MAJESTIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 250, 12 January 1928, Page 15

MAJESTIC

LON CHANEY TO-MORROW To-night, the popular programme headed by “Paid to Love,” will be screened for the last time, for to-mor-row commences another wonderful programme, with Lon Chaney’s latest and most successful photoplay, “Mockery,” as the chief pictorial feature. Strange details of the Russian revolution that overthrew the Government of the Tsar and resulted in the death of the ruler, and odd bits of inside history of the struggle were collected in one of the most difficult pieces of studio research ever attempted, for the filming of “Mockery.” In it are several absolutely authentic details of the revolution gathered from inner archives of Bolshevist leaders and never before related. Unlike any play based on the Russian revolution, this one depicts it as seen from within —from • the midst of the revolutionists and aristocrats in their final struggle for the reins of power. Chaney plays a strange, hermit-like peasant thrust into the maelstrom by a strange trick of fate, changing from a harmless peasant and servant to a dangerous menace under the last of revolutionary leaders, and then, in the end, proving the saviour of the heroin© who depended on his loyalty. Benjamin Christensen, famous Danish director of “The Devil’s Circus,” directed the new picture, which was lavishly staged, with many authentic reproductions of Russia as it existed at the time of the struggle. A notable cast appears. Barbara Bedford plays the heroine an& Ricardo Cortez is seen in the romantic lead in the new picture, with Charles Puffy, Kai Schmidt, Emily Fitzroy, Mack Swain and other noted artists of the screen. It is an original story by Director Christensen, scenarised by Bradley King. In filming it echoes of many strange intrigues and secret plots that marked the progress of the revolution and the ascendancy of the Bolshevists were incorporated into the play, thus making it valuable as a historic drama as well as a gripping mystery play. A special musical programme will be presented by Mr. Whiteford-Waugh and his popular Majestic Orchestra. The supporting pictorial programme will be composed of the ever-popular Majestic News and Eve’s Review, a hilarious comedy and a beautiful scenic. Of special importance on the programme is a short film showing views of Lieutenant Moncrieff and Captain Hood, and their send-off from Wellington, en rout© to Sydney to undertake their great adventure.

In “Back to God’s Country,” w’ith Renee Adoree in the starring role, a clever combination of real snow scenes taken in the middle of winter in the Californian mountains, and synthetic snow scenes taken on sets at Universal City, was effected by technicians. The artificial snow was concocted from a mixture of gypsum, salt, flour, and bleachced cornflakes. This gave it the required lightness, brilliance, and consistency which real snow possesses. Wind machine were used to blow this mixture across the camera, with resultant effects that compare perfectly with the real blizzard scenes filmed at Mammoth, California.