CINEMA IN MACAO—PART III 1932-1936

•[XXV - III (49) 7 Abril [April] 1977, pp.2 and 4].

1932 had a gentle start with the Portuguese beginning to make preparations for the festivities of the Carnival month‚ organizing tunas (popular choral bands) and planning crash parties. After the initial impact of the alarming news the war in Manchuria had become yet another conflict in a remote land: dog races were all the rage - it being impossible to get a ticket for the Hong Kong-Macao crossing. The ferry line had launched a new faster‚ comfortable and elegant vessel: the Veneza.

The Vitoria Theatre presented "The Unholy Three" and "Romance", the first talkies with the voices of Lon Chaney and Greta Garbo respectively. The Capitol counterattacked with a slough of despond movie called "East Lynne". During the month of January they also exhibited "Huckleberry Finn" at the Capitol with Mitzi Green and Jackie Coogan, and "King of Jazz" one of the best musical films of all times.

Life continued in such a carefree manner that the daily "A Voz de Macau" created an amusing column dedicated to one of the most popular figures of Macao during the 1930s‚ the Calito Maluco (Mad Little Charles) also known as 'Calito-Tâo-Kai' ('Little Charles Chicken Robber'). Everyone from those times remembers this poor man‚ toothless and bald‚ frequently drunk, speaking in a pure patoá, doing errands or simply 'borrowing' ten or twenty Avos from those he knew in order not to die of starvation.

It is impossible to forget his habitual street cry "Quim querê comprá alua? Fiado cerzi mêa! Ginête cornesstach!" ("Who wants to buy alua [traditional Christmas cakes]? Darned socks with good thread! Corn starch ginete [popular small Macanese cakes]! ” repeated from door to door along the otherwise quiet streets of the city. He whimpered always addressing those he met with 'mano' (diminutive for Port. 'irmão'; or 'brother') or 'mana' (diminutive for Port. 'irmã'; or 'sister'). He endured vexations and irritations with great resignation‚ but he would go mad when harassed by nagging children who called him 'Calito-Tâo-Kai'. He was an honest men earning his ten or twenty Avos with utter correctness and would not admit to being a swindler‚ therefore becoming enraged and shouting abuses and vulgarities.

He was indeed a peculiar character. The "A Voz de Macau" related the following:

"Many anecdotes are told about him. For instance, he might pull a pedicab for half an hour and‚ as soon as he gets paid, jump in the passengers seat‚ cross his legs and with a greatly relaxed air hire someone else to pull him around town aimlessly for another half hour then give him the amount he had just earned. He might also beg for money and if he gets nothing simply go around trying to 'borrow' twenty Avos. He will finally find a charitable soul to lend him the twenty Avos and, when the creditor has lost hope of ever seeing the money again, Calitos will come to him with ten Avos and the promise that he will settle the remainder next month.

Whenever he is requested to buy something he will render the exact change scrupulously, never being mistaken in or pocketing as little as an Avo.

Poor Calito! Poor but honest! "

I am certain that all those who read about the Calitos on that day - the 22nd of January 1932 - cracked a good laugh at his eccentricities. But the main news of the day‚ the serious incidents recently taking place in Shanghai‚ were certainly no laughing matter.

The strong anti-Japanese feeling prevalent throughout the whole of China had reached its climax in that metropolis. The previous 19th of January a group of Chinese had attacked five Japanese Buddhist monks in the International Concession zone‚ seriously injuring two of them. The Japanese community was outraged with the aggression‚ fifty of its youngsters hit back‚ storming into a Chinese factory outside the Concession boundaries‚ clashing with a patrol and killing a Chinese policeman. Among the confusion a colleague of the dead Chinese policeman got hold of his gun and fired, wounding three Japanese and killing another.

These incidents could have been peacefully overcome if both parties were willing to meet on conciliatory terms. But instead the Japanese Navy, wanting to be as actively involved in the 'war' as their Army manoeuvring in Manchuria, took advantage of the incident to exaggerate its importance and concentrated ten armed vessels in the Shanghai harbour. Several days later‚ without a conciliatory gesture from either party‚ tension reached its zenith. Admiral Shiozawa, Commander in chief of the Second Japanese Fleet in China‚ sent an ultimatum containing four humiliating conditions to Wu Tieh Chen, the president of the municipality of Shanghai which demanded an immediate reply. The consequences of a lack or reply to the formal protest that the Japanese Consul General in Shanghai had delivered to the Chinese authorities would be drastic measures.

It was obvious that the Chinese‚ not prepared for war‚ would attempt to delay the ultimatum to the maximum. The president of the municipality's efforts to negotiate faced an inflexible rigidity. Meanwhile, the continual arrival of Japanese war vessels revealed that the Japanese had decided the outcome in advance.

Shanghai lived anguished hours waiting for the calamity to break out. There was a rush to the stock exchange and share values destabilised, seriously hitting the Hong Kong financial market. Foreign powers were mainly concerned for the future of the International Concession zone‚ particularly the French Concession. A force of volunteers was assembled‚ martial law imposed and the previously unsuppressable energy of the great metropolis was suddenly no longer in evidence. The Paris of the Far East held its breath and braced itself - aware that the imminent explosion of conflict has become unavoidable.

The Chinese people refused to accept the suggestions of their president‚ who by then was prepared to negotiate‚ being restricted by the humiliating terms the Japanese imposed on him. The Nineteenth Chinese Army headed by General Tsai Tin Kai moved towards the city. Chapei borough‚ the Chinese section of Shanghai gradually became a fortified enclosure. Barricades were put up‚ all strategic entry points blocked with sandbags and in-and-out motor vehicles were searched thoroughly.

The ultimatum deadline was set for 18.00 on the 28th of January. The president of the municipality declared that he was ready to accept whatever terms might be imposed by the Japanese‚ but it was too late - the die had been cast. With bellicose determination the Japanese Navy opened fire on the Woosong fortification at 23.00‚ simultaneously landing five hundred marines in Chapei borough.

The Woosong canons returned the fire and in Chapei the Japanese forces clashed against unexpected resistance and were decimated. It was to take a few days for the assailants to fully understand that Shanghai would not be brought to its knees by the mere presence of a Japanese military parade.

But the news of the first exchange of fire reverberates throughout the world where belief in the survival of Shanghai‚ that incomparable city‚ falls victim to the general phobia of catastrophe.

Macao is seized with grief and anxiety. Shanghai had a large Portuguese community‚ as big as or even bigger than Hong Kong's. Macao's links with Shanghai were as strong as those with nearby Hong Kong. In fact‚ there was not a single family in Macao without relatives in Shanghai‚ a city which during the last decades had seen a great influx of emigrants from Macao.

•[XXVI -III (50/51) 21 Maio [May] 1977‚ p.6].

On the 28th of January 1932 a ferocious bombardment leaves Chapei, the Chinese section of Shanghai in a sea of flames. Countless lives were lost in the inferno of explosions and crumbling or collapsing buildings.

A panic stricken population rushed to the International and French Concessions‚ storming the main streets such as the elegant Nanking Road‚ and invading the Bund where the grand hotels and luxury stores are situated.

Chapei engulfed by fire was a terrifying and hellish sight. The population of the Concessions stared from their windows‚ terraces and verandas at the event. The Chinese refugees witnessed the destruction of entire neighbourhoods - their shops‚ companies‚ homes and not excluding sumptuously appointed town mansions. Nothing was spared. The Odeon Theatre was reduced to a burnt carcass, but worst, the famous headquarters building of the Commercial Press Co. Ltd. which housed a repository of old books and Chinese valuables - valued then at more than ten million US dollars, was reduced to cinders. The international press voiced its outrage.

The foreign powers protested against the Japanese aggression but cautiously stayed put. Their foremost concern was the safe keeping of the Concessions; as long as these were left 'untouched' by the war there would be no retaliation against the Japanese. Despite this attitude precautionary measures were enforced and the foreign powers´ garrisons increased. On the 1st of February the British cruiser Berwick left Hong Kong taking on board eight hundred Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. The Americans dispatched the Thirty First US Regiment from Manila with twelve hundred men and moored a powerful fleet of destroyers off the Concessions' waterfront. The French cruiser Ruisseau and the Italian cruiser Libre were also stationed in Shanghai. The Portuguese cruiser Adamastor left Hong Kong for Shanghai on the 2nd [of February] and‚ in case the situation deteriorated‚ the warship Gil Eanes prepared to leave with a military contingent from Macao. News circulated in Macao that the cruiser Républica, at that time in Mozambique‚ was also being equipped to join the other two Portuguese vessels if necessary.

During those tense days in Shanghai Portuguese volunteers alternated at their posts, assisting in the evacuation of Portuguese women and children from the Hongkew, Kiangwan and Chapei boroughs. They agonisedly controlled the access gates to the Concessions which were already threatened by food shortages due to the massive invasion of refugees during the first days of the conflict. Later they told harrowing tales of what they had witnessed at the gates; mothers with their arms outstretched imploring protection and pity, frightened children in floods of tears, hunched and numbed men rigid as robots drained of all strength and hope; beyond this a mass of human bodies as the war crushed buildings, killing and incinerating all in its path.

After the initial spate of consternation in Macao the firm resolution of the international powers to protect the Concessions at all costs dissipated their worst anxieties and a general mood of optimism prevailed again.

Chinese New Year and Carnival were celebrated merrily in February. Even the Chinese from Macao were in a positive mood. Shanghai's resistance against the Japanese aggressor filled them with pride. The Nineteenth Army fought back staunchly without respite and for them Tsai Tin Ka's recalcitrance and competence redeemed the humiliating disasters that occurred in Manchuria.

In Macao‚ the movies continued to be the favourite pastime of the people - but the Portuguese community had yet another source of entertainment: the visit of the Tournée Teatral Portuguesa (Portuguese Theatre Tour) to the Colonies which continues its tour of Africa and Goa to come and perform in Macao. The troupe's cast consisted of three actresses; Eveline Correia, Dolores d'Almeida and Salete Barros - and four actors; Manuel Correia, José de Arêde Soveral, Carlos Barros and Artur d'Almeida. "A Voz de Macau" printed that the metropolitan actresses and actors were planning to give a series of performances in conjunction with the Grupo de Amadores de Teatro e Música (Amateur Group of Theatre and Music) of Macao with the support of Edith da Costa Roque and Maria da Costa Roque.

Thanks to the support raised the Tour gave several plays at the Teatro D. Pedro V (Dom Pedro V Theatre) during the month of February. Much applauded, these performances would remain in the memory of the Macao public, especially because no other theatre company from Portugal ever visited the Colony again.

The short season opened on the 11th of February with the delightful operetta "A Mouraria" [The name of one of the oldest quarters of Lisbon‚ initially the residential area of the Mouros (Moors)]. There was not a single empty seat at the theatre beside the Largo de Sto Agostinho (St. Augustine's Square). The touring cast was joined on stage by Edith da Costa Roque, Henrique Machado and Danilo Barreiros. Bernardino de Senna Fernandes, one of the members of the Grupo dos Amadores de Teatro e Música, was in charge of the musical direction. It was an uncontested finale.

The following day they performed "No Balão" ("At the Balloon") and on the 17th "O Milagre de Fátima" ("The Miracle of Fatima") a drama much praised and enjoyed by devout locals. During the month of February they continued to present the revue "Jardim da Europa" ("Europe's Garden"), the comedy "A Boneca Alemã" ("The German Doll")‚ the operetta "João Ratão" and the musical "Estava Escrito! ("It Was Written! ").

The members of the Portuguese Theatre Tour were true professionals, showing great ease on stage. While they stayed in Macao their teaching greatly encouraged amateur theatre actors who were to found the Academia de Amadores de Teatro e Música (Academy of Theatre and Music Amateurs) some years later - among them the Carvalho e Rego brothers, Henrique Machado, Lucília and Mário de Campos Néry, Vizeu Pinheiro and Jaime Bellard.

Also during that historically feverish month of February‚ a few good movies were screened in Macao. Here are a few of them: "Lasca of Rio Grande" with Leo Carrillo and John MacBrown; "Daddy Long Legs" with Warner Baxter and Janet Gaynor, "Waterloo Bridge" with Mae Clarke, Kent Douglas and Doris Lloyd - and the bombastically successful musicals "Gold Diggers of Broadway" and "King of Jazz" directed by Paul Witemann.

The Capitol presented one of the greatest box office hits of the year - a documentary film from China with the suggestive title of "Chapei-Shanghai". Chinese queued in crowds to see live images of the clashes in Chapei, Kiangwan and Woosung headed by the hero of the moment, General Tsai Tin Kai.

Also during this February of 1932 Macao was visited by the grand Harneston Circus troupe, famous for its turns with animals. Tigers‚ lions‚ panthers‚ elephants‚ horses, cockatoos, geese and kangaroos settled temporarily in Mong Há on an empty parcel of land.

On the 21st of February an important social event brought together the Chinese and Portuguese communities of the Colony: the opening of the new headquarters of the Associação Comercial (Commercial Association) in the Largo de S. Domingos.

Meanwhile‚ unknown to most‚ in the shadow of all these activities - sometimes sad‚ sometimes happy and delightful - the first symptoms of a great tragedy appeared that would drape Macau in mourning: cerebro-spinal meningitis.

•[XXVII - III (53) 7 Julho [July] 1977, p.4].

The first cases of cerebro-spinal meningitis were detected by the end of February. On the 2nd of March the news went public. The "A Voz de Macau" published a long article describing the disease‚ commencing with the following lines:

"The few cases of cerebro-spinal meningitis which have recently been diagnosed caused a certain disquiet and even terror among the most timorous."

An attempt was being made to minimise the seriousness of the situation. In order to keep spirits high the public in general was advised of preventive measures to follow. The last few paragraphs of the article read:

"But in all situations there is always a catch which should be taken into consideration - fear. It is well known, as the old proverb tells, that fear is not a good companion and fearful people, because debilitated, are more prone to be receptive to the illness.

Please, do not be alarmed because, really, there is no cause for alarm."

But on the same day, in the same paper the Farmácia Popular (Popular Pharmacy) placed an advertisement for a prophylactic: "Preventive Drops against the Weichselbaum Meningococcus".

The above cited article and advertisement, together with the news that a team of medical specialists had gathered at the government's Direcção de Saúde (Health Services) to discuss measures to eradicate the disease, were enough to seriously undermine the morale of the people.

If ever the population of Macao was overtaken by complete panic, that was the moment. Despite all declarations to keep calm there was the air of a rampant epidemic. Popular superstition spread wildfire rumours that the very air itself was contaminated and the very necessary act of breathing already dictated a likelihood of becoming infected. Blame was attributed to the heavy humidity of the season, the constantly overcast weather and the gusty northern winds which brought the miasmas of war from afar and the attendant putrefaction of the dead bodies lying unburied beneath the ruins. The most extremely superstitious recalled a bad omen from the previous year- the great hurricane and the explosion of the Gunpowder Storerooms at Jardim da Flora (Flora Gardens).

On the 7th of March the Conselho Especial dos Serviços de Saúde e Higiene (Special Council of the Heath and Hygiene Services) held an extraordinary meeting, the outcome of which was the official acknowledgement of an epidemic in the Colony. The Leal Senado (Macao Municipality) closed the primary school Pedro Nolasco da Silva and the final exams were rescheduled for the 29th and 30th of March and the 1st and 5th of April. It was the longest period of school holidays that students ever had in Macao.

The "A Voz de Macau" published a daily listing with the newly diagnosed, the dead and the cured. These made extremely depressing reading If the number of people positively diagnosed in the previous twenty four hours was less than the day before that there was an immediate hope that the epidemic was receding - but if the contrary was the case people trembled in silent fear. During the month of March three hundred and twenty patients were admitted at the Conde de S. Januário (Count St. January) government hospital.

The hospice of Vila Branca did not have enough facilities to give adequate medical treatment to so many afflicted. Two temporary shelters had to be built. People thought of escape - but where to? Hong Kong, mainland China and Guangdong were unthinkable options. The epidemic stormed there even more rampantly than in Macao. In fact, the reality was that the City of the Holy Name of God accounted for the lowest number of cases per capita in all the region.

I myself still recall an event as vividly as if had taken place yesterday. My parents, my elder brother and I had gone out shopping one afternoon in the Bazaar at the Rua dos Mercadores (Merchants Street). We were in a shop when we suddenly noticed people running outside on the street‚ disappearing down the side streets‚ into houses or just leaning against the buildings. Curious to know what was actually happening we stepped outside. On a grubby pedicab drawn by certainly a well paid coolie, a boy lay rigidly, more dead than alive. It was followed by a weeping couple‚ most probably the sick boy's parents. We had no time to see in which direction they were going because my parents shouted at us: -"Run away! Wait for us at S. Domingos." Caught by an unutterable terror we ran as fast as we could. Such was the atmosphere in Macao during the time when the epidemic was at its peak.

We then lived at Estrada de S. Francisco (St. Francis Road) separated from the [Conde de S. Januário] hospital precinct by the remnants of the old city wall. We could see one of the temporary shelters from the terrace of our house. Our childishly morbid curiosity drove us to spy attentively on the wailing sick and to guess the exact number of the patients admitted by keeping close track of the number of times the ambulance rushed up the steep hill clanging its siren. Early in April the Colony's government urgently acquired another ambulance from Hong Kong. The daily paper reported that the epidemic had reached Swatow.

