Round the Shows

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 398, 5 July 1928, Page 14

Round the Shows

STRAND

“THE GAUCHO” There is, perhaps, no more popular star on the screen than Douglas Fairbanks, and “The Gaucho,” his latest effort, which is now screening at the Strand Theatre, will enhance a reputation for colourful drama which is already great. “The Gaucho” is a picture woven round the brightly-coloured lives of the cowboys of the South American plains. The race is fast disappearing, but has a romantic past which Fairbanks handles to perfection. Throughout the picture the scenery is most impressive, and the pictures are actual views taken in the Andean Mountains of South America. The vast, rugged mountains make an imposing background for the stirring drama. The story is laid in a country beyond the Andes, where a shrine has been built on the scene of a miracle. Eve Bentley and her Strand Symphony Orchestra renders a special musical programme of Spanish music, specially featuring as their overture “Saragossa,” a Spanish overture by Gruenwald. A wonderful stage surprise is “South of the Andes,” produced by Miss Bettina Edwards and her cabaret ballet. Miss Edwards is the solo dancer, and presents several very brilliant and spectacular Spanish dances.

PRINCESS AND TIVOLI

“COHENS AND KELLYS” “The Cohens and Kellys in Paris,” a big comedy which has long been looked forward to, will be shown at the Princess and Tivoli Theatres this evening. The story concerns the Messrs. Cohen and Kelly who have a partnership fight that results in a long drawn-out feud. Their wives, still the best of friends, pretend to take sides in the fight to please their husbands. Cohen and Kelly respond to this sympathetic battling by trying to outdo each other in generosity to the wives, as each of them will make any sacrifice to make the other look like a cheap skate* Young Patrick Kelly, an art student in Paris, secretly marries Sayde, the daughter of Cohen. In order to break the news gently they cable their parents that they have been engaged. Cohen and Kelly, both determined to stop the marriage of an only child to the offspring of a loafer, take their wives and get on the same boat for Paris. When they reach Paris the fun begins. A particularly strong cast has been secured for this picture and includes George Sidney, J. Farrell McDonald, Vera Gordon and Kate Price. The second attraction to-night will be “Confetti/ ’a British production, and a poignant drama of the three ages of love, with Jack Buchanan, Sydney Fairbrother and Annette Benson in the leading roles.

MUNICIPAL CONCERT

CITY ORGANIST’S OFFERINGS Hollin’s “Concert Overture in C minor” was the opening number by the City Organist, Mr. Maughan Barnett, at the municipal concert given last evening in the Auckland Town Hall. There was not a large attendance. Bairstow’s restful “Evening Song” was another selection, and Mr. Barnett also played the popular “Humoresque” of Dvorak. Bach’s impressive “Prelude and Fugue in A minor” was given a notable interpretation. “Will o’ the Wisp,” by Vierne, gave the organist scope for some merry play. Other selections were “Traume,” by Maguer, an arrangement of an Elizabethan melody for organ and bells, a concert fantasia upon Bizet’s “Carmen” (which included a variation of tho well-known Habanera theme), and tho soloist’s own “March in F” composition. Miss Christina Ormiston sang the prayer “Vissi D’Arte,” from “La Tosca,” Schubert’s “Ave Maria” and “In a Latticed Window” (Woodforde-Fin-den). Mr. Leo Whittaker, as usual, made an excellent accompanist.

CAPITOL AND EMPIRE

“SORRELL AND SON” “Sorrell and Son” will be shown again to-night at the Capitol and Empire Theatres. “Sorrell and Son” has been acclaimed everywheer it has been shown as one of the finest, if not the very finest, pictures produced during the past five years. It tells a pathetic story of Capt. Stephen Sorrell, who, returning from the war, finds his job gone and his wife deserted him. He wants, above all, to bring his boy Kit up in worthy fashion and accepts as the only work he could find a menial position at an inn. Sorrell and Son is interpreted by a great cast, including H. B. Warner, Nils Asther, Anna Q. Nilsson and Alice Joyce. At the Capitol Theatre the second picture will be “The Canyon of Adventure,” while at the Empire Theatre the second attraction is “Lovelorn,” starring Molly O'Day and Sally O’Neill.

