Round The Shows

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 421, 1 August 1928, Page 14

Round The Shows

HIPPODROME FRED THOMPSON AS JESSE JAMES “Jesse James,” which will be shown this evening at the Hippodrome Theatre. is not a “Western” story as the name is ordinarily used, but an authentic picture of one of the most courageous outlaws in American history. In the early parts there are battle scenes in which Jesse and Frank James keep the Confederate colours flying and save the life of Bob Ford; At the end of the war Jesse is warned by his old friend, Parson Bill, to be ready for bad news. He finds his mother’s arm has been blown off by fanatical Union sympathisers in his home town, and that she has been threatened with expulsion from the town by a citizens’ committee, headed by Frederick Mimms. Jesse is about to wreak vengeance on Mimms when his daughter enters, and he discovers she is the girl who had interested him on the Sumner plantation years before. Her screams bring help, and Jesse is forced to flee again in a spectacular manner. He is now a peace-time outlaw. During three succeeding days the stage coach is robbed at a pass in the hills. Jesse’s home is burned. Fred Thompson on his horse “Silver King,” interprets the role of Jesse James-. The second attraction will be “Love Makes ’Em Wild,” featuring Johnnie Harron, Sally Phipps and Farrel McDonald. PRINCE EDWARD “MERRY WIDOW” TO-NIGHT “Tillie’s Punctured Romance,” an outstanding comedy with th£ three stars, Chester Conklin, W. C. Fields, and Louise Fazenda, will be shown this evening at the Prince Edward Theatre. “The Merry Widow,” which will also be shown, stars John Gilbert in the story of the famous light opera. BRITANNIA “Love and Learn,” starring Esther Ralston, will be shown this evening at the Britannia Theatre. A strong vaudeville programme will also be presented showing “The Four Marvellous D’Almaines,” in a beautiful and sensational act of occult Oriental mysticism.

STRAND “LOVES OF CARMEN” A programme extraordinary is being offered to picture-goers by the Strand Theatre, for there is being presented not only an outstanding pictorial attraction, but a brilliant musical and stage spectacle as well. Heading the programme is “Loves of Carmen,” based on the world-famous opera “Carmen.” In the principal roles are Dolores Del Rio, Victor McLaglen and Don Alvarada, the Spanish star. In the supporting cast are Nancy Nash, Rafael Velverde, Mathilde Comont, Jack Bastian, Carmen Costello and Fred Kohler. A critical audience last night was obviously charmed. Miss Del Rio and Victor McLaglen, who are remembered for their crowning achievements in “What Price Glory,” repeated their success over again, although the roles are far removed from those in the screen interpretation of Laurence Stalling’s stage play. An enchanting prologue is presented by Miss Bettina Edwards, one of the most talented and beautiful dancers in Auckland. This is a vivid prologue taken from a scene in the picture. Without doubt this is the most novel and most beautiful prologue yet presented at the Strand. An appropriate musical programme is presented by Eve Bentley’s Strand Symphony Orchestra, which specially features as the overture, “Carmen.” An interesting Strand Magazine, with scenes of Heeney in training, a Nature study film, “Strange Friendships,” and an Aesop Fable are included on the programme.

DAWN AND NIGHT Dawn. . . . Ohly one great star swings dreamily like a jewel in a vault of cold, deep blue. Far away is seen a cathedral spire, its sharp beauty piercing the flushed eastern sky. Through the sleeping city winds a g.reat river, on whose bosom lie clustering ships. Silently, like dim phantoms, they ride, holding the beauty of a dawn, red with desire, in their myriad masts. Stealthily the dawn comes, touching the hills and tall spires with gold. Timidly, on tiptoe, she peeps into the forbidding slums, then hastily passes by. At the broken window of a wretched hovel she pauses, but the gloom and shadows of night still cling to its walls and she dances on. ... Night. . . . Th© arching heavens are lit by a thousand eyes; the moon pours down her radiance; the river is a wide path flooded with silver; tall ships with swinging lights sway gently, their graceful forms curved blackly against the moon-bathed waters. On both sides of the river lies the great city. A million lights swirl and glimmer before the eyes; the incessant hum of traffic echoes in the mind. Softly the moonlight touches the slums hiding their ugliness in its own mysterious beauty. Through a broken window it falls on the face of a sleeping boy, turning to diamonds the tears on the closed eyelids. And still on the air floats the noise and laughter of a great city. Lone Dreamer. A CURIOUS CUSTOM In ancient times the Kirghiz men of the steppes .of Central Asia used to steal their brides in the manner of the cave-men. To-day there is an annual ceremony wherein the same thing is done in play as part of the spring marriage festival. Several thousand natives witness the ceremony. A dummy representing the bride (not so long ago the real bride was used) is placed in a certain spot, and two teams of horsemen, seven in each team, contest for possession. One of the teams is led by the prospective bridegroom. The other is the bride's party, who are pledged to defend the bride in the person of the dummy. The ceremony; recently held, is described as follows by an eye-witness: “The bell rang, the fourteen horsemen galloped toward the dummy. One of the bride’s men lifted the dummy from the ground. Instantly the bridegroom, spurring his horse, galloped after the bearer of the dummy, and when the two horses were side by side he left his mount, and with extraordinary adroitness jumped on the horse of his opponent. It was one of the most difficult and dangerous feats of horsemanship I ever saw. “Then he placed his hands over the eyes of his opponent and tried to pull him off his seat while the dummy was being snatched by another rider. In the struggle the ‘bride’ fell to the ground and was then borne away by another members of the party, who in turn was assailed in the same way. By the time half of the horseman had handled the dummy it looked more like a ragbag than anything else. The chief object of the attackers was to take the dummy through a ring of rope. But as none managed to do it, and as there was presently nothing left of the dummy to handle, the game came to a close.

