LYRIC PICTURES.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 30 May 1918, Page 3

LYRIC PICTURES.

—Friday Evening—

" Paddy O'Hara " —Rollicking, fighting action characterises this brilliant Triangle play. Everyone -will like William Desmond, who plays the role of a dashing Irish war correspondent who gets into a maze of troubles in the Balkans. He is the star reporter on the London " Vlade," and he is quite unable to keep out of any fighting that is going about, even for the sake of news. The snenery ot the play is wonderful, and there is a tremendous climb up a precipice by eighty soldiers who are attacking a castle on a great height. There are some interesting flashes of modern war, including an aeroplane at work, and there is also a duel fought with terrific intensity, and exhibiting Splendid swordmanship. A new Triangle beauty makes her appearance in this film, Mary Mclvor, and she will soon have a large following. She is said to own the prettiest shoulders on the screen and she makes an adorable princess.

—Saturday Evening—

" The Matrimaniac "— A whirlwind could hardly cover mure ground at a sharper pace than Douglas Fairbanks does in this clever comedy drama. The athletic champion of the Triangle studios is seen at his very best and the "stunts" he performs are in the nature of miracles In one case, for instance, he runs up a wall perpendicularly in the most impossible fashion and there performs more than one daring miracle of agility. Constance Talmadge is a delightful heroine, and is one of the best of the coming stars. The story is taken from a novelette by two good American writers and lately appeared in the All-Story magazine. The tale hangs together and without the rush and flurry of Fairbanks' clever work would have an interesting straightforward romance. To abduct a parson from his bathtub and carry him off to assist in a marriage ceremon^ is only one of the stunts.

—Tuesday Evening—

" Vera the Medium " (Kitty Gordon)— Vera is a woman of the adventuress type. Richard Sterling, a rich Chicago magnate, arrives, and makes her acquaintance. He visits her apartments, and she tells him the story of how when she was a young girl her lover deserted her on her wedding day, and how her father forced her to leave home Sterling tells her that she is interesting, but that her story does not ring true. At a gaming table she is denounced by Carlton, a banker, and when he has left she says, " I will wager my hand against a thousand dollars that I will have that man. at my feet within a week." Her bet is accepted by Sterling. Her plans succeed but at the last moment she meets Carlton's daughter. At first the adventuress scorns the little girl, but the. memory of her own ruined career comes to her, and she decides to refuse Cj-rlton She has forgotten her wages, and is horrified at Sterling's demand. He persists, and relates the story of how he is the man who through an accident was unable to be present at their wedding.

—Wednesday Evening—

Viola Dana, as Dorothea, " The Gift of God," in " Threads of Fate," her latest Metro-Columbia wonderplay, has a role that gives her a chance to show all the wonderful talent that has established her as one of the greatett of America's screen and stage stars. Miss Viola Dana is one of the most prominent of the galaxy of Metro stars that have set such high standards in motion picture acting, and whose following is numbered by millions, She has been before the public nearly all her life, having made her stage debut as a child dancer in a charitable affair in New York. The production makes a strong appeal to the best and deepest emotions. Miss Dana Dana takes the part of a girl whom Fate has separated from her parents The threads of fate enmesh her in love, intrigue and riches.