FUTURE OF THE WORLD

“METROPOLIS” AT EVERYBODY’S A drama of the time when man will live in the clouds above the earth and the subterranean depths. “Metropolis.” that amazing UFA film, brings the vision of a mechanical future vividly before audiences at .Everybody’s Theatre. What will be the result of mass pro-» duction, the conquest of the elements, the trying out of chemical and electrical marvels? In short, “What is the world coming to?” “Metropolis” makes a guess, perhaps not up to the imaginative lavishness of Jules Verne, but a shrewd one about the men and the machines of one hundred years’ time. It compasses the Robot, the ma-chine-made man, or rather woman, which does everything that a human being can do without tiring. But interwoven with its spectacles and its allegory, is a drama (human passions do not seem to have changed), with a plot as daring, as fantastic, and as adventurous as anything which ever came out of Hollywood. The son of Masterman, the ruling figure of the great “Metropolis,” falls in love with Mary, the daughter of the slaves who drive the machines of the underworld. Up top on the glad surface of the world the sons and daughters of the ruling classes play their games and frivol in the sunlight and underneath the earth the workers toil at their menacing machines, great things of stamping steel. Beeper even than the machines are the homes of the workmen. Then comes the ultimate invention, the creature of mechanism, which takes the form of a woman and has all her attributes except a soul. As a spectacle “Metropolis” is magnificent, as a drama, thrilling and be_side this it is an intellectual entertainment.

TUDOR, REMUERA

MAORIS AND “SERENADE” The charm of old Vienna and the glamour of the musical and theatrical life of that city make the picture “Serenade,” now showing at the Tudor Theatre, Remuera, one of great interest. Moreover, the star of this picture is the ever-popular Adolphe Menjou, who has with him as leading woman Miss Katherine Carver. The lilt of Maori songs and the twirl of pois are also a feature of the programme. Princess Te Puea’s- Maori maids and warriors form a troupe of Maori entertainers which are known throughout the country as a talented band, and the programme they are presenting at the Tudor comprises all their well-known songs, hakas and poi dances. To-morrow the management of the Tudor will present a strong programme, consisting of music from the Lyric Quartet, and headed on the pictorial side by the picture “Divine Woman,” starring Greta Garbo, the greatest emotional screen actress of the present day.

RIALTO AND REGENT, EPSOM

“CHINATOWN CHARLIE” Johnnie Uine’s latest comedy, “Chinatown Charlie,” will be shown at the Rialto and Regent (Epsom) Theatres this evening. In this new picture Johnny Hines is a guide on a sightseeing bus conducting a tour of New York’s Chinatown, the Lower East Side and the Bowery, stopping at the Old Bowery Mission, the famous Wax Works and other places of interest during the sequences which are said to be filled with fast and hilarious action. A splendid cast supports the star in this film, which is an adaptation from the famous melo-comic extravaganza by Owen Bavis. “The Circus Show” will be the second attraction on the programme, with Hoot Gibson as the star. “The Circus Show” is a story of a circus held up in the Wild West by bandits, but rescued and put on its feet by Hoot Gibson.

EDENDALE

“MONTE CARLO” Betty Balfour, in a story written by E. Phillips Oppenheim—such is “Monte Carlo,” which will be shown at the Edendale Theatre this evening. The story of “Monte Carlo” concerns a wealthy financier, Sir Hargrave Weijdever, who, when told he has only a year to live, decides to do some good turn in that year and takes to his home a poor London typist. Other players are Carlyle Blackwell and Louis Allibert. The second feature on the programme, “Woman Wise,” stars June Collyer in a story of the American Consulate in Persia.

GRAND

“MOTHER MACHREE” Two big pictures make up the fine programme now being presented at the Grand Theatre. The first is “Mother Machree" a beautiful story of Irish life and telling of the love of a little Irish mother for her son. In order to give him the education of a gentleman she even subjects here own heart and allows the boy to be brought up by a teacher The leading players are Belle Bennett, as the Irish mother, and Victor McLaglan and Ted McNamara. The second feature is “Divine Woman,” a dramatic and forceful story played by Miss Greta Garbo and Lars Hanson.

BRITANNIA

PROFESSOR D’ALMAINE An entertainment of more than usual interest will be provided at the Britannia Theatre, Ponsonby, this evening, when Professor D’Almaine, world renowned hypnotist will, for the first time in Auckland, induce hypnotic subjection in ladies. The performance is a special ladies’ night and all his subjects will be ladies. Professor D’Almaine will again demonstrate his remarkable talents in the realm of catalepsy and bloodless surgery. Professor D'Almaine's extraordinary demonstration has been called the year’s greatest mental act. The pictorial attraction is “Surrender,” starring Mary Philbin and Ivan Mosjukine.