After the first ten days of April‚ the number of cases reported showed a noticeable decline. For instance‚ on the 13th of April the hospital registered no admissions of patients with meningitis at all and by the end of the month it was recognized that the disease was under control. May came and the worst fear of the disease spreading was over. Soon the epidemic was a thing of the past but it had robbed the lives of more than ninety people.

The month of March was furthers overcast by news of the horrors taking place in Shanghai‚ where the Japanese were losing face for not expecting such fierce opposition from the Nineteenth Chinese Army. They called for reinforcements in an attempt to accelerate the end of the conflict, escalating their numbers to seven thousand soldiers. After yet another strong offensive launched in Kiangwan failed abysmally the Japanese decided to concentrate all their efforts on taking the forts of Woosun which had proved impregnable until then despite the heavy bombardment by the Imperial Navy. The Chinese held strong. The casualties were enormous and included the Generals Tang Chi Hsin and Vong Chan Yuan in combat.

The relentless attacks of the Japanese finally overcame the defensive forces and, one by one the forts were gradually conquered and dismantled. Finally, with the consent of their supreme commander, the great General Tsai Tin Kai, the Chinese troops made an orderly withdrawal. The fall of Woosung was a severe blow to Chinese strategic positions and after this victory the Japanese were determined to surround and capture the Nineteenth Army. However Tsai Tin Kai is astute enough to avoid being trapped by the enemy's manoeuvres and moves his army further inland. Vanquished yet glorious the Nineteenth Army escaped to safer territory with severe losses. Though at a distance from Shanghai it remained a powerful fighting machine capable of sustaining new positions. The great metropolis was saved.

Though the soldiers of the resistance did not declare themselves defeated‚ the withdrawal from Shanghai was met with some apprehension by the Chinese Central Government. Peace conversations were conducted amongst strong protests from a great number of fervent patriots. But the time for armed intervention was over; now it was up to the politicians to control the situation. A peace sourly received settlement was finally reached agreeing that China would relinquish Manchuria.

The Japanese attack on Shanghai had created financial havoc. All trade had come to a halt‚ the share indexes of both the Shanghai and Hong Kong stock exchanges plunged vertiginously‚ taking many into bankruptcy and ruin. Solid Macanese fortunes were destroyed or badly hit as were those of the wealthiest Portuguese families settled in Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Major developments that had been planned for Macao during the euphoria of 1931 were paralysed, some of which never came to life again. Even the horse and dog races are badly hit. The grand structure of the canidrome planned to cater for foreigners and visitors from the mainland and Hong Kong was now only attended by locals, who bet with cautious parsimony. The collapse of such a once auspicious venture seemed inevitable.

To cut it short, 1932 was a disastrous year for Macao as well as for peace in the Far East. The bells tolled.

•[XXVIII - III (54) 12 Agosto [August] 1977‚ pp. 4 and 6].

The eradication of the cerebro-spinal meningitis brought celebrations in Macao with impressive religious parades and demonstrations. The ceremonies took place in May.

The Our Lady of Fatima procession held on the 13th of May was particularly impressive. All the catholics from the Colony joined in thanksgiving for being spared of greater calamity. I was told by some people who attended it that many participants had tears in their eyes and that the ladies choir sang the traditional anthems of this festivity with even more intense religious fervour than usual.

The Chinese population also showed signs of thankful devotion. A massive Buddhist procession was organized for the 21st May‚ full of clatter and colour. The government representatives and other officials watched it from the balcony of the Leal Senado building. The "A Voz de Macau" commented that more than ten thousand people joined the procession gathered in the public square facing the Senado.

There was not only gloom in 1932; the arts and spectacles being specially alive in the Colony that year.

The Portuguese Theatre Tour to the Colonies gave repeated performances until September. Among a variety of staged shows the Portuguese versions of Paul Armstrong's "20.000 Dollars" and the famous "The Trial of Mary Dugan" were the most acclaimed.

On the night of the 9th of June the Theatre Dom Pedro V was transformed into the audience chamber of an American Law court. The public followed the tribulations of the accused Mary Dugan charged with murder‚ witnessed the inquests and the debates and almost joined in the debate, manifesting discontent towards the Justice Attorney and being supportive of the defence lawyer. It was an unforgettable night, probably the best show of the Tour's repertoire.

The readers might well ask how it was possible for the spectators to endure such a tense play without air conditioning. The "Voz de Macau" answers this question in the following lines:

"Thanks to the electrical cooling system which was installed throughout the whole show and to the thousands of pounds of ice scattered throughout the stalls and circle the temperature in the auditorium remained pleasantly cool.

A truly fantastic artists' performance.

Congratulations."

The spirit of theatre was alive and well in Macao even before the visit of the Portuguese Theatre Tour, but the professional stagecraft of its members greatly contributed to improvement of the artistic merits of the Colony's amateurs who presented two memorable shows in the same year - one after the other

The first show‚ presented before the arrival of the Tour, was a charity performance for the Fundo do Asilo dos Orfãos (The Orphans Asylum Fund). This was a series of short one act comedies‚ one monologue and a number of musical sketches. The Banda Musical (Music Band) played‚ conducted by Constâncio José da Silva and‚ according to the "A Voz de Macau", the participating actresses and actors were Edith Roque, Maria Roque, Maria Braga, Berta Passos, Luís Góis, Francisco Garcia, José Garcia, David Guimarães, Américo Marques, Aníbal Passos, Policarpo Girão and Salvador do Nascimento.

The other show‚ also presented during the month of September by the crew members of the Adamastor with proceeds going to the Núcleo Desportivo Pátria (Sports Nucleus Pátria) - which would later become the Núcleo Desportivo da Marinha (Sports Nucleus of the Navy) - was a smash hit. Performed in the Dom Pedro V Theatre to a full house, it consisted of a variety of numbers, one of the most remarkable being the comedy in one act entitled "Um Julgamento" ("A Judgement") with two hilarious main characters, the "Tio Verdades" ("Uncle Truth") and the "Tia Censuras" ("Aunt Censorship").

Other Portuguese artists were also present in the Colony that year. In May, Lomelino de Silva, a lyric tenor who according to the "A Voz de Macau" was "the" Portuguese Caruso, gave two recitals.

Contrary to Silva Sanches, Lomelino de Silva was a polite gentleman, with a friendly manner and a beautifully moving voice. He was much liked. An exclusive first performance was held at the Dom Pedro V on the 8th of May‚ a second following at the Capitol on the 16th of May with a less erudite and more mass oriented repertoire. Considering how much the public applauded him after the shows, and how courteously he was received by Macanese society, he must have left the Colony with good memories of his visit.

1932 also was a good year for classical music in Macao with the visit of the Schneider Trio, made up of the pianist Baron Vietinghoff Scheel, the violinist Remja Waschitz and the founder of the ensemble Prof. Wolfing Schneider. The group was well known in Macao for its famous international tours of Europe and the Americas and, more recently, its exalted press reviews of performances in Hong Kong and Shanghai.

The Trio travelled to Macao thanks to the enthusiasm of the management of the Capitol who drummed up adequate publicity for the event. Although the Capitol's auditorium was not acoustically ideal for such specialist musical performances the theatre was packed with enthusiasts.

Commemorating the bicentenary of Haydn's birth, the ensemble started their performance with the composer's "Trio in B flat major", followed by a piece of Rachmaninoff, a "Romanza" by Schuman, etc.

The "A Voz de Macau" published the follow critique of the concert:

"It was an evening of delightful spiritual enchantment. Had it not been for the lateness of the hour and the noticeable energy already consumed by the artists in the delivery of such a magnificent programme, the public would have insisted for more encores than it did at the end of the three piano solos.

Just by their manner of listening absorbedly the audience would have showed their enthusiasm for the entire programme - adding to this the ovations following each movement as well as crowning the finale of each piece, and the huge crowd which attended each performance [...] to assume that all those who joined efforts to turn this event into reality are pleased with the result of their endeavours [...]."

During 1932 a number of classical horror movies were shown in Macao, the Capitol surpassing the repertoire of the Vitoria. Bella Lugosi's "Dracula" spread terror among the locals a few, making no distinction between a vampire and a bat‚ became panic stricken in their own houses, fearful of the sudden arrival of the perverse Count. During the hot month of July "Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde" was screened with the brilliant Frederick March who had won an Academy Oscar for his performance. The verdict of the horrified spectators was unanimous: "This film is tremendously frightening!"

Hardly recovered from their fright, a week later was the opening of "Frankenstein" with Boris Karloff in the main role. At the time this too was considered a terrifying story.

Despite the extreme heat of the season there were quite a few who shivered under the bedsheets, eyes staring open with insomnia. From now on it became customary to frighten children by just imitating the gestures of the monster with his arms stretched out forwards, the rigid body walking mechanically and his livid expressions. The following Carnival was to be characterised as the season of the 'Frankensteins'.

Besides horror movies 1932 will also be cinematographically remembered in Macao for a number of milder films, such as:

"The Desert Song" with Jon Boler, screened at the Vitoria; "Dance Fools Dance" the crowning glory of Joan Crawford as one of the greatest contemporary actresses of the talkies; "Delicious" with the lovers' duo Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell; "Palmy Days" with the hilarious Eddie Cantor; "The Man I Killed" directed by Philip Holmes, shown at the Capitol; and "One Hour with You" with Janet MacDonald and Maurice Chevalier.

Probably the best film of the year was the box office booster "Trader Hour" about the African continent with Harry Carey, shown at the Vitoria. The Capitol presented a few European films such as the Spanish "Hay que Casal el Príncipe" (lit. "The Prince Must Marry") with Jose Mojica and Conchita Montenegro; and some French films including "Unknown Singer" [?] interpreted by the actor tenor Lucien Muratore.

In November the future construction of the Carlton Theatre was announced‚ later to be renamed Apolo.

•[XXIX - III (55) 30 Agosto 1977‚ pp.3-4].

1933 was spent in the throes of economic depression brought on by the Sino-Japanese war of the two previous years. Despite the heavy external blow inflicted on the patriotism of the entire Chinese nation civil conflicts between warlords did not abate. The Japanese took advantage of this together with the inertia of the British, French and the United States governments to push ahead with their expansion fever.

The daily papers in Macao commented incessantly on the rising costs of daily basic products and the generally high cost of living. But in reality nothing was really prohibitive and in comparison with today's prices 'luxuries' were still relatively quite inexpensive. For example a first class cabin return trip to Hong Kong on the Sui Tan or Sun An ferries cost $2,00. A first class cabin return trip to Guangzhou in the Seng Cheong was $2,50. In those days there was no need for passport or pass to travel to either place and Immigration Services were simply non-existent.

The average price of a two piece summer suit - trousers and jacket - was $7,00 (note). At the Loja Luso-Japonesa (Portuguese-Japanese Shop) of J. Manuel da Rocha, in Rua do Campo (Campo Street)‚ a dozen bottles of wine from the Bairrada region cost $5,50 - for red wine - and $4,50 Patacas - for white wine. At the Oriente Comercial, Lda. (Commercial Orient, Ltd.) in Avenida Almeida Ribeiro (Almeida Ribeiro Avenue) one could purchase a case of twenty four bottles of sweet sparking wine for $36,00. At the grocers a tin of Isidoro ham cost $1,11 Avos. The army paid $0,04 and $0,05 for respectively a catty and a kilogram of potatoes.

At the Fat Siu Lau restaurant a steak with fried egg and chips was $0,25 (silver) and a large plate of chau-chau rice was $0,10. The permanent residents of the Aurora Portuguesa pension were charged $22,00 for a three-meal (breakfast, lunch and dinner) monthly full board (note). The Casa do Povo, one of the best restaurants for Portuguese food in Macau at the time was equally economical. The menu of Saturday the 16th of April 1933 was:

Almoço Especial (Special Lunch)

(das 12 às 15 horas)

(from 12.00 to 15.00 pm)

Sopa (Soup) : Canja de Galinha (Chicken broth)

1. Feijoada (Broad bean stew)

2. Lombo recheado (Stuffed loin)

3. Presunto e ovos (Bacon and eggs)

4. Pastelinhos de carne (Meat dumplings)

5. Arroz de camarão (Shrimp rice)

6. Pudim (Pudding)

7. Fruta (Fruit)

8. Chá ou café (Tea or coffee)

$1,00 nota(note)

Jantar Especial (Special Dinner)

(das 12 às 15 horas)

(from 12.00 to 15.00 pm)

Sopa à Juliana (Vegetable soup)

1. Peixe com molho de tomate (Fish in tomato sauce)

2. Coelho guisado com batatas (Rabbit with potato stew)

3. Galinha assada com ervilhas (Roast chicken with peas)

4. Croquetes com azeitonas (Croquettes with olives)

5. Arroz à Jardineira (Mixed vegetable rice)

6. Pudim (Pudding)

7. Fruta (Fruit)

8. Chá ou café (Tea or coffee)

$1,00 nota(note)

The smartest street was still the Rua Central (Central Street) where people used to stroll after the eleven o'clock Sunday morning mass at Sé (Cathedral) to admire the latest arrivals displayed in the shop windows of the 'mouros' ('Moors'). The J. H. Bejonjee's Royal Silk Store offered striped silk for shirts at $ 1,08 a yard, heavy silk crepe at the same price, printed Chinese crepe at $1,30 a yard, heavy satin crepe $2,00 a yard, Fuji silk shirts for men at $3,50, and Fuji silk pyjamas for men at $4,50. Prices in the neighbouring shops of the 'Moor' Elias and the 'Moor' Haaji were about the same.

And people were always complaining about the cost of living!

To the delight of elegant Macanese females, after the extremely successful fashion parade organised at the Hotel Riviera in December of the previous year by Miss Dina Rosenberg, this year a refined and portly French lady named Madame Lebon would open the Paradis des Dames at the Avenida da Praia Grande (Prayia Grande Avenue).

Needless to say that every Macanese high society lady raced to this couture atelier to dress according to Madame Lebon's dictums who, disdaining the local dress makers, imposed her Parisian dash, to the great concern of husbands and fathers, dashing all their hopes of economies. And if someone dared to make the slightest remark at an apparently excessive price Madame Lebon stuck out her chin and uttered in an eminently superior tone:

- "Oh well, this dress is not really within evveeryone's reach."

Carnival fell between the end of February and early March. The fear of war being distant and the horrors of meningitis being thank goodness a past memory, the festivities were especially gay in 1933. "A Voz de Macau" gave news of the club parties, the parades of the tunas and the crash parties in jocular and roguish terms typified by 'clear skies after stormy weather'.

No-one paid attention to the presidential election in Germany were the Nazi Party came to power headed by a leader practically unknown in Macao: Adolf Hitler.

The news was indifferently published in the daily newspapers of the 6th of March. The local press was currently enthralled with the trial of Cheong Kwok Yau, a famous Chinese playboy from Hong Kong and the only son of millionaires, who had killed another millionaire, George Fung, as the tragic outcome of a passionate involvement. Local and international press avidly followed the trial proceedings which gathered some of the most prestigious British solicitors and barristers of the time onto the prosecution and the defence teams.

1933's fierce competition between two rival clubs, the Argonauta and the Tenebroso will continue to be remembered by all Macanese football fans. The two teams met for the first time on the 7th of February with the Argonauta winning three to two during a memorably challenging match played with much enthusiasm, ardour and intense sporting skill.

Macao scored even better results in hockey, the local team becoming famous throughout the whole of the Far East. It was the dawn of a Golden Age for this sport in the Colony. Almost every Sunday contenders from Hong Kong come to Macao to play at the Tap Seac but the Macanese 'boys' were so skilful that the team from the neighbouring Colony invariably lost. Such thorough professionalism enabled the local team to reach the highest level and play against the Malaysian leaders. The Macanese hockey 'aces' become the idols of the local youngsters. All adolescents dreamed to one day be able to join their ranks and perform their tricks on the Tap Seac grass field and to be applauded with similar enthusiasm for their sporting prowess.

The construction of a new cinema on a vacant site facing the Post Office, Wireless and Telephones' headquarters building remained in its planning phase. A billboard prominently displaying the heading "Carlton Theatre" was the only real evidence of an eventual development on the empty patch of land littered with rubbish and covered with weeds. Rumours spread that the Vitoria was going to close and change its activities. It was speculated that a new cinema was due to open soon at the bottom of Rua do Comércio (Commerce Street) on the first floor of the Tarrafeiro market. It was to be called Nanking (Nanjing), a name patriotically chosen by the Chinese entrepreneurs in memory of the current capital of China. The other active Chinese cinemas in Macao only showed silent movies. They were the Hoi Keang in the Rua Praia do Manduco (Beach of Manduco Street) and the San Kio in the San Kio and Sé Kong Chinese sectors of town.

The Capitol practically held the exclusivity on horror movies. In 1933 it showed "Chandu, the Magician" with Edmond Lowe playing a memorable role using his macchiavellian powers to control the diabolic force of Bela Lugosi. "The Old Dark House" marked the return of Boris Karloff to the Macao screens; returning again some months later in "Mummy" equally successful as in his Frankenstein role.

The Victoria opted for showing romantic movies with a selection of the best, produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. "Grand Hotel" based on a novel by Vicky Baum was interpreted by Metro top stars: Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore, Joan Crawford, Wallace Beeny and Lewis Stone. Garbo's enigmatic beauty and distant personality were remarkable in the drama "Anne Christie" shown later in the year.

The Vitoria also had the best selection of war movies. "Kreuzer Emden" is a German film relating the story of the daring pirate cruiser active during the First World War; "Tell England" is a British movie about the Dardanels campaign recapturing the intensity and tension of war action in "All Quiet in the Western Front".

