THE NEW REGENT

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 192, 3 November 1927, Page 19

THE NEW REGENT

“TEN MODERN COMMANDMENTS” Esther Ralston, the beautiful Paramount star, irons out a few kinks and wrinkles in the social code of to-day in her latest comedy, “Ten Modern Commandments,” which opens at the New Regent Theatre to-morrow. To Jack Lait goes the credit of allowing Miss Ralston to juggle convention, for it was he who wrote the original story. Then Dorothy Arzner, Paramount’s only woman director, who did such a splendid job with the blonde star in “Fashions for 'Women.” finished it off with a great bit of direction. “Ten Modern Commandments” is a story of the stage, a story that Miss Ralston has lived before. When she was two years old, her mother carried her before the footlights, and from then on it was one round of travel, work and the inevitable theatrical boarding-house. How she uses the “Ten Modern Commandments” to serve her ends, makes an amusing and striking screen story.

Supporting the star is a hand-picked cast. First in line comes Neil Hamilton, of “Beau Geste” fame, who has the leading masculine role. Then there’s Jocelyn Lee as the stai* of the Revels; Arthur IToyt, the theatrical producer; Romaine Feilding, Rose Burdick and Maude Truex as the old troupers, and Rosooe Karns, the funny stage manager.

Ray Vaughn, aptly described as “The King of Syncopation,” will supply the vaudeville portion of the programme. He is a xylophonist of rare ability who excels in his particular line of art, and dispenses a number of selections that are both melodious and popular. His is an act which starts with a “snap” and never lets up until he takes his final curtain. PJis act is one which will have an instant appeal to Regent audiences. Eddie Horton at the Mighty Wurlitzer will introduce another novelty slid© number with panatrope accompaniment. The Regent Operatic Orchestra under the baton of Mr. Maurice Guttridge. will render various selections with a specially selected entr’acte. “SORRELL AND SON” A NOTABLE CAST Among the members of the cast who accompanied Brenon to England for the filming of Warwick Deeping’s famous novel, “Soi'rell and Son,” were H. B. Warner, who has the role of Captain Stephen Sorrell, Nils Asther, the grown up Kit Sori-ell of the picture: Mickey Mcßan, Kit as a boy, Mary'' Nolan, who plays Molly Roland, and Norman Trevor. Thomas Roland. Anna Q. Nilsson, Alice Joyce, Carmel Myers, Louis Wolheim, Lionel Belmore, Flobelle Fairbanks. Raul McAllister, Betsy Ann Hisle and others completed their parts before the company sailed. Ray Lissner, assistant director; Julian Fleming, technical director, and James Howe and Leo Tover, cameramen, are with Herbert Brenon in England. Marie Halvey, the young film editor whose cutting of “Beau Geste” and other Brenon - successes have won her an enviable niche in filmdorn. remained in Hollywood to assemble the completed | part of “Sorrell and Son.”

During the making of “Resurrection,” I the picturisation of Count Leo TolI stoy’s famous classic, the author’s son, j Count Ilya Tolstoy, acted as literary i and technical adviser. lie supervised the costumes and sets —except for those of a purely military nature, which were in the hands of General Pleschkoff.