. Laurel and Hardy are "red" when they mess. up an i order from Santa Claus,
The mortgage on Widow Peep's home is held by Barnaby, the only villain in the Kingdom of Toyland. A sinister figure, he insists that either the Widow Feep pay up or give the hand of her daughter (Bo-Feep) to him, although she is fifty years his junior."'-
Laurel and Hardy sets out to foll the villan and the way they set about this task provides the theme for much hilarious enter- tainment.
an adventurous blonde discovera
This film serves to establish Ben forbidden Berine and his collection of mus-
To add to their troubles untu after many genuinely comic Oakle wins her later, but not the golddigging possibilities characters and an occasional bit among the vicious but dumb gentry of real romance and pathos weave of the underworld.
Carole Lombard gives sparkle and zest to her role as Blonde Mary, who knows from whence the gold can be dug. Chester Morzia, as an ambitious young man who at tends to clerical duties in racketeer's "hangout" while saving money to get up a garage, is a powerful male lead.
2
The notable supporting cautis headed by Zazu Pitte, who wins gales of laughter with her per formance as Mirabelle, the girl who knows, too much about racketeer love to live long: Leo Carrillo provides menace as Mickey, double crossing" bodyguard: Nat Pendleton is a dumb but good- humoured chieftain who loses his illicit gains to blonde Mary Bain The beautiful rendition of Vic-Hardy, a gruft and convincing- tor Herbert's stirring musical and vocal numbers is a decided high- light of this fim, to say nothing Bella and Samuel Spewack have of the really gorgeous settings, written a hilarious and entertain- Babes In Toyland", 18 a verying screen play from the widely. appropriate picture to present dur. Fo Coc story, originally known the the present season and Laurel antepeat
fellow who is known as Diggle, aspires to the racket throne.
The directorial skill of Jack
and Hardy certainly enhanced Conway is very evident in the their reputation in the eyes of breathless and interest gripping local "talkie" fars as a result of tempo of the picture which rises the screening of this picture in to a smashing climax of thrilla and Four Con
laughter.
SHOWING
TO-DAY
story for his screen debut and he ate in having a good pleture and
makes the most of his opportun Oakle's. The radio star gives con- Ities in a role secondary only to siderable lit and Jazz to the film through the playing of ave out
romance
TO-DAY AT THE CINEMA
KING'S-
HONG KON
"The Gay Divorcee" QUEEN'S;—
"Babes In Toyland".
ORIENTAL:-
"Hollywood Party"
KOWLOON
MAJESTIC:-
"The Cat's Paw ALHAMBRA:-
"Happiness Ahead"
KINGS:-"
Coming
"The Count of Monte Cristo"
ORIENTAL:-
"Stamboul Quest"
"You Said A Mouthful" MAJESTIC:
"Baby Take A Bow”.
SHOWS .7 D68>
9.30-5.13
9.15-8.20
MAJESTIC
THEATRE ON
Nathan Road Kowloon. Tel 57922 TO-DAY TO WEDNESDAY [At 12.30, 2.30, 5.23. 7.20 & 9,20 P.M.
Do not give away the plot of this unusual story!...For only once in a lifetime does one so original and ingenious
come to the screen!
HAROLD LLOYD THE CATS PAW
Directed by
SAM TAYLOR
From the Saturday Evening Post Story by CLARENCE BUDINGTON KELLAND
·A FOX RELEASE
TAKE ANY TRAM OR HAPPY VALLEY BUE
ORIENTAL
THEATRE
FLEMING
ROAD
WANCHA TEL. 28478
3 MORE TO-DAY-TO-MORROW-WEDNESDAY
DAYS
EXTRA SPECIAL
"AT
MORNING SHOW DAILY 12 O'CLOCK
GREATEST SHOW IN TOWN!
2000 MERRYMAKERS!|
LAUREL & HARDY *IMMY DURANTE TLUPE VELEZ POLLY MORAN *JACK PEARL ★FRANCES WILLIAMS TED HEALY and PISTOOGES * MICKEY MOUSE
HOLLYWOOD PARTY
SEE MICKEY MOUSE COME TO LIFE.
and Frank McHugh, TIN CAN MAIL
Dorothy Dare, John Halliday, Allen Jenkins, Ruth Donnelly, Majorie Gateson, Russell Hicks, J. M. Ker-
rigan, and others all gave excell- Postal Arrangements en upport to this excellent-en- tertainment. Happiness Ahead will
In Isolated Island chase all your blues away and here's a real show for your money.
standing songs. "With My Eyes
the Good Old Winter Time and Wide Open? Do I Love You?" "Were Your Bars Burning? In
"A Bowl of Chop Suey and You'ey" an idle moment in the film. It is All things considered, there isn't
to people who want to laugh. a comedy heartily recommended
GVILN'S
AT 2.30, 5.10,
7.20 & 9.30
P.M
THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT IN TOWN
Victor Herbert's magic melodies, Laurel and Hardy for laughs what grander combination to bring music and comedy to their
greatest heights! -
LAUREL HARDY Babes in Toyland
Sydney:
99
- With the utmost nonchalance we. drop a letter in the mall box, and the fear that it will not reach its. destination never occurs to us
Not so, however, with the "Tin. Can Mail." The odds are against novel mute. delivery of a letter posted via this
But a rare specimen reached the Sydney recently, bearing stamp Tin Can Mail
Tin Can or Niuatoon Island is a small dot the Tongan Group, with a population of about 1,100 natives and two white niem.
Surrounded by treacherous reais, and subject during the whole year to very bad weather, the island is almost completelyfsolated, al though only 10 miles of the re gular shipping route.
The letter was received by Mr. Noel Res, of Belwyn Street, Pad- dington, near- Bydney, from his, mother, Mrs. Laura Mack Rea.
-“ Posted" - from the Monterey, along with a number of
oth
poa
steamer
for
placed in a sealed
overboard
and the can floated in
ALHAMBRA
DUENTRE
NOW PLAYING Happiness for Everybod
WARNER BROS.” INTIMATE
MUSIC. SUCCESS OU
TO D
DICK POWELL HUTCHINSON
SARCAST
Hot
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