•[XXX -III (56) 15 Setembro [September] 1977, pp.4-5].

A number of other events from 1933 also deserve to be mentioned.

On the 10th of February the Conselho do Governo (Government Council) held an extraordinary assembly to debate an important communication addressed to the consultative body of the Colony by the Portuguese Minister of the Colonies through the Governor Bernardes de Miranda. This matter "[...] of foremost importance to the future of Macao [...]" was a project to connect the mainland to the islands of Taipa and Coloane presented by a foreign engineer named Lund, whose proposals for investment in the territory involved materialising this old Macanese aspiration.

But neither the basics of the proposal, nor the benefits to Macao of such project were made public, what was made known was that the project had been unanimously approved by all the members of the Government Council.

"[...] someone uttered between two caramboles in the billiards room of the Clube Macau (Macao Club)":

- "Yet another dream... ideas, ideas... promises, promises... all to remain at the bottom of a drawer."

Indeed the project proved to be nothing more than another visionary speculation to add to so many others that the people of Macao had already become used to. No decision being implemented, engineer Lund abandoned the project, after waiting for a green light even longer than might be supposed reasonable. Apparently, with their characteristic inertia, the top people at Terreiro do Paço** (i.e., Praça do Comércio; or Commerce Square) had done nothing to materialise the proposal and it eventually sank into oblivion. Macao had to wait another forty years for the General Nobre de Carvalho bridge to be built.

The future of the islands was then a central theme of great interest in the Portuguese press. António de Santa Clara, a little known Macanese author of inflamed and sarcastic prose wrote absorbingly on the subject. In those days Taipa and Coloane were only supplied with petrol and gas for illumination. On the 26th of March "A Voz de Macau" published an article which said:

"The Water Company of this city and the Administrative Commission of the Taipa and Coloane islands signed a contract the day before yesterday.

With the upgrading of these islands in mind, the Water Company will soon start major works to the value of approximately one million Patacas."

Although meritorious, the improvements attempted by the Water Company were finally limited to the two major residential areas of the two islands - the remaining areas continuing to have no electricity supply. All the other improvements that had been announced remained as usual at the bottom of a drawer. Promises, promises...

The greatest social event of 1933 was the opening on the 25th of March of the União Recreativa (Recreational Union) building adjacent to the hippodrome, at the Areia Preta (Black Sands) borough.

This is how the impressive new building was described in "A Voz de Macau":

"It is an ample, elegant, sober and well planned construction. The grounds are quite vast. The parking lot is already built in preparation for the future football field, basketball and tennis courts, a hockey ring, a golf course and an amusement park for the use of the members' children. The Directorate is endeavouring to obtain permission for the construction of a sizeable swimming pool.

The society of the União Recreation had been founded in 1924 by a group of Macanese who used to gather to play music. There were about twenty of them, including António Ferreira Batalha, Paulino A. da Silva, and Pedro, Alberto Angêlo and António Galdino Dias. Together they planned enthusiastically to build a music centre. The dynamism of the society attracted many other people who gradually joined in. Soon the number of members reached two hundred, an enormous figure taken in relation to the small overall total of Portuguese residents in the Colony. This increase in members broadened the horizons of the society which expanded to integrate recreational and sports activities. During the 1920s the União Recreativa's football team had been one of the most important in Macao only being disbanded with the later creation of the Argonauta and Tenebroso.

The society did not have a meeting place for such a huge membership. Parties, functional gatherings and the variety of planned activities required appropriate installations. An initially modest and realistic proposal soon developed into the ambitious idea of creating a 'country club' in a quiet and pleasant place where the society could promote a wide range of leisure activities. In those days Areia Preta (Black Sands) was considered to be at a great distance from the city centre and was a totally undeveloped and calm expanse of land with a tranquil waterfront. The urban coverage of those times barely reached Avenida Horta e Costa (Horta e Costa Avenue) and beyond its long stretch towards the sea and the Portas do Cerco (Border Gate) only the Canidrome existed, with the Hippodrome and tiny Chinese dwellings peppered in amongst empty tracts of fields.

The society's country club idea was immediately given the unconditional support of Governor Tamagnini Barbosa. The project was subsidised partly by the government, partly the owners of the Dom Pedro V Theatre and partly by a number of private investors who where interested in supporting the venture.

The opening ceremony was memorable. All Macao was there. There were all sorts of delicacies and sweets and a fabulous 'chá gordo'.

Speeches were made by the President of the society, António Ferreira Batalha, the government representative, Rocha Santos and Dr. Américo Pacheco Jorge, the representative of Clube de Macau - the oldest Macanese society circle.

News of the opening described in the "A Voz de Macau" of the 26th of April ends in the following manner:

"It was followed by the signature of the inauguration's register after which the crowds decided to explore the ample new building and its adjoining grounds. Here and there small groups of people gathered and chatted away while others were engrossed in the sounds of fox-trots, steps, waltzes and other rhythms, and paired with charming ladies and young demoiselles to dance non-stop till the closing hour of nine at night, disappointed that the festivities were terminating at such an early hour.

Let this be no reason for despair, there will certainly be plenty of future opportunities for these enthusiasts to make the most of their party mood to even their entire satisfaction..."

We barely remember that the football field, basketball court, hockey ring, golf course were ever to be built nor, to our knowledge, was the projected swimming pool, and we seldom went to watch the tennis matches played out excitingly on fine spacious courts.

During their first years of existence at their new site the União Recreativa promoted a remarkably wide range of activities and scintilating parties. As the 1930s progressed it lost much of its dynamic and glamour, but this was to be resurrected during the Pacific War under new management: the Clube Melco (Melco Club). We will come to this later on.

Another important event of the year was the opening on the 26th of August of the Posto de Radiofusão de Macau (Macao Radiofusion Station) which started operating in the Post Office, Wireless and Telephones headquarters' building. In the inaugural speech delivered by Luciano da Costa Martins (Head of Staff of the Colony's Post Office) in the presence of the Governor, government dignitaries and the press, he stated: "This modest event [the opening ceremony] stands as another achievement on the road to progress that this Colony - today in the vanguard of all the Portuguese Colonies - initiated in the field of radio-electric technology in 1925."

The $30.000,00 cost of the Radiofusion Station was met fully by the government. Right from its initial and still very experimental phase it proved to be a powerful transmitter, its broadcasts being received by radio amateurs as far as Manila and Dili (Timor). According to letters and messages received it could be considered the best in the whole of the Far East. It enabled radio programmes from Macao that attested to the Portuguese presence so remote from the motherland, to go out to a wide area of the Orient.

After the speeches and the ensuing honorary protocols the first official broadcast took place. The programme was a musical arrangement of violins, mandolins and a guitar played by the quintet António Amante, Arnaldo de Sequeira, Henrique Braga, Joao Braga, and J. Rodrigues.

•[XXXI - III (57) 15 Outubro [October] 1977, pp.2 and 4].

The initial phase of the Macao radio transmissions was inadequately planned and did not conform to any structured programme. Music by the same string ensemble, then renamed Grupo Bragazinho (Bragazinho Ensemble), filled in most of the broadcasting time. A Chinese orchestra under the direction of Ma Seng Tac (Mahomed) also regularly contributed with light Chinese music.

By the end of 1933 the Radiofusion Station was renamed as Estação Emissora C. Q. N. de Macau (Broadcasting Station C. Q. N. of Macao). On the 1st of January 1934 Bernardes de Miranda, Governor of the Colony, spoke for the first time on the radio. His message would be the first of many to come delivered by all the following Governors of Macao up to the present time at this festive period.

The neighbouring Colony of Hong Kong also inaugurated its Z. B. W. Broadcasting Station in 1933. From the 3rd of January 1934 onwards the "A Voz de Macau" also publishes their daily programmes. Macao was assaulted by radio fever, everyone waiting to purchase a radio receiver, even the Chinese rapidly acquiring the habit of listening to it, although not quite as hysterical as the subsequent arrival of television in the territory. One of the favourite programmes of the time was the relay of the Hong Kong Hotel Grill Room Orchestra's programmes, the trendy music of the China Emporium cabaret orchestra also being much appreciated. Thanks to radio all the new dancing rhythms inspired by tunes from the great international films took no time to reach Macao.

January 1934 was an exceptional month for cinema in Macao. On the 1st of January the Capitol selected "King Kong" with Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong and Bruce Cabot to open the year's season in grand style.

The advertisements praised it as the "eighth wonder of the world". Seats were systematically sold out for all screenings everyone being extremely eager to see the mighty monkey. The Chinese audience repeatedly uttered astonished "uás" staring at the furious giant ape going wild in downtown New York and climbing to the Empire State Building where he was finally shot to death by the air squadron's artillery. The film left a such an impressive and lasting memory that all those who saw it then were eager to see its remake when it showed two years ago in Macao [1975]. But the first "King Kong" undoubtedly remains the best of the two, a classic adventure movie whose great impact was in no way underrated by the recent remake.

The Victoria's program did not lag behind in excellence - the German war movie "Four Infantrymen" opened on the 5th of January. It was the German equivalent in every way of the American production of "All Quiet in the Western Front", being no less powerful an epic - a eulogy to peace and a repudiation of war, denouncing all its horrors. Ironically Germany was already under the regime of Hitler and National-Socialism at the time.

The best from a bunch of mellow movies and tearful dramas - soaked in tender sentiments and sheer escapist entertainment, were "White Sister" with Clark Gable and Helen Hayes, "Smiling Through" with Norma Shearer and Frederick March, and "Me and My Girl" with Spencer Tracy and Joan Bennett. These actors already being acclaimed by the international public were immediately cherished by the Colony's cinema audiences.

The Capitol presented several films by the German distribution studios UFA, the best of which were "Ronny" and "Mädchen in Uniform", the latter with the beautiful Dorothea Wieck and considered nowadays a classic of the genre.

In February the Vitoria advertised the imminent screening of a controversial movie. Rumours spread throughout the city that the film was provocative and included indecent scenes. It was called "Modern Womanhood" but was locally advertised in Portuguese under the title "A Mulher Moderna" (lit.: "The Modern Woman") with a short explanatory lines explaining it to be "[...] an educational movie [...]" followed by the harsher categorisation that "[...] it was forbidden to the under aged." Because the names of the main actors were not mentioned in the advertising poster, the films' contents became inflated to such a pitch of notoriety that before it could open it was specially screened to a panel of local censors who were supposed to be the pillars of the territory's moral criteria. On the 2nd of February the "Jornal de Macau" gave the following report of the movie's contents:

"We were present at the preview of this film alongside other authorities, members of the police force, doctors and reporters from the Chinese and Portuguese local press all invited to express their views on it.

It is in fact a very interesting movie describing the upbringing of modern women within the context of their social environments. It was produced by a Russian studio [to be more precise, we would contemporary say, Soviet], and was an exposition on the degree of attention given by the authorities to the education and adjustment of this generation to present-day society, with particular attention to the role of women.

Although the film touches a number of sensitive issues it does so with great decorum; nonetheless it is considered inadvisable to show it to young people from either sex, just in case their eager minds might jump to conclusions not even really implied."

The Vitoria attracted all the ladies and gentlemen interested to find out what "The Modern Woman" was really about. Some were shocked and uttered the infallible expression:

"How ghastly!"

One wonders how these people would react to contemporary films like "Deep Throat" that are now screened in reputedly good cinemas in major cities around the world to pornographically enlighten the respectable classes - who view them without reproach and even find them quite praiseworthy.

This same February supporters and fervid enthusiasts of the Macau HóqueíClube (Macao Hockey Club) saw their club defeated for the first time this season and, to make it worst, in Hong Kong at an extremely well attended match. The winners were the officers of the Royal Navy stationed at the H. M. S. Midway who scored three-to-one. The "Jornal de Macau" did not disguise its discontent and the sports column is reads as a harsh critique of the Colony's team. The article ended with the following lines:

"The best were Lino Ferreira - the only one who played well from the beginning till the end of the match- Hugo do Rosário Ramalho and Cardoso, who gave his very best performance of the season."

But the criticism was probably quite undeserved - the boys were just having a bad day - in any case they collected a mighty and fierce scolding from their instructor and the soul of the team, Lieutenant Filipe O' Costa. But this defeat did not diminish their morale in the slightest, on the contrary, it just strengthened their resolve for the future game against the Malaysia team.

This minor distress was probably quickly forgotten with the preparations for the Carnival parties, to prove to be the most luxurious and exciting of the 1930s in Macao.

Two weeks before Sábado Gordo (Carnival Saturday), the 10th of February, the most flamboyant of the crash parties took place with three tunas meandering through the lanes of the old city. The most eventful crash parties were at the homes of Abílio Basto, Edmundo de Senna Fernandes, Júlio Eugénio da Silva, and the Remédios family, nowadays the residence of the Juíz da Comarca (County Judge). Also memorable were those at the homes of Prof. Fernando de Lara Reis and António Ferreira Batalha. As we were just kids then everything registered vividly in our minds: the contagious happiness, the continuous music, the crazy jokes, the masked people speaking in patoá, and couples dancing rapturous fox-trots, blues, quick-steps, waltzes and popular songs till dawn.

The management of the Clube de Macau chose to decorate the ballroom with Portuguese regional objects. The rehearsals of the group of children who were to perform a series of national folk dances on the matinée of Domingo Gordo (Shrove Sunday) started well in time - a month before the big event. Some enthusiastic adults also wanted to learn the dance steps and configurations and made small groups on their own initiative. Everyone was singing "Ora bate Padeirinha, ora põe o pé no chão [...]" and "Rapazes vamos ao vira, ai, que o vira é coisa boa [...]."***

The official grand opening of the 1934 Carnival was the traditional masked ball at the Clube de Macau. Not many people were carnival costume. Most gentlemen wore tuxedos, smoking jackets or dress-coats, and the ladies were in elegant evening dresses. Madame Lebon had made a small fortune just out of party etiquette - pomp and panache being due on account of the Governor's presence. Much more noisy and relaxed was the ball taking place on the same day during the same hours at the Clube de Sargentos (Sargeants Club), or as it was popularly known the Sociedade Recreativado 1° de Junho (The First of June Recreational Society). Here protocol was abolished and people felt free to express themselves freely. The party at Clube dos Sargentos was in such unabated high spirits that the members of the Clube de Macau decided go on there after their late supper finished.

In the afternoon of Shrove Sunday the children's parties took place for members of both clubs. That evening was the Sociedade da União Recreativa ball, with all the tunas playing in sequence and hundreds of masked guests in fancy dress. Monday was the traditional ball at the Grémio Militar (Military Guild), starting out extremely dignified during the first hours before supper, but becoming riotously frenetic afterwards. Tuesday, the last partying day, was again celebrated at both Clube de Macau and Clube dos Sargentos with wild parties - in complete disregard of its being Ash Wednesday and a working day on the day after.

All the good people of Macao - adults, adolescents and children, had a great time during the days of the 1934 Carnival.

•[XXXII - III (58/59) 10 Dezembro [December] 1977, pp.6 and 9].

The main event of Spring 1934 was a match which had great impact on the sporting activities of the Colony. The news that the hockey team from Malaysia, famous champions of the Far East and one of the most prestigious in its category internationally, were to play in Macao was debated with great alacrity and expectation. Weeks before the event took place it was the exclusive topic of conversation - whether in the clubs, on the street, Sunday at church or even at family meal times when all gathered together to participate in this usually perfunctory ceremony.

In Hong Kong, during the first few days of April, the visiting Malay team won victories over both the neighbouring Colony's main contenders. A non-professional local team was defeated three-to-two and the select Hong Kong team was crushed four-two. Everyone commented on the unstoppable expertise of the Malays and agonised about the brio of the Macau Hóquei Clube players' forthcoming performance.

The big game took place on the 9th of April in the Tap Siac field with a tense crowd of five thousand spectators - a number which we think has probably not yet been surpassed in the territory. The Portuguese were all there cheering on their 'boys'. People who rarely otherwise went out of their homes were to be seen in the crowd. The difference between the Malay and the Macanese team was noticed and generally commented on before the match began - the former being better built and more athletic, and the latter being younger and more animated.

Both teams showed equal enthusiasm right from the start with the Malay players being clearly more assertive and experienced. It was an unforgettable clash of strength and expertise. During this memorable game hockey was played at the level of sporting art. The game vibrated with a spirited blend of gallantry and virility, both teams giving their very best to be the winners.

Macao lost one-to-nil but the public seriously contested the Malays' victory. The Malay referee declared two goals by the Macau Hóquei Clube players to be invalid, the second of which according to the general consensus of the spectators and the house team was perfectly valid. After the end of the game a large crowd openly vented their anger against the referee. A draw would have certainly been a fairer reflection of the champion performance by both teams.

Here are some phrases by Adelino da Conceição the sports columnist of the "A Voz de Macau" in his article of the 10th of April:

"to the best of my abilities I cannot find words to categorise it as game or as a spectacle.

I leave it to the readers to search for qualifying adjectives in reference books and dictionaries. Any encomiastic terminology would be equal to such a remarkable performance. Macao has never registered such a tremendous triumph during all its sporting history. It is the triumph of sportsmanship, of youth, of life itself, of agility and of physical culture. If Macao was a bigger place I would certainly make a minute description of the entire game but given the circumstances I find it totally unnecessary. All the Macao hockey enthusiasts were present, all followed and cheered the competitive moments unanimously closely and I classify this event without hesitation as the most incredible I have ever seen.