“The bridegrom then advanced toward the dais where the bride was seated, lifted her to his shoulders and carried her in triumph to his people.”

PLAZA AND TIVOLI BIG PROGRAMME TO-MORROW “The Big Noise,” the enjoyable picture starring Chester Conklin, will be shown for the last time at the Plaza and Tivoli Theatres this evening. “The Big Noise” is a powerful picture dealing humorously wu ii the sensational newspapers in America, and the efforts made by a mayoral candidate seeking election. Commencing to-morrow, the management will present the picture “The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come,” a story of life in the Kentucky Mountains. The title role is taken by Richard Barthelmess, who will be remembered for many outstanding pictures “The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come” is the absorbing tale of a homeless mountain boy, and of the amazing and unexpected adventures which befel him. It is a fast-moving and thrilling picture that grips the audience from start to finish, and it provides Barthelmess, one of the screen’s finest actors, with perhaps his best role. Playing opposite Barthelmess is Molly O’Day, the charming young actress who was also with this star in “The Patent Leather Kid.” As the mountain girl, Miss O’Day gives a remarkable characterisation. The remainder of the cast is composed of skilled players, including Gardner James, Doris Dawson, Claude Gillingwater, David Torrence, Gustav von Seyffertitz, Nelson McDowell, Martha Mattox, Eulalie Jensen, Victor Potel, Mark Hamilton, William Bertram, Walter Lewis, Ralph Yearsley, Robert Milaseh, Walter Rogers, and many others. The second attraction, entitled »v Hero for a Night,” is an aviation comedy that deals with the efforts and trials of a correspondence school aviator. The stars are Glenn Tryon and Patsy Ruth Miller. “SQUARE CROOKS” AT EDENDALE Should a young man, in lov© with a beautiful girl, whose companionship has inspired him to “go straight” confess his past indiscretions to the girl he hopes to make his wife, or should he let his past remain a closed book? Tais is the problem that is answered in “Square Crooks,” now being shown at the Edendale Theatre. “The Climbers,” starring Irene Rich, will also be shown. A SEA CHANTY When inspiration’s scanty I sing a sailors’ chanty, (Yo Ho! Yo Ho! Yo Ho!—we sail the seas!) The wind she is a-blowin* (Now for some more “Yo-Ho”-in\ Yo Ho, Yo Ho, it*s easy as you please!) Yo Ho, we’ll heave the anohor, Yo Ho, we’ll reef the spanker, Yo Ho, Yo Ho, Yo Ho, belay, belay! A sailor’s song we raises An,’ lackin’ other phrases, Yo Ho, Yo Ho, Yo Ho, is what we say! So throw the helm hard over, Yo Ho! We’re off to Dover, Or else to Puget Sound, or Borneo; Wherever we are goin’, vYe’ll just keep on “Yo-Ho”-in*, Yo Ho! Yo Ho! Yo Ho! Yo Ho! YO! HO!!

