MAJESTIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 223, 9 December 1927, Page 15

MAJESTIC

“THE UNKNOWN” The Bohemian life and romance of the circus was never more realistically portrayed than in “The Unknown,” a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Spcial Production now being shown at the Majestic Theatre. The story centres around the lives of circus performers, Lon Chaney as the “Armless Wonder” being the centre of an unusually gripping drama. This armless player is not without love—a love that few women possess; but the dark-eyed daughter of the circus proprietor feels only a sisterly affection for his friendly protection. Rival claims then sweep this putsating story into stark drama intense emotional suspense, deep sacrifice and true love.

Joan Crawford excels her characterisations in “Petris,” “Winners of the Wilderness,” “Sally, Irene and Mary,” and the “Taxi Dancer” in this epic production. She is clever on the sawdust, (willowy and beautiful in figure and face, and she portrays the overwhelming discontent with her existence in a manner that stamps her as an artist of great distinction. Norman Kerry plays an important role in this production, as the “strong man” of the circus troupe, a part in which his ample proportions combine appropriately with his accomplished acting to give a realistic interpretation. Tod Browning, director of sevral noted Chaney picturs, carried the megaphone in “The Unknown.” Scenes included in the Majestic Magazine and Pathe Pictorial are the celebrations of the 80th birthday of President Hindenberg, Walsall’s welcome to Lieutenant Webster, the winner of the Schneider Cup race, excavations of Ostia—“the glory that was Rome”—otter hunting in Devon, and an enchanting British scenic of Penzance, and the surrounding artists’ paradise. A New Zaland scenic and an amusing comedy conclude the supporting programme. The incomparable mentalist, “Remona,” will be seen in her wonderful and unique demonstration of quintuple mind concentration, and inverted caligraphy. This clever artist is not only able to do two things at once, but astonishes large audiences all over the world by doing five things at one and the same time—reading, writing, spelling, adding figures and talking about an entirely different subject. This is truly one of the most remarkable vaudeville sensations of to-day As this week’s overture, Mr. WhitefordWaugh and the Majestic Orchestra will play Rossini’s famous composition,

“The Barber of Seville,” and includes in the incidental music rendered, “Three Eastern Sketches” (Horgill), “In Old Granada” (Hadley); grand selection, “Ernani” (Verdi), “Schubert’s Songs,” “Meditation” (Tschaikowsky), “Spannish Dances” (Stegger), “Serenade” (Salcede), and “Cleopatra Suite” (Oehmler).