An impression of an ineffaceable beauty was indelibly engraved on the spirit of the public and the players. And so it remains in my mind."

The Macao team was formed by a group considered to be the 'Golden players' of hockey in the Colony - without implying any dishonour to later great hockey players - and consisted of the following participants, starting with the goal-keeper and finishing in the left-corner:

César Capitulé (Almada); Jacinto Rodrigues and Manuel Pinto Cardoso; Alexandre Airosa (Chane), João dos Santos and Lino Ferreira; Amílcar Ângelo, Fernando Ramalho, Frederico Nolasco da Silva, Pedro Ângelo and Rui Hugo do Rosário.

This incomparable match saw some of the best moments of local sport in the history of the Colony.

The same spring saw another great achievement, this time related to the arts and culture of Macao: approval of the statutes that founded the Academia dos Amadores de Teatro e Música (Academy of Theatre and Music Amateurs). From this moment onwards Macao was legally endowed with a circle to specifically promote the arts of music and theatre. The seeds left by the Tournée Teatral Portuguesa às Colónias (Portuguese Theatre Tour to the Colonies) during their 1932 visit to Macao had germinated into growing enthusiasm among theatre amateurs to develop their art. Credit must be given to the constant support of José de Arede Soveral, one of the former members of the Tour who had remained in the Colony as a civil servant and one of Macao's great enthusiasts.

Music was an essential subject of every young Macanese's education. In most houses at least one member of the family played a musical instrument. Piano and violin were the favourites but many people enjoyed playing casually string instruments such as mandolin, violin, guitar and ukulele. Boys being enthusiastic about the popular Carnival tunas' rhythms were extremely keen to learn how to play at least one musical instrument well. With so much talent around it was not a difficult task to organise an amateur musical group.

In those days there were two remarkable choirs specialising in sacred polyphony; the Schola Cantorum of Igreja de São Lourenço (St. Lawrence's Church), mainly made up of young voices, and the Coro da Capela de Santa Cecília (St. Cecily's Chapel Choir) of the Seminário de São José (St. Joseph's Seminary), mainly composed of the seminary's students in residence.

The College of Santa Rosa de Lima (St. Rose of Lima) was reputed for the excellence of its piano lessons. There were also a few private piano teachers. The most sought after was Prof. Harry Ore, a Hong Kong resident who commuted to Macao once or twice a week to gave private tuition at his pupils homes. He was well known for his brilliant piano recitals at the Dom Pedro V Theatre and the Grémio Militar; and sometimes played at private parties.

The Macao Radio Broadcast Station programmes did not follow a prescribed timetable. Music by the Grupo Bragazinho (Bragazinho Ensemble) frequently alternated with the Grupo Clímaco (Clímaco Ensemble) who performed a number of concerts at the radio station. The Grupo Clímaco was a quintet with Fr. Clímaco, first violinist; Francisco Freire Garcia, second violinist; José de Jesus (Pancho) playing viola, Cipriano Bernardo, playing cello; and Alderico Viana at the piano. Sometimes the Banda Musical de Macau (Macao Music Band) and the Schola Cantorum would participate as well.

In 1934 music was 'on the air' in Macao. Another important event of the spring of that year was the soirée-cotillon organised half way through Lent at the beautiful new building of the Sociedade da União Recreativa at Areia Preta. It was to be the last dance party of its kind in Macao. With palatial de rigeur quadrilles lancers and polkas and other old fashioned ballroom dances were played and all joined in.

One of the major cinema attractions was "Flying Down to Rio" starring Pat O'Brien and Dolores del Rio with the dancing couple Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in a sensational première which marvelled the public. From one day to the next this couple rose to an international success that paled all other dancing stars of the cinema who were only given minor roles from now on and eventually disappeared into oblivion. The blonde and insinuating Ginger Rogers triumphed over Nancy Carroll, Ruby Keeler and Claire Bon. Fred Astaire's genius shone out brightly without any rival contenders. Another novelty of "Flying Down to Rio" was the Rio de Janeiro 'carioca' rhythm which became instantly fashionable and reached a general popularity that is still going strong today.

The Vitoria showed "Fra Diavolo", one of the best sound movies from Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel, who became known among the Portuguese as the 'Gordo' or 'Bucha' ('Fat' or 'Fatty') and the 'Magro' or 'Estica' ('Thin' or 'Skinny'). This comic duo had managed admirably to adapt their sketches to the new rules of the 'talkies', their comedies remaining popular for many years to come. Other comic movie duos such as the Scottish Cohen and Kelly and the Americans Wooley and Wheeler never proved to be serious competition. The jokes of the Scots never impressed a wide audience and the premature death of Wooley proved an irreparable loss to his companion whose subsequent attempts to continue their line of gags with other partners all proved unsuccessful.

In 1934 the Marx Brothers' (Groucho, Chico, Harpo and Zeppo) films had already reached Macao but we can no longer recall the titles of the films actually released by then or their screening dates. But we can clearly remember their popularity during the first years of the 'talkies' and the success of "Monkey Business", produced in 1931. It is a hilarious movie with comic sketches that never age and that make contemporary audiences laugh again and again whenever it is shown on television. However Zeppo, the supposed romantic lover and the least funny of the four brothers, went into early retirement, while the others continued to act in future productions and reached the permanent cult status of "immortal comedians".

The Nanking (Nanjing) Theatre did not manage to sustain its original status as a première release cinema and soon lagged into presenting nothing but reruns, becoming yet another local cinema. It eventually competed with the Cheng Ping in using its facilities to stage sporadic performances of Chinese opera.

Once more rumours circulated that the Vitoria was definitely going to close with the imminent construction of the Carlton. The truth is that the Vitoria continued to release first rate movies, mainly from the Metro-Goldwin-Mayer studios. Among its successes was "Hell Below" with Robert Montgomery, Walter Houston and Madge Evans, a remarkable film about submarine war which the public welcomed with great excitement.

•[XXXIII - III (60) 21 Janeiro [January] 1978, pp.2 and 4].

In May 1934, the Chinese population of Macao rejoiced at the visit of the famous Ma Si Chang Chinese Opera Company which gave four extremely successful sold-out recitals in the Cheng Peng Theatre. If we remember correctly the star of the troupe was the renowned Chinese actor Ma Si Chang himself. This highly regarded theatre company delighted the Chinese speaking community of Macao, the thousands of Patacas earned from their performances being donated to local education.

Meanwhile, the Portuguese community was more interested in the visit of a fleet of hydroplanes based in Hong Kong on their way to Singapore and the presence of the Japanese destroyer Ashi which remained for a few days in territorial waters. The opening of the Clube dos Caçadores (Hunters Club) was an important social event at this time - in a wooded plot near the Hippodrome almost adjacent to the Sociedade da União Recreativa, towards the Areia Preta neighbourhood.

In those days there were plenty of hunting enthusiasts in Macao, who practised their sport in the leas and hillocks of adjacent mainland China, armed with various guns. On a sunday evening the hunters invariably came back loaded with snipe, doves, partridge, wild duck and other types of game. But as it was not always practical to go to China it was decided to establish a target practise zone as a past-time.

The opening ceremony took place on the 19th of May at 16.30 pm attended by the Governor, civil and military bodies, a large number of members and their respective families. It was a stiflingly hot afternoon with bright sunshine. After the inaugural ceremony there was an auction of twenty four rifles, all bid for seriously, followed by the first tournament between twenty two contenders.

The competition for the top places was fierce but finally Mário Baptista came first scoring 14, closely followed by Celedónio Gomes with 13. Initially, in ex-aequo third positions were José Alves Pereira and António Ferreira Batalha, both scoring 12; then Fernando Rodrigues (father), Alberto Mello, José Simão Rodrigues and Mário Ribeiro, all with 11; Américo Pacheco Jorge, with 10; António Ribeiro and Horácio Pais Laranjeira, both with 8; Veríssimo do Rosário, with 7; Júlio de Oliveira, Guedes Pinto and João de Vila Franca, all with 6; Emílio Bontein da Rosa, with 5; Luís Miranda, Luís Mello and António Mello Júnior, all with 4; José Sales da Silva, with 3; João Mesquitela, with 2; and António Alexandrino de Mello, scoring zero.

José Alves Ferreira and António Ferreira Batalha had a second run for the third position. Prizes were awarded to the first three places and António Alexandrino de Mello received a booby-prize which he accepted in good grace with much bonhomie.

António A. de Mello, the son of the Baron of Cercal, was a greatly respected and much cherished Macanese figure with the reputation of a refined gourmet. He organised and supervised the chá gordo (lit.: fat tea, meaning: tea party) which crowned the inaugural festivities of the Clube de Caçadores. It can be said metaphorically that one reward was exchanged for another - his own prize for a life-long memory for all who were lucky enough to attend of his exquisite savoury and sweet speciality dishes..

Meanwhile the Academia dos Amadores de Teatro e Música worked hard in anticipation of its forthcoming activities. Not yet having found a suitable base, the members used to meet for rehearsals during summer in the house of Bernardino de Senna Fernandes. Several days a week the members gathered in his ample reception rooms discussing for hours on end important matters about the future of the Academy, or just chatting away.

The opening of the Academy took place on the 1st of September and was entitled 'sarau' (soirée, meaning: a private cultural evening reunion). It was a remarkable and unforgettable artistic event, all those present having given their very best towards the success of this new-born venture.

There were about fifty 'amateurs' present. The evening had been divided in two with a theatre and a music programme. During the first section two one act plays were presented. The second part included solos of violin, cello and voice, choral groups and orchestral ensembles and Mendelssohn's "[Piano] Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49".

The amateurs responsible for theatre productions were:

Francisco de Carvalho e Rego, Henrique de Serpa Pimentel, Henrique Teixeira Machado, João de Vila Franca, José de Arede e Soveral, José de Carvalho e Rego, Lucília de Campos Néry, Maria Helena de Menezes Ribeiro and Mário de Campos Néry.

The orchestra players were:

Bernardino de Senna Fernandes - conductor; Maria da Natividade de Senna Fernandes - piano; Joseph Pasquier, Luís Baptista, Alberto Barros Pereira, Francisco Freire Garcia, Carlos de Mello and Jorge Estorninho - violins; Cipriano Bernardo and Evaristo Carvalho - cellos; Edmundo de Senna Fernandes - flute; Emídio Tavares - saxophone; Alberto Ângelo and Pedro Coelho - cornets; Jacinto Azinheira- trombone; Lúcio Carion - double-bass; Fernando Albuquerque - percussion.

The female members of the choirs were:

Amália Rodrigues, Arcádia Borges, Arminda Borges, Eduarda Amaral, Maria Helena de Menezes Ribeiro, Júlia Maria Garcia, Lília Mello, Lucília de Campos Néry, Maria Amália de Carvalho e Rego, Maria José Amaral and Renée de Senna Fernandes.

The male members of the choirs were:

Amadeu Borges, Cláudio Vaz, Eduardo da Silva, Francisco de Carvalho e Rego, Henrique de Serpa Pimentel, Henrique Teixeira Machado, João de Vila Franca, José de Arede e Soveral, José de Carvalho e Rego, José Freire Garcia, Luís Gonzaga Gomes, Mário de Campos Néry and Pedro Ângelo Júnior.

One of the performances most highly praised for interpretative sensitivity by the artists was Mendelssohn's "Trio". The players were Maria Amália de Carvalho e Rego at the piano, Bernardino de Senna Fernandes as violinist and Cipriano Bernardo.

The success of the opening encouraged the amateurs further in their cultural and educational endeavours. Immediately afterwards they became engrossed in the production of " O Poço do Bispo" ("The Bishop's Well"), their first 'serious' theatre play.

During the Summer of 1934 and before closing forever on the 1st of July the Vitoria presented a few remarkable box office successes - such as "Blue Angel" directed by Josef von Sternberg, produced by the UFA studios and starring Marlène Dietrich and Emil Jennings - "The Cat and the Fiddle" with Ramon Novarro and Jeanette MacDonald - and "Sons of the Desert", Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel's latest hilarious comedy.

While waiting for the opening of the long promised Carlton, still under construction but soon to continue with the cinematic hits previously selected by the Vitoria, the Capitol reigned triumphant in its monopoly of Macao première releases.

Deprived from seeing the most recent Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer releases the exclusive rights of which still belonged to the now defunct management of the former Vitoria theatre, local movie enthusiasts had to content themselves with the productions distributed by Fox, R. K. O. Radio and Universal.

Two of the most memorable movies of the season were - "The Lost Paradise" directed by John Ford with the acclaimed Victor MacIaeglen, Boris Karloff, Wallace Ford and Reginal Demy in an involved plot dealing with the harsh realities of the Foreign Legion - and "Morning Glory" with Katherine Hepburn, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Adolphe Manjou.

"Back Street" with Irene Dunne and John Boles put all the spectators in floods of tears. Later versions of the same story never managed to be as impressive, sentimental, distressing or heart rending as this initial production.

Also screened was "Emil and the Detectives", a brilliantly imaginative adolescent story created by the German U. F. A. studios. The final bicycle chase after the criminal invariably stormed the Capitol auditorium with all the lads screaming in full support of Emil and his gang.

•[XXXIV - III (61) 4 Fevereiro [February] 1978, pp. 2 and 7].

The management of the Victoria decided that the 1st of July 1934 would be the day of the theatre's last picture show. The premises's lack of comfort and hygiene were frequently mentioned by the press in severe tones. With the disappearance of this cinema an important chapter of the history of the cinema in Macao ended but no one seemed upset about the actual closure of the building, which had seen its golden era during the silent years and had then pioneered the 'talkies' in the Colony.

The Capitol was now the sole theatre in Macao to exhibit movie premières that catered to the non-Chinese population. Although there were other cinematographers and cinema auditoria in the Colony they were specifically for the Chinese public or just exhibited old silent movies. The most important of these Chinese theatres were the Cheng Peng - more a Chinese opera house than a movie theatre, in Travessa do Aterro Novo (Alley of the New Reclamation Area) - the Hoi Keang at [Rua da] Praia do Manduco (Manduco Beach [Street]) - the San Kio at [Avenida] Almirante Lacerda (Almirante Lacerda [Avenue]) - and the Iün Iün at Avenida Almeida Ribeiro (Almeida Ribeiro Avenue) nos. 52-60. There was also the Nanking which had made a serious effort to become a first release cinema. Unfortunately its location on the top floors of the local market building in the core of the Chinese neighbourhood of Ribeira do Patane meant it only managed to attract the residents of the immediate area.

Despite its ephemeral life the auditorium of the Clube dos Amigos de Equitação de Macau (Club of the Friends of Horsemanship in Macao) at the Hippodrome also deserves to be mentioned if not just for the sake of historical accuracy.

The movie selection at the Capitol for the autumn season that year proved to be exciting. It started with the musical "George White's Scandals" with the famous 'vagabond lover' Rudy Valée, the comic Jimmy Durante and Alice Faye. It was the first time the Macao public had been presented with a film showing this up and coming actress whose warm voice and voluptuous presence promoted her to stardom. She became the best paid actress at Fox studios, the emblematic figure of a happy and carefree America before the Second World War, and the great dame of the Depression years.

The season continued with "Bolero" with two practically unknown actors in the leading roles: George Raft and Carol Lombard. Raft's interprets a war victim in extreme danger about to die at any moment. His torrid love for Carol Lombard make him take unthinkable risks but the stakes prove to be too high and he finally collapses, dancing a capriciously exhausting bolero in the arms of his beloved. It was an extremely romantic and sentimental movie strongly expressive of the 'flavour' of the 1930s, and struck the heart of the public bringing tears to their eyes. For his impeccable personification George Raft was acclaimed as the future Rudolfo Valentino of the 'talkies'. But he preferred to play other roles than the womaniser in his future cinematographic career. He was to become one of the great gangsters of all times playing alongside Edward G. Robinson, James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart and Sidney Greenstreet.

The bolero fashion hit Macao like a hurricane and for a period all parties at the Sociedade da União Recreativa and Clube Militar inevitably featured pretentious George Rafts and their hyperpretentious Carol Lombards, spinning 'to death' on the dance floor closely followed by the eyes of a few bemused boobies.

By far the biggest movie sensation of the season was the opening on the 20th of October of "The Invisible Man" with Claude Rains and Gloria Stuart. Breathtaking! Here are a few lines of the "A Voz de Macau" s' appraisal of the film:

"Has the public not enjoyed "Dracula" with Bela Lugosi in this role of extraordinary verity, superb as this creepy personality?

Has the public not admired Boris Karloff in the unforgettable monster "Frankenstein" in a film of extreme emotion?

And is it not equally impossible for all those who saw it to erase from their memories the performance of the same Karloff in the "Mummy", a spooky character that the superb actor realistically brought to life?

Is not equally unforgettable the transformation of the friendly and remarkable Frederick Marsh into the hideous embodiment of Mr. Hyde in "Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde"?.

All these films, the best of their genre ever produced by Universal studios, are now surpassed, according to the same distributors, by the latest even more fabulous and stupendous production called "The Invisible Man".

All those extraordinary characterisations, deeply engraved on our memory - Dracula, Frankenstein, the Mummy, Mr. Hyde - cannot compete with the incomparable Invisible Man.

Claude Rains, a stage actor acclaimed for his performances in London and New York plays this new figure which such conviction that it is impossible for any who see him on the screen to have the slightest doubt of the real existence of this 'monster' outcome of a scientific accident. We all fear this incredible personification might transcend the realm of fiction to appear in the next seat and whisper a horrible curse in our ear."

