MAJESTIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 160, 27 September 1927, Page 15

MAJESTIC

LON CHANEY AS “MR. WU” There are no dull moments at the Majestic Theatre this week, where an entertainment entirely in keeping with this theatre’s customary high standard is being presented. Heading the bill is a Metro-Golwyn special, “Mr. Wu,” starring Lon Chaney. With strange China elephants, jade-encrusted josses from the Orient, and brilliant., ornaments of a far-off land, a Chinese garden, and a section of a Chinese city, were constructed in one of the most elaborate screen undertakings in the history of a screen studio, for “Mr. Wu,” Lon Chaney’s new starring vehicle playing at the Majestic Theatre. The scene, representing the palace gardens of Wu, the uncanny mandarin, played by Chaney, is an exact duplicate of a Chinese palace garden, from magic walls designed to keep out the evil spirits to the glittering pagodas of Cathay. Flowers and plants imported from China vied with domestic plants duplicating Chinese agriculture. Statues, ornaments, and other details were authentic, many of great vajue, and many imported from China for the production. Bronze cranes, goldfish, imported Chinese lilies, and many other difficult settings, marked the work. Walker Whiteside played the story on the stage, and the screen version, directed by William Kigh, has a cast that includes Renee Adoree, Ralph Forbes, Gertrude Olmsted, Claude King, Anna May Wong, Holmes Herbert, and others of note. The picture is introduced by Jack Lumsdaine with the presentation of his own composition, “South of Shanghai,” rendered against a unique and beautiful background. Included in his programme are several other very popular and interesting items of mirth and melody. Mr. Whiteford-Waugh’s New Majestic Orchestra gives an excellent entertainment, the musical numbers covering a wide range of enchanting Oriental airs. The numbers include “Suite Orientale” (Popy), “Chanson Indoue” (Korsakoff). “Orientale” (Cui), “Chinese Festival” (Hegner), and “Momento Capriciosso” (Weber). Liszt’s “Second Hungarian Rhapsody” is specially featured as an interlude, and is greatly appreciated by all music-lovers. The remainder of the pictorial programme is of an exceptionally high standard, and consists of a New Zealand scenic, “The MilkyWay,” dealing with the dairy farms of the Dominion. The Majestic News, Eve’s Review, a beautiful English scenic, “Up the River Coquet, Northumberland,” and a juvenile comedy, “Grandpa’s Boy,” starring Big Boy, conclude a notable evening’s entertainment.