MAORILAND PICTURES.

Shannon News, 4 May 1928, Page 3

MAORILAND PICTURES.

TO-NIGHT

THE EPIC FILM, “BEN HUR.”

The magnificent plot, brilliant characterisation and beautiful love story are among the outstanding reasons why “Ben Hur” has gripped the imagination of the world for fifty years. In the motion picture showing at the Maoriland Theatre for the last time, to-night, the splendid portrayals of Ben: Hur by Ramon Novarro, Esther by May McAvoy, Mother of Hur by Claire McDowell, and Tirzah by Kathleen Key* adA to the effect and enhance the romance. These players live the romantic side of the story, which is just as encliariot race. Miss McAvoy, who pre-‘ viously was best remembered by her role of Grizel in “Sentimental Tommy,” is a charming Esther, daughter of the Merchant of Antioch, who secretly has saved the Hur fortune for the young heir; and Ramon Novarro in the Ben Hur role is handsome, valiant, and his portrayal is marked by sincerity, and depth of feeling. ** Perhaps the deepest note is struck after Ben Hur sets out to find his lost kin, who have been condemned to, a living death in a forgotten Roman dungeon, and (unknown to him) finally released as outcasts. The mother and Tirzah find the youthful Ben Hur asleep on a bench outside the disused Palace of Hur. The sister kissCs his shoes, , but the mother does not dare touch him. Silently they go away to save him. from the ruin which is theirs. There are few dry eyes during the enactment of this scene, but the sorrow is turned to joy after Esther discovers the outcasts in the Vale of Hinnom, takes them to the Divine Healer, whoße benediction cures them;’and, the happy four are reunited. Claire McDowell’s : Mother of Hur is a masterpiece that should be seen by all lovers of fine acting. The spectacle will be preceded by the appropriate prologue, “The Star of Bethlehem.” “Ben Hur”'will be shown at Tokomaru on Wednesday. SATURDAY. • / Mae Murray, the incomparable queen of the screen, the exquisite dancer witi the twinkling feet of a fairy, the dramatic artiste superb, the unequalled wearer of gorgeous fashion creations, will be seen in the bright film, “Altars of Desire,” at the Maoriland Theatre . on Saturday. She,is so vibrantly and radiantly alive —so alluringly beautiful —that masculine hearts won’t behave. Slie has been seen as a stage star —as a Parisian cabaret dancer—now she will be seen as a typically modern miss, craving lifers pretty things, wanting to make life one long merry game. She wanted jewels and beautiful clothes and fun and flirting—and she forgot that it was life she w r as gambling with. The lane of happiness turned suddenly. What did she find? What had Fate in store for her? ' The answer is given in this amazing drama^ MONDAY—“THE TWO-GUN MAN.” Coupled with the magic name of Stewart Edward White, one of the few literary figures who have lived in and written of the Old West in an immortal way, Fred Thomson comes to the screen of the Maoriland Theatre next Monday wPtli “The Two-Gun Mhn,” first of the Thomson Productions to be made from the works pf this noted author. And if the .current attraction* is any criterion, the next two White stories will establish Fred at the very pinnacle off the;' -popularity ladder which he has been climbing so steadily during the past years. ' “The TwoGun Man ” is the story of a cattle “rustler” who is hired to ajjprehend himself, and; for the real atmosphere of the far-flung western frontier of which Mr White wrote, it is far and away the best western seen for a long time; abounding in realistic touches and illumined by highlights of strong characterisation. The inimitable comedy, which goes to make up so much of the entertainment value of Mr .Thomson’s pictures, is present "in intoxicating dos-' es, while a cast which includes Olive Hasbrouek, Sheldon Lewis, Frank Hagney, Ivar McFadden, Joe Dowling, William Courtwriglit, Arthur Millet, Willie Fung, and little Billy Butts enacts the featured roles splendidly.