After such a review the Capitol showed the film to packed houses. Everyone left perplexed by the prodigious technical possibilities of the cinematographic industry. Children were terrified that yet another ghastly character had joined the alarmingly growing ranks of cinematic monsters.

Soon after this impressive opening the Academia dos Amadores de Teatro e Música presented two extremely professional plays. The first, on the 4th of October, was called "O Poço do Bispo"("The Bishop's Well"). The authors of this hilarious comedy were Ernesto Rodrigues, Félix Bermudas and João Bastos. Playing the leading roles were Maria Amália de Carvalho e Rego and José Alves Ferreira, then delegate of the local County Judge, both treading the boards for the first time.

The opening of the second play took place in December but we no longer remember the exact date. The play was called "A Vizinha do Lado" ("The Next Door Neighbour") written by André Brun. The public of the Dom Pedro V Theatre applauded heatedly - especially the performance of Maria Amália de Carvalho e Rego who triumphed.

The worldly event of that autumn was the opening of the cake and pastry shop As Delícias (The Delights). It was run by three high society Macanese ladies, the sisters Menezes, Celeste and Maria, and Ana Teresa d' Assumpção, better known as Anita d' Assumpção. As Delícias was at the corner of Avenida Almeida Ribeiro and Rua Central (Central Street) where the Livraria da China (China Bookstore) would later be installed.

The high society opening took place on the 2nd of October and it immediately became the tea time meeting point of all the Macanese socialites. It was considered the Colony's equivalent of the Max coffee house in Hong Kong. As Delícias was the elected a chic and elegant spot for get togethers and rendezvous. It was a must for gentlemen to wear their best suits and ladies to select their toilettes with care. People went there 'to see' and 'to be seen'.

The opening of the cake and pastry shop- cum -tea room was providential. In those days there were no other places besides the Hotel Central (Central Hotel) for the many who were not fans of billiards or mah-jong, or those who did not belong to a bridge group, or who did not enjoy lingering at home during the lunch break.

A scene of "The Mummy", released in 1932 by Universal, directed by Karl Freund, with Boris Karloff and Zita Johann.

The alternative Hotel Riviera (Riviera Hotel) pretended snobbishly to be a British club, with menus in English and the waiters putting on airs and this pseudo British atmosphere was not convivial to Latin joviality. The majority of the Riviera's clientéle were Chinese or English men from Hong Kong, while the only Portuguese to be seen was the group of chatter boxes who invariably gathered after lunch around the coffee table of Dr. Carlos de Melo Leitão, judiciously set just by the large window facing the Banco Português do Atlântico (Português do Atlântico Bank).

There was also the United States [Hotel] but its more modest décor and plain surroundings were not found tasteful enough by the real socialites. However the food was excellent, particularly a succulent kai-si-fán (chicken rice), strongly recommended by those who visited the dens of Rua da Felicidade (Street of Happiness) for being extremely nourishing.

The ambience of As Delícias was extremely Portuguese. The cakes, pastries and sweets were scrumptious and all the conversation was conducted in Portuguese. It became the nerve centre of Macao for all those who wanted to catch-up on the latest news of the Colony. Intense gossip was in the air, those who dictated the trends of the city and held opinions on anything met there. The expression: - "Yesterday I was told at As Delícias that [...]." became a sacred dictum. Everyone who prided himself or herself in belonging to 'the' important circles in the city were obligatory habitués of the tea room. Its dainty tables were the starting point of many inflamed affairs and marriage decisions. Delícias was something quite special, preserving an extremely metropolitan charisma alongside a refined contemporary re-enactment of the patriarchal lifestyle of the old days.

We still remember our first visit to As Delícias. We had arrived home with a 'gang' of young 'rebels' fresh from the woods on Guia Hill, were we had been installing a mock mine, when we were told to join our parents at the tea room. Without a second thought we rushed there exactly as we were, dishevelled, with dirty knees and crumpled shirts. As we entered mother gave us a frozen stare and we sat with our heads between our shoulders looking down in shame. But the sight of the golden egg and almond tarts soon made us forget our extreme embarrassment and, hungry as we were, we crammed pastries into our mouths whole, with carefree greediness. No longer able to silence her anger our mother hissed between her teeth: - "Manners boys! Manners!"

•[XXXV - III (62/63) 8 Março [March] 1978, pp.6 and 9].

Around the middle of October 1934 news spread that the Air Force Lieutenant Humberto da Cruz was organising a Lisbon-Dili air race with stopovers in the Portuguese State of India and Macao. The Portuguese from Macao who had so relished the adventurous flight of Brito Pais, Sarmento Beires e Manuel Gouveia ten years before, welcomed the news with great excitement and interest. In the past Portuguese aviators had already distinguished themselves as pioneers of long haul flights.

On the 25th of October, Lieutenant Humberto da Cruz and his mechanic the First-Sergeant Gonçalves Lobato boarded an apparently flimsy monoplane and took off from Amadora [in Lisbon] on the first leg of a planned forty four thousand one hundred and eighty kilometre journey.

News was still fresh of the first Britain-Australia air race in which twenty aeroplanes took part. It had been won by the Britons Charles Scott and Campbell Black, covering the distance between the two islands in what was considered then the astonishing time of seventy one hours.

Humberto da Cruz's air race set out to prove that the Portuguese spirit of adventure did not lag behind. This undertaking boosted the nationalistic pride of Lusitanian communities across the Far East who frequently felt their inflamed patriotism undermined by the metropolitan government. Macao became obsessed by the successful daily progress of the flight. At As Delícias, on the street, in the clubs - even at home everyone inquired about the very latest reports of the flight, how many miles had already been covered, how far were the aviators from the Colony, hoping against hope that everything ran smoothly.

On the 7th of November the tiny aeroplane landed in Dili, Timor, connecting the European motherland by air to the most distant Portuguese territory in the Pacific Ocean. The Timorese, always so proud of their Lusitanian blood, welcomed the aviators in a frenzy of excitement. Macao finalised preparations for the flight's arrival there programmed for the 19th of the same month.

The landing was scheduled for 12.00 am on the grass centre field of the Hippodrome. A vast number of people had gathered to witness the landing but the flight took longer than expected and the plane touched down gracefully at around 16.00 pm. Before landing Humberto da Cruz's flight path crossed the city diagonally. The plane having been spotted over the Tap Siac where a fierce hockey game was taking place, the crowd deserted the benches and rushed to the Hippodrome.

A scene of "The Invisible Man", released in 1933 by Universal, directed by James Whale, with Claude Rains.

The aviators were warmly welcomed by the population of Macao who expressed their genuine pride and joy in the admirable feat. Many people were so moved that they burst into tears. After the massive popular reception a solemn ceremony took place at the Salão Nobre (Reception Hall) of the Leal Senado (Municipal Council). During the following days a number of parties, entertainments and other friendly activities took place to the delight of the brave visitors who admitted to being impressed by the warm sympathy of the locals. The Portuguese community of Hong Kong also wanted to express their proud feelings and organised an impressive series of gatherings - the most memorable of which was a party given at Clube Lusitano (Lusitanian Club) remembered by all as one of the most glittering occasions ever held there.

During the month of December Macanese hockey was on the daily agenda again. The team of the Macau Hóquei Clube trained extra hard before leaving for Malaysia to play a series of matches. Everyone offered their services to help the 'boys' in whatever way they could. Subsidies poured in from the Macao government, the Municipal Council and even private sponsors like Júlio Eugénio da Silva and António Maria da Silva.

The Academia dos Amadores de Teatro e Música staged the play "As Alegrias do Lar" ("Home Joys") especially for the occasion and donated all the box office take to the Macau Hóquei Clube. Celeste Vidigal, Celsa Rodrigues and Guidinha Nolasco make every effort to sell as many tickets as possible. Their endeavours were publicly acknowledged by the hockey club.

On the 24th of December the Macau Hóquei Clube players boarded the Tilawa in Hong Kong on their way to Singapore. Macao held its breath in suspense waiting anxiously for each result. Between the 29th of December and the 4th of January 1935 the team played four matches. In the first game the Macao team played against a selection of European residents from Singapore and beat them two-one. The second match was held on the last day of 1934 and the Macao team played a mixed selection of non-European residents from Singapore. The home team won four-two and the Macao 'boys' were extremely upset with their poor results. The main game of the tour took place in Kuala Lumpur on the 2nd of January 1935, against the national Malay team. The Macanese selection of players for this game was exactly the same as it had been the previous year: Almada; Jacinto Rodrigues and Pinto Cardoso; Alexandre Airosa, João dos Santos Ferreira and Lino Ferreira; Amílcar Ângelo, Fernando Ramalho, Frederico Nolasco da Silva, Laertes da Costa and Rui Hugo do Rosário. In reserve were João Nolasco da Silva, Leonel de Oliveira Rodrigues and Pedro Angelo Júnior.

The Macao team lost three-to-zero. All the goals were scored in the first fifteen minutes of the match. It was a crushing defeat for the 'boys', the more so because it was in this important game that they had placed their highest hopes. Filipe de Sousa reported:

"It rained before the beginning of the match. As had happened in Singapore, the players discarded their shoes. But worse was to come. During the first fifteen minutes of the game our team - tired, stressed or possibly both - played abominably. In fact, I had rarely seen them playing so badly. Inevitably they suffered the consequences and were scored against. Being the referee I felt like screaming in anguish.

But it must be admitted that in spite of being so severely penalised right at the beginning of the match they did not lose their courage, and soon showed how much they were worth. They played with great dignity and were plainly in control of the game during the second half of the second part.

After those bleak fifteen minutes they all played in top form, specially Ferreira, Rosário and Jacinto, although the latter not as well as in Singapore."

The last match took place in Malacca [Melaka] on the 4th of January. The Macao team scored two-to-zero in a "[...] pleasant and regular game [...] attended by numerous people, apparently gathering the largest crowd ever to attend a hockey match in Malacca."

The telegram with the news of the defeat of the Macau Hóquei Clube team in the match with the Malaysian selection was received in the Colony on the 3rd of January. It caused tremendous consternation and the Portuguese community generally reacted with distress. But the sports pages of the Singapore and Kuala Lumpur dailies wrote extremely complimentary lines about the performance of the visiting team. The Macau Hóquei Clube returned home covered with prestige, reinstated as one of the best Asian hockey teams.

The players were welcomed on arrival by a throng of fans. On the 13th of January the Sociedade da União Recreativa honoured the team's professionalism by throwing a dance which was well attended and ran on until dawn. This commemorative event was celebrated with a speech by the President of the Society, António F. Batalha, and an exquisite banquet.

Returning to the subject of cinema, on the 7th of January the Capitol inaugurated the first episode of a series entitled "The Host Special". All adolescents and youngsters enjoyed the movie which was crammed with adventures, incredible chases and moments of great suspense. All the boys were extremely excited, unlike the grown-ups who felt that an action film subdivided into episodes was a thing of the 'silent' times. The adult public preference was for dramas and musicals. Musical films were always great favourites, their songs and tunes being played during parties to the delight of dancing couples. One of the great hit songs of the moment was "I'll String Along with You" the main song of the film "Twenty Million Sweethearts" with Dick Powell and Nancy Caroll.

Finally, the so-called Carlton Theatre was inaugurated on the 2nd of February with a new name: Apolo, opening with the "Merry Widow" with Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald in the leads. It was a trendy opening with the whole who's who in Macao present. The new theatre was praised for its ample auditorium, which compared well with contemporary cinemas in Hong Kong. The public enjoyed the film but there was general consent that the sound facilities were appalling and that the quality of the projection machine was abysmal, even being commented that it was a second hand buy. If the auditorium was more comfortable and spacious than the Capitol, the sound and projection equipment was certainly much worse.

Not even a month had gone by since the opening and already "A Voz de Macau" printed harsh remarks on the quality of the sound and the lack of hygiene at the premises. So the Capitol remained Macao's preferred cinema. Some of the best films it screened during that winter were "The Black Cat" and "I Love a Woman" with Kay Francis co-starring Edward G. Robinson - an unknown actor to the Macao public to later become the legendary gangster star.

On the 16th of February "A Voz de Macau" published a bombastic article under the headline Hollywood em Macau (Hollywood in Macao) a complete quote of which follows:

Poster of "The Black Cat", released in 1934 by Universal, directed by Edgar G. Ulmer, with Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff.

"We have been informed that the Companhia de Hollywood de Macau (The Macao Hollywood Company) is in the very near future due to lay the foundations in the Porto Exterior (Outer Harbour) of a studio equipped with an infirmary, a swimming pool, etc. They have already obtained the necessary authorisations for the development. The cost of the initial eight months' work is estimated at $400.000 (gold) followed by a second phase of eighteen months at $300.000.

This Company has leased one hundred and thirty six thousand square metres of government land for the price of $0,01 a square metre. This massive project and planned film production have been estimated for at a total $4.000.000 (gold) and will require a large number of Portuguese and Chinese workers and staff as well as artists of both nationalities.

We have also been informed that the development contract has been approved by the Conselho do Governo (Government Council) plenary of the 14th of this month, accepting the request of the said Company to be exempt of building rates."

The coming into being of this Company became a common topic of conversation for some time to come, with many good people seeing themselves transformed into top actors and even stars. But, as usually happens with projects in Macao its realisation stayed on the shelf: and the reclamation area of the Outer Port remained bare, in waiting for a string of massive proposals which inevitably collapsed, one after the other, numbing all interest and rendering Macanese excitement insensitive to these kind of speculative operations.

•[XXXVI - IV (64) 12 Abril 1978, pp.2 and 5].

The Carnival of 1935 was a riot of fun with unanimous local agreement that it had been as good or even better than that of the previous year. There were plenty of crash parties in private homes but the most exciting event of all was the impromptu party held at Sociedade da União Recreativa on the 16th of February. The "A Voz de Macau" of Monday, the 18th of February described it in the following manner:

"Last Saturday, the 16th of this month, an unusually crazy carnival crash party took place on the premises of S. U. R. About two hundred people gathered for the event.

We must rejoice at this kind of festivity in a period afflicted by economic crisis which stifles the natural enjoyment of all the young at heart.

We congratulate the organisers of this jolly party, Mrs. Edmundo de Senna Fernandes, Adelino Barbosa da Conceição, José Choi Anok, Alberto Barros Pereira and José Tavares.

The tuna to which the organisers belonged participated fully in animating the party on its journey to and arrival at the S. U. R. reception rooms: followed by a train of more than sixty masked merry goers it was an absolute triumph.

Let us hope that this tradition will persist to break the dullness of our present-day lifestyles."

But the inaugural event of 'real' Carnival took place on Sábado Gordo (Carnival Saturday) with the traditional formal ball at the Clube de Macau. It was so pompous and stiff that a less socially graced guest escaped to the more relaxed dancing atmosphere at the Clube dos Sargentos (Sociedade Recreativa do 1° de Junho) saying that the other was nothing but a "baile de embaizada" (meaning: "Embassy ball").

Delirium reigned supreme until the following Tuesday. That year the famous Macao Carnival was attended by an unusually large number of revellers from Hong Kong as well as all the Navy officers of the American and British gunboats Izabel and Moth who gave free rein to their wit and frivolity.

The Tuesday ball at the Clube de Macau was described thus in a local periodical:

"As is customary the Tuesday Carnival party at the Clube de Macau was the most amusing of all. It was a pleasant surprise to see the sudden arrival of a large group of young ladies wearing traditional costumes of Portuguese provinces. And having all made a circle, a flamboyant gypsy girl dashed out from its core, her dance being greatly applauded by all those who were present.

But her alluring grace had been nothing but a temporary illusion; the charming gypsy girl was soon revealed as Mr. Eduardo Silva!

Around half past eleven at night the Tuna Camélia (Camellia Choral Band) made its entry into the room, preceding a masked procession. From then until the early hours of the morning the partygoers celebrated tirelessly and with inexhaustible excitement.

And so ended an exceptionally merry Carnival."

While the people of Macao enjoyed the good things of life the international situation became increasingly alarming. In China civil war was rampant with forces of the Guomindang (Nationalist Party) fighting those of the 'reds' (Communist Party). While Macao remained ignorant of the development of the real situation the Long March was progressing triumphantly through the provinces of Guizhou, Sichuan and Yunnan. In Europe Hitler and his supporters fiercely promoted policies of inflamed nationalism and demanded the return of Sarre to Deutschland. Meanwhile, in Rome, Mussolini had ordered a military campaign against Abyssinia (Ethiopia) premeditating its future annexation. All these alarming international events did not seem to affect the nonchalance or carefree lifestyle of Macao residents.

The Academia dos Amadores de Teatro e Música which had opened under such good auspices just a few months before was entering dire straights. The first setback took place in late 1934 when Bernardino de Senna Fernandes handed in his resignation as Musical Director but the hardest blow had been the unexpected death of Henrique Teixeira Machado on the 24th of January. He had been one of the most talented amateurs ever to appear on the stage of the Dom Pedro V Theatre.

The opening of the play "As Duas Causas" ("The Two Causes") written by Mário Duarte and Alberto Morais scheduled for the 30th was suspended sine die. During the next few months the activities of the Academy would grind to a halt, never to recapture its original energy.

