A Mystery Thriller That Really Grips With Interest

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7284, 11 October 1933, Page 5

A Mystery Thriller That Really Grips With Interest

“THE CRIME OF THE CENTURY” IS SCREENING AT ROSY TALKIES.

‘‘The Crime of the Century,” the Kosy’s latest attraction, is a mystery thriller of an unusual type, guaranteed to hold the interest to the end. In the early days of talking films mysteries were very popular, but few of them gripped as much as this new Wort.

As a story, “The Crime of the Century” proved a great- success, and none of the interest or mystery has been lost in transferring it to the talking screen. It is a murder-mystcry-thriller in every, sense. It opens with a thrill and a mystery, carries on throughout in the same tenso strain, and finishes with- yet smother thrill and, of course, the solution. But it strikes two entirely new notes in this class of film. First, the crimo is confessed to the police before it is committed, and a second murder is caraied swt almost umiter their noses. During the course of the production there is an intermission of 60 seconds, during which the clues to the crime, and the persons who might have committed it, are flashed across the screen, thus offering the audience the opportunity of picking the murderer before the final solution is presented. The story centres'around a prominent physician, Dr. Emil Brandt, who walks into a piolice station in a state of agitation and pleads with the officers to lock him. up so that he may not carry out his plans for a perfect murder which, he has evolved and cxpocts to commit that night. The officers accompany him to his home, confident that nothing unusual will occur. It does, however, and in a startling and thrilling manner. Always hovering about, however, is a bright young newspaper reporter, who eventually straightens out the tangle, as well as adding a few bright spots to the doings. Jean Hersholt, who will be remembered -for several outstanding performances, especially in such pictures as “Abie’s Irish Rose’’ and “Grand Hotel,” plays the role of the harassed Dr. Brandt, and a better actor for-the part could not have been chosen. AVynne Gibson is seen to advantage as Mrs Brandt, and Frances Dee gives a fine performance as David Brandt, who joins forces with a newspaper reporter in an effort to prove her father’s innocence. The go-getting newspaper man .is Stuart Erwin, who adds to his successes in such films as “Make Me a Star,” and “The Big Broadcast.” Others who play prominent parts arc David Landau and Robert Elliott.