LYRIC PICTURES.

Otaki Mail, 16 February 1923, Page 3

LYRIC PICTURES.

TO-NIGHT, “THE MAGIC CUP.’’ “The. Magic Cup,” the latest Partimount offering which screens at the Lyric Pictures to-night, is the story of Mary Malloy, an orphan w ho earns her living as scullery maid in a New York hotel. She rooms with the chief dishwasher in a cheap lodging huus.c' nearby. She lias one precious possession left her by her mother, an old silver goblet bearing the coat of arms of the Fitzroys. Whenever Mary needs money, she gets a loau on her cup at the nearest pawnshop. On one of her visits to the pawnshop a crook whose speciality is fake pearl notices her, questions her about her family’ and how she came by the cup. After she goes he frames a I plat with the pawn dealer, to get an- ! other croo|t friend to pose as Lord Fitzroy, como to America to seek his longlost grand-daughter, and claims Mary through her ownership of the Fitzroy goblet. The plot is to take her out of I her squalid surroundings, buy her won- ; derful clothes, and then shop for jewels for her, substituting fake jewels for real ones, thereby cleaning uji a fortune for themselves before they drop Mary. The plot begins to work out beautifully. The bogus Lord Fitzroy claims his son’s child, establishes her in luxury, [ and the ciooks get busy on a fake pearl necklace. Then Bob Norton, a young newspaper reporter, who is assigned to cover the sensational story of Lord Fitz-. toy’s finding of'his daughter, gets busy, gets in touch with the real Lord Fitzroy, who comes to America. He quickly exposes the crooks and in doing so finds the son whom he has missed for years, on the point of death. He is startled to learn that Mary is his granddaughter. Maty’s inliucnce frees the crooks who set up a business, then she and her grandfather leave for Ireland. A fine supporting programme includes the 1-lth chapter of “The Terror Trail” serial, a two-reel Arbuckle comedy', ‘■‘Moonshine,’’ and a Burton Holmes’ Travelogue and pictograph.

TO-MORROW (SATURDAY) AT 2.30 and 8 P.M. “WHERE IS MY WANDERING BOY TONIGHT.” “Where- is My Wandering' Boy Tonight/’ the melodramatic offering at .. the Lyric Pictures to-morrow (Saturday) at 2.30 and S p.m., promises an unusual treat for lovers of homely drama. It is a story that touches every human heart and does it in a way to grip the interest and hold it in its plutch to the last flicker of the picture. “Where Is My Wandering Boy Tonight” as one can conjecture from this sentimental title, has heart interest in abundance. And the strain on tho feelings is lightened at times by situa•tions calling for quiet chuckles. Three *** the four principals are small-town folks—the mother, -her son. 1 , and- the latJer’s sweetheart —and the two former in a cottage. The sweetheart is the employee'(he town’s 1 big business man—grocer, and >, a kef Combined: The j fourth ihember of the quaitdt ; is 'a girl .bribe .show .in the city. - In'the situa-j Jions revolving around the boy and' the show girl there are flashes of Broadway life as it was in the old days—*bf a cabarptj with dancing giTls and clinks ling glasses' and riotous mirth. Virgin- ' ia True Bpardman is. the motlfer, Cullcq ‘Landis is'the boy, Gariy Beecher, and gives a 'strong performance. His role is that of a lad in love with a girl m Lis own town but. also .fascinated by t ic .visiting show girl.who loses her inter pst immediately his funds are gone. Ruth (I’atsy) ■ Miller is a charming Lorna Owens, the village sweetheart of the boy. She carries with honour the role of fellow-sufferer with the mother end wins a large measure of sympathy. Kathleen Key has the! harder and unpopular part of the cold-blooded show girl without redeeming qualities and carries it through with splendid finesseAn Educational comedy ‘ ‘ Spooks ’ ’ and the Pathe Gazette "complete a tip-top programme-