Early March was spent with the preparations to welcome the dispatch boat Gonçalves Zarco ceremoniously to Macao on its official visit to Portuguese possessions in the Far East. This brand new warship was a proud government herald of the promised renewal of the Portuguese Navy. This vessel was destined to take the place of the old cruiser Adamastor which had left the Colony for good more than a year before to be dismantled in Lisbon. The arrival of the new vessel was eagerly anticipated with pride and anxiety - all eager to set eyes on the "[...] modern warship." On the morning of Friday the 8th of March last minute touches were given to the festive decorations. The "A Voz de Macau" published the following lyrical lines:

"At 13.30 pm the silhouette of the Gonçalves Zarco appeared on the horizon as a slickly designed haughty metallic profile, being the first naval force His Excellency the illustrious Head of Government, Dr. Oliveira Salazar, ordered from the English shipyards which has crossed the seas to meet us, the Portuguese of the Far East, who emotionally cherish it as they love the soil of the Motherland."

A scene of "The Black Cat", released in 1934 by Universal, directed by Edgar G. Ulmer, with Bela Lugosi (left) and Boris Karloff (right).

Units of the Colony's naval forces went out to meet it and give it escort into the territory. They were headed by the motor gunboat Macau commanded by the Capitão dos Portos (Captain of the Port Authorities) First Lieutenant Samuel Vieira, followed by the barges Demétrio Cinatti, Talone and Coloane and the drag-boats Neptuno and Berta, the motorboats nos. 5 and 6 of the Port Authorities and two 'mandarin launches'. Integrated into this naval procession was the Chinese Customs vessel Lutsing and many other private barges and motorboats. Aboard this small fleet were local government officials and naval officers, many ladies, the boy scout corps of Macao, civil servants and military cadres from the Taipa and Coloane Islands administration, newspaper men and reporters from the "A Voz de Macau" and Chinese periodicals, businessman, industrialists, representatives of the Municipal Council and the Catholic Church.

Exuberant welcome displays were made by the outgoing ships' opening their steam whistles full throttle and bursting panchões (Chinese firecrackers) loudly. As it entered the bar the Gonçalves Zarco responded with a gun salute, which was reciprocated by the Fortaleza da Guia (Fortress of Guia) battery of artillery. Then "[...] the fishing junks moored alongside the quay, displaying banners, greeted the Gonçalves Zarco by exploding gunpowder and burning numerous deafening panchões."

"Macao had never before witnessed such a magnificent, grandiose and majestic reception." wrote the reporter of the "A Voz de Macau". On the Outer Port and dotted on the Guia Hill there were many who could not hide their patriotic emotions or their proud tears.

The Gonçalves Zarco, commanded by the Master Frigate Manuel Cardoso Quintão Meireles, could not have expected a more splendid gesture of welcome. The chivalrous hospitality of Macao spared no effort to entertain the one hundred and thirty three members of the crew, one hundred and twenty of whom were officers. For most of them, after such a long stretch on Oriental seas, Macao was paradise - a veritable "Ilha dos Amores" ("Island of Love").

Returning now to the subject of cinema, it must be admitted that despite its drawbacks the opening of the Apolo rivalled the movie selection of the Capitol - who recognising they no longer held a monopoly on first releases were obliged to upgrade their film selection.

Fierce competition between the two cinemas brought a plethora of good movies during the year of 1935. But unfortunately for us the "A Voz de Macau" stopped advertising the sequential releases from February 1935 and we no longer remember most of them in strict chronological order, so we have resorted to an abridged commentary.

The exclusivity screening rights retained by the Vitoria were transferred to the Apolo who maintained the contracts with The Metro-Goldwin-Meyer, United Artists and Paramount. Capitol controlled the films from R. K. O. and Fox.

In a single film an adorable little three year old girl won the hearts of the entire Macao audience. Her name was Shirley Temple. Her Macao début was "Little Miss Marker" followed by "Stand Up and Cheer." The management of the Capitol was delighted with this potential new 'gold mine' who attracted crowds of all ages unable to resist the cuteness of the funny outspoken child. They also presented two of the all-time greatest musicals with the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers couple playing the leads: "Top Hat" and "Gay Divorce". The songs from these two movies became immensely popular in Macao with "Cheek to Cheek" leading the trend.

Other memorable films also released by the Capitol that year were "It Happened One Night" directed by Frank Capra, with Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert; "One Night of Love", with Tulio Carminatti and Grace Moore; "Of Human Bondage", with Leslie Howard and the then still grossly underrated Bette Davis. The sordid role of Mildred was the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Bette Davis to rise to stardom. But the best film of all presented by the Capitol that year was "Great Expectations" adapted from the Charles Dickens novel, with Phillips Holmes, Jane Wyatt, Florence Reed and Alan Hale bringing the immortal protagonists of the British writer superbly to life.

Meanwhile the Apolo also exhibited very high calibre films. From the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios the spellbinding trio "The Barretts of Wimpole Street", with Charles Laughton, Frederic March and Norma Shearer; "Viva Villa", with Wallace Beery playing Pancho Villa; and "Treasure Island", co-starring Wallace Beery with Leslie Howard, supported by that promising boy Jackie Cooper.

The Apolo presented some 'biographical' epics as well, such as "Cleopatra" directed by Cecil B. de Mille, with Claudette Colbert as the queen of Egypt, Warren Williams as Julius Caesar and Henry Wilcoxon as Marc Anthony; "The Private Life of Don Juan", the last film of Douglas Fairbanks (father); and "The House of Rothchilds", with George Arliss in one of the last roles of his long cinema career.

•[XXXVII - IV (65-66) 9 Agosto 1978, pp.2 and 8].

Early in the Summer of 1935 the old Vitoria Theatre was back in the headlines announcing its refurbishment and imminent re-opening as Palácio Fortuna (Fortune Palace), a place for the entertainment of everyone, regardless of age.

This news followed a new law decreed by the government abolishing the Colony's state monopoly of the gambling casinos and introducing the sale of licenses for running fantan games to any enterprise who could meet the obligatory conditions. The management of the Vitoria having met these they decided to change the building into a casino.

On the 16th of May "A Voz de Macau" voiced its opinion on the prospect of such an enterprise. We have transcribed some selected paragraphs:

"In order to attract tourism and enliven the city, on the 18th of this month the 'Empresa Vitória' [sic] will inaugurate the Palácio Fortuna, sited in the appropriately refurbished premises of the old Vitoria theatre. The public will find a wide range of entertainments at this new locale.

To pump fresh blood through Macao's arteries is a worthy enterprise deserving sponsorship by all Portuguese. If we do not appeal to the general conscience and round up everyone to assist Macao will never achieve much.

It is about time to stop giving opportunities exclusively to private interests and to make a joint public effort to promote and benefit this beautiful and charming Portuguese territory with all available altruism and solidarity.

The inauguration of the Palácio Fortuna is a step forwards in the realisation of this desideratum, and it deserves to be absolutely splendid."

In the same newspaper but in another sheet the following advertisement was published:

"Palácio Fortuna.

A unique venue situated in the old Theatre Vitoria, now completely refurbished and decorated artistically.

The public will find at the Palácio Fortuna all sorts of entertainment from dancing to the most pleasurable pastimes: large ballrooms, charming ballerinas, splendid jazz, luxurious and hygienic rooms, and a beautiful restaurant in the annex.

At Palácio Fortuna the public will enjoy the greatest fun and the maximum comfort.

The Palácio Fortuna is a veritable Paradise where you will discover all life's pleasures.

Visit the Palácio Fortuna."

The inauguration was a pompous event with much enthusiasm and resounding speeches. The Australian group of acrobats, Wallaby, gave a breath-taking show which was followed by a short film and a Chinese opera.

The "A Voz de Macau" of the 20th of May has this to say about it all:

"The Vitoria Salon can be considered without the slightest exaggeration to be one of the most magnificent improvements to this city. It must be seen to be believed.

Quite vast, it houses besides a quite independent gambling hall, an extremely comfortable and spacious, brightly lit ballroom.

On the top floor is a well catered restaurant which will soon open to offer a selection of Portuguese and Chinese dishes.

Its amusement hall fills a gap that has been felt intensely in a city that now, more than ever, makes a real effort to promote its touristic assets."

Such was the great beginning, but the population was not so rich that it could practically support the scope ambition of the Victoria's management'; added to which a lottery called chee tam had started circulating the year before and unfortunately became popular to point of draining nearly all the accumulated savings of both Chinese and Portuguese in Macao.

Chee tam is the last of the twenty 'letters' which constitute the first quarter of the eighty Chinese sounds making up the transliteration 'alphabet'. The investment might be extremely advantageous because the winning letter paid seventy times its initial bidding price. For example if you placed one Pataca on a drawn letter you would win seventy Patacas. Although the number of letters you could bid on was open, without a fixed limit, the only restriction was that the same amount had to be placed on all the letters you chose.

There were three draws a day; the first at midday, the second at seven in the evening and the third at eleven at night. Probably due to its novelty and the allure of quick profit the whole Macao got hooked as soon as the chee tam lottery started operating. The considerable disproportion between the initial bet and what one could win and the seemingly small number of options induced many people to risk their money. In those days a construction worker or a pedicab coolie got a meal for ten Avos. Seventy times that would keep them going comfortably for a whole month.

Just the idea of winning such large amounts so easily was highly tempting. Once, walking leisurely back home with my parents around ten at night after the late show at the Capitol we passed a lottery shop. Jokingly my father asked me if I had a hunch about the next winning letter and without thinking for a second I said - fo (fire). My father went into the shop and paid for a twenty Avos fo letter, a small ticket with the character written in red standing out clearly from the other green coloured seventy nine. We strolled back home without waiting for the night draw. The following morning I was surprised by the terrible racket being made by our servants in the backyard of the house. Fo had been the previous night's winning letter. My father generously presented me with fourteen Patacas and I remember that I felt like a nabob during the ensuing months, gradually spending the money at afternoon movie shows, gobbling ice-creams and purchasing books from the Salgari collection at Livraria Lucas (Lucas Bookshop) and the Terramarear collection at Livraria Oriente Comercial (Commercial Orient Bookshop). I even had enough left over for a few exquisite trinkets at Po Man Lou.

A friend of mine was a compulsive chee tam bidder, and he played high stakes. One day he was leaving the house when his father approached him saying that he had had a strong hunch that a particular letter was going to win - would he place five Patacas on that letter for him. And so saying he gave him the money. My friend put the sum in his pocket and rushed to the cinema to meet his pals completely forgetting his father's request. Only on his way back home did he remember what he had been charged to do and rushed to the lottery shop but could no longer recall his father's letter. Not knowing very well what to do he purchased a letter at random and waited nervously for the result of the draw. What would happen if his father's letter won? But, much to his astonishment, the winning letter was the one he had bet on by fluke.

He went back home rich and very pleased at the turn of events. He was determined to tell the truth, and to give the winnings to his father. To create a bit of suspense he broke the news that the drawn letter had not been the one his father had foreseen. His father misread his excitement and proceeded to console him saying that after all five Patacas was not such a large sum and that he should not be so upset about the whole thing. Suddenly it dawned on the boy that hiding the truth would make him extremely rich himself. So he kept the money and spent it lavishly just on himself. Now $350 was a lot of money in those days, particularly in a small place like Macao so only two days passed before friends started congratulating his father on his astonishing good luck. The surprised father became rather suspicious of the whole affair and decided to discover for himself what had really happened. The outcome was naturally a severe reprimand and threats of terrible punishments but his anger was appeased as soon as he laid hands on what was left of it - which was still quite a hefty return on the initial $5 - and he soon forgot about the son's misdoings.

•[XXXVIII - IV (67) 14 Setembro 1978, p.4].

I remember meeting someone not of my generation in Macao who had been even luckier. He was much older than me and a friend told me the story on the terrace of the [Hotel] Extremo Oriente (Far East [Hotel]) many years after it had happened. His mother had given him ten Patacas to do some household shopping at the Cheong Hing grocers in Rua do Campo (Field Street).

On his way to the shop early one morning he spotted a girl he fancied across the street. She usually dressed in grey or black but that morning she was wearing a stunning golden outfit. Paralysed, he could not take his eyes off her and suddenly felt "hot blood gushing into his brain". Impulsively he rushed to the nearest lottery house and bet the whole ten Patacas on the letter kam (gold). Only then he came back to normality and like my other friend, he felt a cold sweat running down his body. What was he going to tell his mother if 'gold' did not win?

He passed the time waiting for the result of the draw planning a pathetic story to tell his mother-in-law to raise the amount. But in the end he did not have to put his incredible lie to the test because the letter kam was the lucky winner and he found himself with seven hundred Patacas on his pocket. He went to the grocers, got his mother's shopping worth ten Patacas and decided to spend the rest the best way he could. But- unlike the other- being a generous fellow he felt he had to share his sudden wealth with his friends.

It was summer time. He organised lavish outdoor picnics and paid for succulent iam-chás at the culaus. He and his pals being 'big' boys they set out to enjoy a bit of night life and some love 'therapies'. Some of his younger friends even became 'real men' thanks to his prodigal generosity. Such were the excesses that soon his mother got to hear of his lavish spending, and under cross-examination he soon confessed the truth. She was furious and his grandfather was irate, fists furiously banging on the table making him promise to go and confess all his recent sins to the priest without delay, the very next Sunday. What was left of the money was confiscated by his mother and he admitted to his friends later:

-"Perhaps I deserved all those loud reprimands but it was not fair to have to give her the money. After all, it was 'my' money, I won it!"

He did go to confession and recited a whole rosary as penance for his 'awful' sins, but at the bottom of his heart he felt he had been somehow exploited and he ought to have been allowed to keep 'his' money. His pals remained best friends for life and frequently reminisced about those fantastic days of goodies and care-free pleasures.

A scene of "The Private Life of Don Juan", released in 1934 by London Films, directed by Alexander Korda, with Merle Oberon (left), Douglas Fairbanks (centre) and Melville Cooper (right).

These are some amusing memories of the chee tam days. But the lottery also brought doom, even total destitution to a great many families. Everyone played: elders, adults, young people and even children. The outcome was many bankruptcies, broken marriages, split up families, cases of madness and even suicide. We are not exaggerating, and to confirm the range and scale of disasters inflicted by addiction to chee tam gambling we here transcribe a text from the Tribuna do Leitor (The Reader's Tribune) printed in "A Voz de Macau" of the 17th of August 1935:

"Chee Tam.

Is this cancer undermining the economic stability of the people of Macao?

According to the evidence we have gathered we should believe that chee tam is the real cause of all the direness afflicting the people of the Colony.

Let us analyse the facts.

Some days ago we were at the bakers and we asked:

- "How is business these days?"

-"Oh, really bad, sir."

-"How come?"

- "Well sir, it is all the chee tam's fault."

We inquired further. Not long ago the bakers shop sold an average eighty Patacas worth of bread daily. But now daily sales rarely reach forty Patacas. The few coppers that mothers used to give their children to get themselves a bun are now spent by the boys, who gang up to make a minimum bid, at the nearest chee tam lottery shop.

The street women who sold chicken broth also complain about this gambling craze. Not long ago they sold all their chicken broth by nine in the morning but nowadays they tramp all the neighbourhoods till midday and still end up going back home with half the soup unsold. Why? Because the coppers that people spent buying good soup are now spent on chee tam.

How many of the miserable souls who roam between the four corners of this town are victims of chee tam! How many tears, how much misery and how many sorrows can be put down to chee tam! Not long ago a once well endowed woman was obliged to sell all her properties because of chee tam! And we have been informed that that female wretch whose body was found drowned on the Baía da Praia Grande (Praya Grande Bay), had committed suicide because of heavy losses at chee tam. Some days ago we bumped into a harmless madwoman who stuttered nothing but chee tam gibberish.

What a disgrace!

While expressing so much concern to alleviate the territory's economic crises the Colony's government seems oblivious to the urgent need to eradicate this plague. Believe me, Mr. Editor and all those reading this article, that while this cancer is not healed the happiness and prosperity of the people of Macao are nothing but a dream."

The Palácio da Fortuna, so auspiciously inaugurated as a formula for boosting local tourism faced a bleak future from its very beginning.

•[XXXIX - IV (68) 12 Janeiro 1979, p.4].

No significant movies were screened during the last months of 1935. The Apolo and the Capitol exhibited mostly American films, the European first releases being rare. There was however an abundance of Chinese productions, mainly from the Guangzhou and Guangdong studios since the dialect of films from Shanghai was foreign to Macao and dubbing was still to be invented. The Chinese neighbourhood theatres almost exclusively presented Chinese productions but we do remember seeing the first release of an American silent movie at the San Kio that year.

Macao started to be affected seriously by the growing economic crisis that erupted at the beginning of the Sino-Japanese war in 1931-1932. All the major plans and general euphoria of early 1931 had fallen apart. Once more the Colony became the sleepy Mediterranean town anchored passively to the South China coast. Dog races went bankrupt, horse races barely took place and then with no profits being made. The Palácio da Fortuna, initially promoted as the revolutionary cornerstone of an anticipated new development in tourism, was bereft of foreign visitors and the locals preferred to go to the fantan dens in Rua da Felicidade and other lower calibre spots in the Chinese boroughs.

This was exacerbated by the extremely slow Macao-Hong Kong ferries. At that time the crossing in the Sui Tan and the Sui An took more than four hours. Only the Veneza, an Italian gunboat converted into a 'high-speed' ferry managed to cover the same distance in the 'exceptional' time of about three hours, and even so it never went full either way.

Despite all, the population of Macao seemed to lead a pleasurable existence, more concerned with the chee tam draws than with the international news. Alarming foreign events in the daily press stood in sharp contrast to the Colony's own tranquillity. Life went on in a safe and calm atmosphere, with the general cost of living staying low. The clubs thrived, with many activities and organised social events. Football reigned supreme over other sports with hockey, tennis and hunting outings to mainland China remaining nearly as popular. Picnics to Li-Chai, Choi Hong and Seac Kai were always on the agenda, these venues scoring over Taipa and Coloane Islands which were considered rather outlandish and inhospitably remote in spite of the foresightful article by António de Santa Clara describing their anticipated potential for the future expansion of the Colony.

International news reported the chaotic state of the Eastern world. In China, clashes between the Central Government and the Warlords subsided as they were engulfed by rampant civil war between the Nationalists and the Communists. In Macao, these events were considered a state of affairs belonging to a totally different set of realities, with no foreseeable consequences on the daily routine of the territory.

Not a single newspaper gave news of the Long March, that epic journey which took the Communists into sheltered safety in Yan'an [in Shaanzi]. The dailies were more concerned to print the latest Japanese demands. Not content with separating Manchuria from China, Japan was exerting mounting pressure to alienate five northernmost provinces - mainly the strategic province of Ilhol [sic -Heilongjiang?] - in an attempt to place them under autonomous government. It was clear that their latest intentions were to dismember China. The Chinese openly declared their anti-Japanese feelings and in almost every Chinese city there were uprisings and public demonstrations. In Shanghai, the nerve centre of the country, the extremely tense situation was provoking the massive exodus of the native Chinese population who were fearful of atrocities that could repeat those perpetrated in 1931-1932.

The Japanese, overwhelmed by their most recent victories, deliberately took a stance of no compromise. The provocations were continuous and always humiliating to the Chinese. The Japanese stationing a flotilla of destroyers in Shandou (Swatow), their settlement of more armed forces in Shanghai and their increased pressure on Tianjin and Hangkow were only responded to by the Nationalist government in Nanjing with indecisive decisions and feeble comments. By the end of 1935 the autonomy of the five northern provinces was settled, but it was far from being a definitive Japanese victory. On the contrary, it was the prelude of further hostilities which were to burst out with another direct confrontation - the incident at the Marco Polo Bridge, near Beijing, in 1937.

The turn of events in the West was not much better. In Germany, Hitler had fully taken up the reins of power following the death of the President and Field Marshall Paul von Hindenburg. As the new Chancellor of the German people Hitler proclaimed the rearmament of the German nation and the break with the Treaty of Versailles in a frenetic speech. But it was Italy who topped the headlines on the dailies' front pages. Invoking some minor reasons and claiming his act as a duty to civilisation, Mussolini ordered the invasion of Abyssinia, thus attempting to realise Italy's aspirations to be a colonial Empire. Hostilities broke out in early October with the prognosis that the Italians, with their highly superior military forces, would fight a war of short duration that amounted to not much more than an exercise.

The reality proved to be quite different. Although the Abyssinians gradually lost ground after initially being overpowered by the Italians' impressive war machinery, their resistance was staunch. There were a great number of clashes and the Italians met unexpectedly with difficulties that lead to great carnage. All newspaper readers soon became familiar with the names of the Emperor Haile Selassié and his Generals, Ras Kasse and Ras Seyounce as well as the Italian Generals, Braziani and de Bono. There were some critical moments when it was thought that the Italians had lost 'their' war or that they were simply not able to move further inland. Then de Bono was replaced by General Badoglio and the Italians seemed once again to make progress despite heavy casualties.

The United Kingdom and France protested against the war but did nothing to stop it. In spite of its public voice in support of the Abyssinians, the British 'lion' which controlled the Suez Canal only roared - taking no real action against the continuous movement of Italian convoys which sailed up and down this vital link between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. These two countries also took a rather passive stance against the Japanese, the Italians and the Germans at this stage.

•[XL - IV (69) 27 Fevereiro 1979, p.2].

Day after day the papers continued to report the irritatingly conciliatory policies of the United Kingdom and France who said much but did nothing to contain the fierce winds of war awoken by the Germans, Italians and Japanese. Meanwhile the United States of America were entrenched in their own isolationism, totally obsessed with Roosevelt's "New Deal" and otherwise engaged in overcoming the bad times of the Depression.

Macao maintained contact with international events but remained calm. The local population was not really concerned with remote areas of the globe which few of them could interestingly describe and even fewer had ever visited. There were many other and more important matters on the Colony's agenda, such as the imminent visit of Henri Cochet, the world tennis champion and recent winner of the Davis Cup.

On the 31st of October he played at the Civil Tenis before numerous fans. He displayed remarkable technique and the general the public was overwhelmingly impressed but the extreme enthusiasts of this game were slightly disappointed by his performance and wished he had tried harder. The "A Voz de Macau" declared him "a master" in his art. He played against some of the best local tennis players including Raul Canavarro, who was well known in the Far East for his excellence and several times champion of the Shanghai Cup but who lost with much grace. After the game afternoon tea was served and the Frenchman was highly impressed by the refined elegance of the Macanese society of the time.

The sports exchange between the Portuguese residents of Macao and Hong Kong continued actively. A billiards championship was organised and badminton matches became the new addiction. In the first game Hong Kong Recreational competed with the Clube de Macau, represented by the doubles José Nolasco-Peter Mok, Eduardo Silva-Álvaro Silva and Alfredo Silva-Remígio Bañares. The Recreational displayed an obvious technical superiority and expertise, beating the Clube de Macau team 161-to-124.

Sunday afternoons were dedicated to hockey. The Macau team remained on top form. They were practically the same players as played in Singapore, except for an impressively dynamic newcomer - Henrique Manhão. Macao habitually beat Hong Kong, the most interesting matches being against the 'Punjab' and other Indian teams stationed there.

But undoubtedly the most important sports event of the end of 1935 was the football Taça de Natal dos Pobres de Macau (Christmas Cup of the Macao Poor), an initiative of Lieutenant Guedes Pinto of the Polícia de Segurança Pública (Civil Police Force) - one of the most popular and distinctive personalities of that time in the Colony. There were eight competing clubs; seven Portuguese: Argonauta (Argonaut), Tenebroso (Tenebrous), Polícia (Police), Metralhadoras (Machine guns), Artilharia (Artillery), Negro Rubro (Black Red) and União (Union); and one Chinese: Ó Kiu. According to the list of names most of the contenders were Portuguese, Macanese and nationals from metropolitan Portugal with a minority of Chinese. The fans followed the matches with great enthusiasm, taking sides and ending numerous rows with punches and even severing long term friendships. Tenebroso emerged as the undisputed winner.

The activities of Macao's students were also quite remarkable during the last quarter of 1935. The beginning of the academic year 1935-1936 saw the foundation of the Associação Escolar do Liceu (The Official Secondary School Educational Association) which selected for its emblem an escutcheon with five shields between two affronted foxes, on a green background. This emblem, conceived by the student João Tomás Siu (now a civil engineer) would be the proud symbol of the Liceu Nacional de Macau (National Official Secondary School of Macao) throughout the years to follow.

The Associação Escolar do Liceu was created by the effort of the esteemed professor Fernando de Lara Reis with the enthusiasm of final year students and the unremitting support of the rector, Dr. José Ferreira e Castro. It was the proud inheritor of the traditions of the Academia do Liceu (The Academy of the Official Secondary School), established in the 1920s and had a splendid though ephemeral existence.

During its short life it organised exhibitions, cultural events, dancing parties, theatre shows and outings to Coloane Island and to the Chinese mainland. Two of its most popular picnics were trips to the Nine Islands and Choi Hang - the birthplace of the founder of the Chinese Republic, Sun Zhongshan (Sun Yat Sen). But the most memorable event of all was an April excursion to Hong Kong to play a match against the University of Hong Kong team followed by a reception at the Recreational club.

It must be noted that the Associação Escolar do Liceu never lost the backing of the students who supported it unanimously and always felt at home there. The Association taught those students who were in charge of running things early in life how to handle and organise relatively complex management programmes.

It was badly affected by the replacement of the Liceu's rector, considered by the students at the time to be a gross injustice. There were no public protests but the turn of events was taken negatively by most students. It happened during the first days of the 1941-1942 academic year when I was in my last year at school.

The death blow was soon to follow; delivered by the new rector during his very first administrative meeting of the Associação Escolar do Liceu, in an inflammatory speech that exalted the Mocidade Portuguesa (Portuguese Youth) - a new organisation to be launched in Macao. His disdain for the Association was more than obvious and, at the end of his long drawn out discourse he dictated with attempted irony that for the time being the Association could continue to function but there were to be "[...] no more dancing parties." He emphasised this dictum as if the Associação Escolar do Liceu had so far organized nothing but dancing parties!

The students reacted by simply halting all the Association activities, its administration cancelling all further meetings and ceasing to collect the monthly shares. They went even further: they no longer participated in the rector's initiatives and exhibited a total lack of interest verging on passive resistance calculated to break his nerve. And what about dancing parties? Those continued to be organized on other circuits to take place in other venues. And when sometimes the new rector appeared unexpectedly at these festivities to inspect the behaviour of his students, the young couples just giggled and deliberately danced in tight embraces just to inflame the militant puritan who was so determined to separate the sexes.

Those were great times, when students' protests and revenge could be achieved in such a simple manner!

The first Direcção (Board of Directors) of the Associação Escolar do Liceu was invested on the 2nd of December [1935] its members being Alberto Maria da Conceição (vice-president), Constâncio Lemos de Araújo (secretary) - Secção de Assistência (Assistance Division), João Carreo Braga (treasurer) - Secção de Cooperativa (Cooperative Division), Albino Pacheco Borges (speaker) - Secção de Excursões (Excursions Division) and Fernando Garibaldi Pinto de Morais (speaker) - Secção Desportiva (Sports Division).

The President of the Junta dos Delegados à Associação (Board of Delegates to the Association) and President of the Board of Directors was the rector of the Official Secondary School, professor Fernando de Lara Reis.

The first big event organized by the Associação Escolar do Liceu took place on the 23rd of December 1935, which was a gloriously sunny afternoon that promised a fantastic Christmas. It took place in the Ginásio (Gymnasium) adjacent to the premises of the former Liceu which is now the Centro de Saúde (Health Centre). The party opened with the traditional "just two words" proffered by the vice-president of the Association, followed by a musical and literary session, a tea and the concluding ball. The Ginásio no longer exists but all those who attended this event dearly remember the convivial atmosphere of the place and that wonderful party: the scintillating Christmas tree, the gifts to all first year students (which we were that year), the rosy cheeks of all the young girls who are now grannies, the melodies "As Penas" ("Sorrows"), "Que noite serena" ("What a Tranquil Night"), "Joana dantes cantava" (Joanna used to sing"); at that first ball where we danced with a girl who was not one of our sisters.

That year at Christmas at the Dom Pedro V Theatre the Escola Comercial (Commercial School) staged a remarkable show of popular religious processions and everyday folk activities in Portugal.

Thus ended 1935.

•[XLI -IV (70) 29 Novembro [November] 1979, pp.2 and 7].

The year of 1936 started with great hopes for Macao. The reclamation works of Praia Grande Bay were completed. Together with the massive filling in of the Outer Port they heralded the dawn of a modern new city with broad avenues and skyscrapers. These ideals seemed to be a projected reality once the news broke that Pan American Airways was going to extend its Far East network to make the Colony one of its trans-Pacific terminals. Finally Macao was going to be known worldwide.

In those days there were few living in Macao who had ever experienced boarding an aeroplane. Most people travelled by boat. Dempo and other liners of the Dutch company Royal Interocean Lines, or the Victoria and the Conte Rosso of the Italian Lloyd Triestino were the most commonly used passenger sea carriers to Europe. The Asama Maru, the Empress of Japan and the Empress of Canada of the Canadian Pacific Line linked both coasts of the Pacific Ocean. Whenever the sumptuous Empress of Britain happened to berth in Hong Kong people took the ferry over there just to visit it. Other options to reach Europe were the steamships of the Pacific and Orient Line, like the Mantua, or the Messageries Maritimes Françaises' ships which always had a stopover in Saigon, city of languor and perdition.

In halcyon days flying was an outlandish adventure only undertaken by a privileged few. There were only two airlines operating to this remote corner of the globe, Imperial Airways and Pan American Airways, the latter reaching Macao by hydroplane; the largest and most talked about of which was the China Clipper.

The negotiations to implement such a long haul flight had started in 1935 and had recently been satisfactorily concluded, in spite of the scepticism of pessimists wearied by words, promises and disillusion. The Terminal Pavilion was under construction at the Outer Port: a building which would late become the Clube Náutico de Macau (Macao Nautical Club) and which is now the Riviera Restaurant. On the Colina da Penha (Penha Hill) the American company was building two radio-telegraph stations.

Meanwhile the international news reported on the latest demoralizing and massive casualties suffered by the Italians in their long drawn war in Abyssinia; Germany going ahead with the reorganisation of their army. War ravaged China from end to end, between the Warlords and the Central Government, the Communists and the Nationalists and with the Japanese continuously increasing pressure to gain control over ever larger Chinese territories. In the United Kingdom the extremely popular Prince of Wales was crowned Edward VIII. First reports made the Macao newspaper headlines on political instability in Spain, and the names of Largo Caballero and Gil Robles were repeatedly mentioned on the radio news broadcasts.

Regardless of all this, Macao got busy as usual making preparations for the traditional Carnival crash parties. The tunas Águia and Popular competed with each other in the quality of their repertoires. At night, followed by their crowd of masked merry goers, these popular choral bands crashed private residences, inevitably followed by a hoard of Chinese brats shouting incessantly: - "Aqui Bobo!... Aqui..." (-"Here you Clown!... Here...").

The crash party to the Clube Militar on the 1st of February was particularly riotous with the tuna Águia playing non-stop waltzes, tangos, foxtrots, quick-steps and Portuguese popular marches. The same tuna pleasantly surprised the Associação Escolar do Liceu by crashing its party at the Ginásio on the 15th of February. Most students were wearing masks and in fancy dress. We dressed up as Mexicans.

Although this year the festivities were not as wild as in 1934 Carnival gradually became delirious with excitement. All public services closed on the Monday and Tuesday after Shrove Sunday. The clubs were packed with sleepless people rushing from one party to another in an impossible attempt to miss nothing anywhere, with apparently inexhaustible energy. The great novelty of that year was a new tuna of about forty youngsters, all under sixteen, who made an enormous impact, performing with great confidence, professionalism and enthusiasm. Many of those adolescents are members of the present day Tuna Macaense (Macanese Tuna), the last residue of the characteristic and very special traditional Carnival of Macao.

Hockey, tennis and football remained the favorite sports of the season. By the end of January the football team of the Len-Nam University of Guangzhou visited Macao and played against the Macanese teams Ó Kiu, Tenebroso and Artilharia, who won all three at home matches.

A poster of "A Foreign Affair", released in 1948 by Paramount, directed by Billy Wilder, with Marlene Dietrich.

January also saw the first issue of the bimonthly children's periodical "O Tio Tareco" ("Uncle Cat"), an initiative of João de Mesquitela much assisted by Pedro Paulo Ângelo. This bimonthly had a short run but while it lasted it was the greatest delight of the Portuguese speaking children in Macao. The first few issues were undoubtedly exciting.

With very few exceptions, movie theatres ran commercial productions of little interest. The Apolo mainly exhibited films from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Paramount studios while the Capitol gave preference to R. K. O. productions. We will report on the very few that were acclaimed by the public in general.

The most outstanding of all was "The Scarlet Empress" [released in 1934], a stunning idealisation of the life of the Czarina Catherine II of Russia, directed by Josef von Sternberg. The treatment does not describe history with any accuracy but applies an opulent realism to the barbarity of contemporary Russia in the wake of Western influences, with brutal knights and savage Cossacks in impetuous cavalcades. The pivotal figure in this turmoil of action in black and white is the arrestingly beautiful Marlene Dietrich who played the Czarina with exalted charisma.

With superb camera work and elaborate stage sets, Sternberg brought out the best in this great actress, accentuating the enigmatic and sensuous profile of her face and her utterly feminine traits which manage to command violent masculine attitudes. Marlene, who had received deserving international adulation for her roles in "Blue Angel", "Morocco", "Dishonoured" and "Shanghai Express" (never exhibited in Macao), reached the summit of her glory in this exceptional production. The Apolo had the honour of exhibiting it in the Colony.

Around Carnival time, or shortly after, the Capitol presented "Top Hat",**** the fourth film of the duo Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers, after their success in "Flying Down to Rio", "Gay Divorce" and "Roberta" - with the tremendously popular hit song "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", interpreted by Jerome Kern.

"Top Hat" a lively, cheerful and entertaining story about optimism in contemporary America, was the latest production following in the tracks of musicals by Irving Berlin, particularly his acclaimed "Pocolino". The top hit song of this film was "Cheek to Cheek", played at every Macao Carnival party, much to the satisfaction of all young lovers. We still think that "Top Hat" was by far the best of all Astaire-Rogers productions, scoring the highest marks for its flair, elegance and joviality.

Another of the interesting movies that season was "The Mutiny of the Bounty", directed by Frank Lloyd with Clark Gable and Charles Laughton playing the leading roles of Christian Fletcher and Captain Bligh respectively. The film described the famous mutiny on board a British Royal Navy vessel mid-ocean, while the crew took refuge on the Pitcairn islands where they settled and eventually married Polynesian girls. Their descendants, a half-breed race, are now considered the 'native' people of this archipelago. Following his brilliant performance the previous year in "It Happened One Night", Clark Gable's latest acting feat took him to new peaks of fame and won him the title 'The King of Hollywood'. Charles Laughton, already internationally famous for his earlier interpretation of Henry VIII in "The Private Life of Henry VIII", and the intransigent father in "The Barretts of Wimpole Street", was a superb incarnation of almost inhuman cruelty and diabolical oppression embodied in the person of Captain Bligh. Although a second version of this historical event was adapted to cinema in 1963, this first production still impresses for its dramatic power. We remember well seeing this second version at the Apolo, in Macao, but leaving at the end rather unconvinced by the performances of Marlon Brando and Trevor Howard, and only enthusiastic about Bronislau Kaper's musical arrangements which evoked the grandeur of the Southern Seas superbly.

Yet another interesting film that season was "The Informer", adapted from the novel by Liam O'Flaherty and released by the Capitol in March 1936. It was the story of the odyssey of a brutal and unscrupulous man who, eager to emigrate to America, accepted a bribe to betray an IRA agent friend of his to British intelligence officers stationed in Dublin. After receiving 'Judas pay' he was assailed by remorse as well as the relentless threats of the partisans, formerly his friends, who decided to take revenge. John Ford's stunning black and white images evoked the tragedy of Northern Ireland it its fight for freedom and portrayed Victor McLaglen - one of actors in the immortal "What Price Glory?" - in the leading role as a soul tormented. Dudley Nichols' and Max Steiner's script was an outstanding contribution to this exceptionally good film.

Opera lovers were delighted with not one but two remarkable movies. The first was "Blossom Time", based on the life of Franz Schubert with Richard Tauber as tenor - a man of extraordinary voice but unconvincing acting. The second was "Love me Forever" with the soprano Grace Moore, a disappointing melodrama in comparison with "One Night Love" her previous year's success co-starring Tulio Carminatti.

•[XLII - V (71) 20 Agosto 19780, p.2].

In the middle of April 1936 the Apolo presented an extraordinarily pungent and sombre film which did not raise much public interest. It was the cinematic adaptation of Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment with Peter Lorre admirably impersonating Raskolnikof. The film received the highest praise from the critics but was not awarded the Hollywood Oscar for the best film of the year - neither was Sternberg's "The Scarlet Empress"!

The film most talked about by the end of the month was "Rose Marie", directed by W. S. van Dyke, with Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald leading the cast. This actress and singer had grown in popularity co-starring with Maurice Chevalier in "Love Parade" and "Merry Widow" and playing with the refined Jack Buchanan in "Monte Carlo". Nelson Eddy was practically unknown at the time.

The couple had already acted together the previous year in the unsavoury "Naughty Marietta". Their performance in "Rose Marie" brought them to global attention and they immediately became a favourite duo internationally. The film opened in Macao with great expectations from the public, fanned by the highest praise and inflamed critical eulogies in popular cinema magazines such as "Photoplay" and "Screenland" as well as stimulating references from all those who had already seen it in Hong Kong. Its première in Macao took place at the Apolo on the 25th of April to a full house. We went to the half-past-five show the same day.

Although the plot was straightforwardly plain, sweet and naive - a 'must' recipe for the commercially popular films of those years - it was not seen as such at the time, either by the public of a carefree individualistic and prosperous America just out from the hardships of Depression, nor by movie goers around the world conscious of the increasingly gloomy instability of the international political situation.

A scene of "Top Hat", released in 1935 by RKO, directed by Mark Sandrich, with sets designed by Hermes Pan and Fred Astaire.

•[XLIII - V (74) 3 October 1980, p.2].

The tender voice of Jeanette MacDonald matched the baritone assertiveness of her companion to perfection. The film had a number of exceptionally good songs such as "Song of the Mounties", sung by Eddy and a chorus; "Indian Love Call" by Eddy and Jeanette; "Pardon me, Madame", a solo by Jeanette; and "A Serenade, Just for You" and "Oh, Rose Marie, I Love you", just by Eddy. Jeanette also sang beautifully an excerpt of the opera "Romeo and Juliet" by Charles François Gounod and the famous aria of Giacomo Puccini's "Tosca". "Indian Love Call" and "Oh, Rose Marie" are unforgettable tunes, still remembered nostalgically by many who saw this magically delightful and vibrant movie.

Without much fuss and with apparent ease, Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald were to become one of the 'immortal' couples of Hollywood, cherished and acclaimed by millions of movie fans worldwide. Until the time that America joined the 'allies' in the Second World War, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer made huge profits repeatedly with all the releases where this duo lead the cast.

From 1936 to 1942 they produced six films with these two as main stars, namely: "Maytime" in 1937, "The Girl of the Golden West" in 1938, and "New Moon" in 1940, directed by Robert Z. Leonard; and "Sweethearts" 1938, "Bitter Sweet" 1940, and "I Married and Angel" 1942, directed by W. S. van Dyke.

"New Moon" saw the first general public reaction against the frivolity of this type of institutionalized plot and did not enjoy the box office success of the previous ones. The flippant "I Married an Angel" was a total disaster and marked the end of their joint performances.

Jeanette MacDonald went on to leading roles in a number of other movies but Eddy was forgotten by all. It is worth mentioning "San Francisco" [released 1936], another great film of the time, also from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, with Jeanette MacDonald co-starring with Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy. The only other pale success of Nelson Eddy during the 1930s was "Balalaika" [released in 1939], with Ilona Massey. This was an enjoyably light film with good songs but second rate performances.

•[XLIV - V (75) 22 Novembro 1980, p.2].

"Rose Marie" was also a revelation of two young talents, one a timid boy called James Stewart, the other, David Niven, with a more assertive presence.

The daily papers reported the invasion of the Rhineland by the army of the Third Reich in open breach of the clauses in the Treaty of Versailles and the Pact of Locarno previously signed by Germany. The war in Abyssinia was reaching its inevitable end with a stressful yet conclusive victory for the Italian troops. Spain, struggling through its internal crisis, was not yet considered an important topic of debate.

Echoing the general concern felt in Macao for the Abyssinian conflict, a tennis match was organized by the Clube União Recreativa between two rival groups called for the purpose Itália (Italy) and Abissínia (Abyssinia). The Itália team was composed of the following players: António A. de Mello, Guilherme V. da Silva, José Boyol, Luís Gonzaga Gomes and Miguel Ayres da Silva; and the Abissínia team: Adolfo Jorge, Alexandrino Boyol, A. Barros Pereira, José C. de Almeida and José de Senna Fernandes. The 'Italians' won and the price for the defeat was a Pantagruelian lunch paid by the 'Abyssinians'. Such were the consequences of the Abyssinian war for Macao. And such was the success of the outcome of this contest that a number of lunches took place in succession throughout the summer, fully subscribed to by the members of the União Recreativa.

Also in mid April, the extremely active Associação Escolar do Liceu organized an exhibition of paintings by local contemporary artists. The selection jury was the Official Secondary School rector, Dr. José Ferreira de Castro, professor Fernando de Lara Reis and the Lieutenant António de Santa Clara, who jointly selected the following participants: Albertina Carvalho, Alberto da Conceição, Albino Borges, Américo Ângelo, Armando Basto, Evândole Boyol, Fernando Morais, Humberto Borges, João Siu, Márcia Albuquerque, Maria de Souza Afonso, Olga Borges, Reinaldo Pedruco and Rigoberto do Rosário.

Early in May the "A Voz de Macau" broke the news that a Requerimento (Petition) had been submitted to the Repartição Técnica das Obras Públicas (Technical Office of the Public Works Department) proposing the construction of a narrow gauge (sixty centimetres wide) railway line to link the Quartel de São Francisco (St. Francis Barracks) to the Hipódromo (Hippodrome) in Areia Preta (Black Sands). The purpose of this miniature railway was to transport people in a pleasant manner, whether they were spectators to the horse races, or tourists and people in general from one end of the Colony to the other. The Petition was subscribed to by Lord Ropert Browns [ sic - Rupert Brown?]. The route of this railway line was never made public and the project was abandoned with the commencement of works to the water reservoir at the end of the Outer Port reclamation area.

The "A Voz de Macau" also published two juicy, lengthy articles on the "millions of Calcutta" - a centenary story involving the rights and revenues of a huge fortune resulting from an investment made originally by a number of old Macanese families. There was renewed speculation on the possibilities of claiming and recovering the profits of the initial investment. The subject was debated heatedly at the Clube de Macau, in the União Recreativa and at evening gatherings - but no foreseeable reality emerged from this spontaneous effervescence, and so the matter remains till the present, open to challenge, reclining quietly in the realm of the fantastic and legendary.

June was hot and rainy. The Capitol started the month by releasing the fourth musical movie from the duo Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers. It was called "Follow the Fleet" and the songs and arrangements were by Irving Berlin. The leading actors were on top form and energetically performed breathtaking tap dancing numbers. The names of the very young Lucille Ball, Betty Grable and Tony Martin appeared in the list of the supporting cast.

Fifteen days later it was the opening night of Cecil B. de Mille's "Cleopatra"***** [released in 1934] with Claudette Colbert. It was a sumptuous super-production with banquets, orgies, triumphal processions, the re-enactment of the naval battle of Actium and finally, the viper biting the breast of the exotic and fatal Egyptian queen. Twenty nine years later Elizabeth Taylor would filmicly reincarnate queen "Cleopatra" in an even more lavishly expensive production but, alas, of mediocre quality. The stunning Elizabeth Taylor would not manage to dethrone Claudette Colbert from the memories of those who saw her most impressive role of snakelike sensuality.

The second fortnight of June saw two major social events. The first took place on the evening of the 23rd and was the arraial (popular festival) of São João (St. John) at the Ténis Civil; the second was scheduled for the 30th-the picnic to Cheoc Van Beach on Coloane Island, organised by the Grémio Militar. The organising committee of the arraial were Celeste Vidigal, Celsa Rodrigues, Maria Helena Menezes Ribeiro and Vera de Senna Fernandes. Despite a number of contrary conditions and the unfortunately bad weather the organising team did not give up their efforts and were rewarded by much support from friends and enthusiasts.

All three of the Guild's tennis courts were transformed into different environments. One was disguised as a cornfield with hay stacks which were gracefully bundled here and there and enlivened with four life-size dummies, realistically painted by Albino Borges to represent two couples of typical peasants from the northern Portuguese province of Minho. The two young lads had the faces of Clark Gable and Warner Baxter and the maidens wore the faces of Maria Helena Menezes Ribeiro and Vera de Senna Fernandes. The second court was decorated as an open air ballroom with an orchestral stage for the Grupo Bragazinho - the Macanese trio composed by Alderico Viana, Luís Baptista and Cipriano Bernardo - to play all night long. The third court was adapted as an eating area, with a spacious temporary construction improvised for the event that sheltered a huge wine barrel. Surrounding this ad hoc pavilion were scattered tables each with the 'obligatory' fresh basil vase with a red carnation and a traditional rhymed quatrain. A small shrine had been built to perfection over a small water basin behind the tennis bungalow and here the statue of the Saint presided over the festivity being held in his honour.

Between seven and eight in the evening a tremendous downpour threatened to ruin the whole affair. Some shed profuse tears, others prayed anxiously for a miracle. Suddenly the rain stopped, from one moment to the next and the crowd thanked the providential intercession of the patron Saint religiously. As the participants rejoiced the party gradually got going again to enact the fervour of an unsurpassable popular event. The Grupo Bragazinho was on top form and people expressed their joy dancing the 'vira', 'verde-gaio', 'corridinho do Algarve',****** and the march "Olha o Balão" ("Look at the Balloon") non stop.

Once in a while popular music alternated for a short period with adaptations of contemporary international rhythms with quite a few uninhibitedly modern couples joining in the dancing. Accompanied by Grupo Bragazinho, Vera de Senna Fernandes sang a short repertoire of Portuguese songs to the delight of all present, among them: "Fado de Santa Cruz" ("The Fado of the Holy Cross"); "Canção de amor" ("Love Song") and "Canção de cabreira" ("Shepherdess Song") from the Portuguese film "As pupilas do senhor reitor" ("The Students of the Master Rector"); the "Tricanas de Aveiro" ("Aveiro Countrywomen"); the jolly "Canção de Lisboa" ("Lisbon Song") and that other one, so serene and nostalgic, which starts with the words "Uma porta, uma janela, [...]" ("A doorway, a window, [...]"). ******* Quite a few could not restrain themselves from weeping sentimentally. It was a magic night at the Ténis Civil; for hours people were transported to the bucolic realm of remote metropolitan Portugal. The music stopped with exhaustion at half past four in the morning and the party came to an end with an invigorating round of hot chocolate drink. Such was the Macao of 1936. ********

Translated from the Portuguese by: Fiona Sanders

Flashback: FERNANDES, Henrique de Senna, Cinema in Macau: The "Silent Years" - I, in "Review of Culture", Macau, Instituto Cultural de Macau, 18 (2nd Series) January/March 1994, pp.153-183, I-X; FERNANDES, Henrique de Senna, Cinema in Macau: 1930-1931: The Thrill of the Talkies - II, in "Review of Culture", Macau, Instituto Cultural de Macau, 23 (2nd Series) April/June 1995, pp. 145-183, XI-XXIV.

I-I (15) 12 Setembro [September] 1975, p.2.

II- I (16) 3 Outubro [October] 1975, p.2.

III- I (17) 23 Outubro 1975, p.2.

IV- I (18) 6 Novembro [November] 1975, p.2.

V- I (19) 22 Novembro 1975, pp.2 and 4.

VI- I (20) 10 Dezembro [December] 1975, pp.2 and 4.

VII- I (21) 31 Dezembro 1975, pp.2 and 5.

VIII- I (22) 16 Janeiro [January] 1976, pp.4 and 5.

IX- I (24) 17 Fevereiro [February] 1976, pp.2 and 5.

X- I (25) 12 Março [March] 1976, p.2.

XI- II (26) 27 Março 1976, pp.2 and 7.

XII- II (27) 14 Abril [April] 1976, pp.4 and 5.

XIII- II (28) 4 Maio [May] 1976, p.2.

XIV- II (29) 20 Maio 1976, pp.4-5.

XV- II (30) 12 Junho [June] 1976, p.4.

XVI- II (35) 20 Agosto [August] 1976, p.5.

XVII- II (36) 31 Agosto 1976, pp.4-5.

XVIII- II (39) 22 Outubro 1976, pp.4-5.

XIX- II (40/41) 12 Novembro 1976, p. 11.

XX-II (43) 17 Dezembro 1976, p.5.

XXI- II (44) 6 Janeiro 1977, pp.2-3.

XXII-II (45/46) 29 Janeiro 1977, p. 10.

XXIII- II (47) 16 Fevereiro 1977, p.5.

XXIV-II (48) 12 Março 1977, p.2.

XXV- III (49) 7 Abril 1977, pp.2 and 4.

XXVI- III (50/51)21 Maio 1977, p.6.

XXVII- III (53) 7 Julho [July] 1977, p.4.

XXVIII- III (54) 12 Agosto 1977, pp.4 and 6.

XXIX - III (55) 30 Agosto 1977, pp.3-4.

XXX - III (56) 15 Setembro 1977, pp.4-5.

XXXI - III (57) 15 Outubro 1977, pp.2 and 4.

XXXII- III (58/59) 10 Dezembro 1977, pp.6 and 9.

XXXIII - III (60) 21 Janeiro 1978, pp.2 and 4.

XXXIV - III (61) 4 Fevereiro 1978, pp.2 and 7.

XXXV- III (62/63) 8 Março 1978, pp.6 and 9.

XXXVI- IV (64) 12 Abril 1978, pp.2 and 5.

XXXVII - IV (65-66) 9 Agosto 1978, pp.2 and 8.

XXXVIII - IV (67) 14 Setembro 1978, p.4.

XXXIX - IV (68) 12 Janeiro 1979, p.4.

XL - IV (69) 27 Fevereiro 1979, p.2.

XLI - IV (70) 29 Novembro 1979, pp.2 and 7.

XLII- V (71) 20 Agosto 1980, p.2.

XLIII- V (74) 3 October 1980, p.2.

XLIV- V (75) 22 Novembro 1980, p.2.

**Translator's note: The traditional name of the square where the Ministries of State are located in Lisbon.

*** Translator's note: The first lines of two extremely popular Portuguese tunes.

**** Editor's note. See: [XXXVI -IV (64) 12 Abril 1978, p.5].

***** Editor's note. See: [XXXVI -IV (64) 12 Abril 1978, p.5].

****** Translator's note: Popular music and dances from metropolitan Portugal's traditional peasant festivals.

******* Translator's note: Traditional songs from metropolitan Portugal.

******** Revised reprint from: FERNANDES, Henrique de Senna, O Cinema em Macau, in "Confluência", Macau, Ano [Year] III, Fascículo [Issue] 49 Número [Number] XXV, 7 Abril [April] 1977, pp.2 and 4 to Ano V, Fascículo 75 Número XLIV, 22 Novembro [November] 1980, p.2.

* Masters Degree in Law (LLM) from the Universidade de Coimbra (University of Coimbra), Coimbra. Researcher, chronicler and novelist. Author of Amor e Dedinhos de Pé recently adapted for the cinema.