FOR WISE HEADS A word square: 1. —Formed with letters. 2. —A slender reed instrument. 3. —Colour of a horse. 4. —A depression made by a blow. * * * Answer to last week’s hidden people: Eskimos. HAREBELLS A rich merchant, travelling in the Far East, ’bought at great price a wonder mirror, which made all who looked therein appear much more beautiful than they really were. Wishing to gain the favour of Venus, he sent it to her as a gift. When walking over the hills one day the Goddess lost it, ajpd both she and Cupid—who was fond of looking in :it himself —searched near and far for the treasure, but in vain. Next morning Cupid, wandering that way, came across a shepherd, who was saying loudly to himself, “What a handsome man I am!” He was really not at all good-looking, and Cupid was going to play some prank on him, when he perceived his mother’s mirror in the swain’s hand. Enraged, Cupid dashed the shimmering wonder to the ground, but, alas, it broke into a thousand pieces. Whether it was Cupid’s tears, or the rainbow fragments of the shivered mirror, is not known, but ever after on that spot grew a host of harebells. That is how they came to be called “Yen us’s Mirror.”-

“THARK” HIS MAJESTY’S ON FRIDAY The final production to be staged by the J. C. Williamson, Ltd., New English Comedy Company on Friday next and three following evenings will be “Thark,” the mysteryfarce comedy, which is said to be the best effort of the famous writer, Ben Travers. “Thark” proved a great attraction for playgoers of London for over 12 months, and it enjoyed record runs in Sydney and Melbourne. Mr. Hastings Lynn has achieved his best success in “Thark” and so has Mr. Cyril Vernon. Miss Minnie Rayner is also seen at lier best in this comedy. When the sinful baronet (Mr. Vernon) sees his nephew (Hastings Lynn) carrying on with another woman, he remarks that he thinks it is dashed bad form to do that sort of thing just before being married — a man should wait until afterwards. “Thark” is full of thrills and surprises, as well as many very humorous and original situations. Part of the action takes in a house which is supposed to be haunted, and where a “ghost” walks. The characters in the play get themselves involved in all kinds of queer complications, and the action of the story, which has a delightful love interest, is punctuated by screams of laughter. The company will appear in Hamilton on Wednesday evening, so Tuesday will mark their farewell to Auckland. EVERYBODY’S LAST DAY OF “THE BIG NOISE” A story of the rough Kentucky mountain folk, entitled “The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come,” will be shown to-morrow, with Richard Barthelmess in the leading role. Richard Barthelmess, always a strong favourite, will no doubt be welcomed warmly in this, his newest production, made from one of the most successful novels ever written. Molly O’Day heads the cast and will be remembered for her sensational work in “The Patent Leather Kid,” “Hardboiled Haggerty,” and “The Shepherd of the Hills.” Others in a remarkable all-star cast are Doris Dawson, David Torrence, Eulalie Jensen. “The Rawhide Kid” will be the second attraction. The star of this picture is Hoot Gibson, who plays the role of the Irish cowbody in a story adapted from Peter B. Kyne’s book, “The Lion and the Lamb.”

evening, I have used that. Best wishes from the Wigwam. Drifting Snowflake: The social must have been a happy affair, Drifting Snowflake, and I should have liked to have made merry also with my Cambridge Braves.' I shall be interested to hear of your part in that play. Wave Crest: Greetings to this new North Shore Guide and many thanks for your company notes. Would you please send me your private address so that I may forward your seal. Red Eagle: I am glad that you are now recovering. That was a jolly cycle ride you had with your Guide friend. The agent in Rotorua could supply you with Wednesday’s paper. Many thanks for the interesting collection of pictures. Purple Valley: I am glad that you have decided to write a Wigwam letter every fortnight and also to call on the Chief on your next visit to Auckland. The Cambridge Brownies seem happy little people. What a jolly party they had. Indian Dawn: Yes, we are certainly fortunate in having space each week for Scouting and Guiding news, but this helps to keep the troops and companies in touch with each other. It is splendid that the Portland Guides are so interested in the Wigwam page. Flying Squirrel: It is necessary to keep the same pen-name when writing to the Wigwam, Flying Squirrel, and there is already a Red Wing on the list. Many thanks for your poem. You find some rare fancies in your garden. Brave Hunter: So Father Time, who flies swifter than the mighty eagle, carried away all the shafts you might have sent me? He did not intercept this one. Brave Hunter. Red Star: Grey Misfortune has certainly been a frequent visitoi* at your tepee lately, Red Star, and you will be glad when the warm days come. I hope I shall have better news soon. Please will you thank your father for his letter and give my best wishes to Light of Eve and Buffalo. A friend of yours called on me recently, but I was not in at the time. Much love from the Wigwam to the little faithful one.

ADELPHI, GREY LYNN “OLD SAN FRANCISCO" There was a time in the middle of last century when San Francisco's waterfront was known as the “mile of hell,” and when San Francisco’s Chinese quarter had 70,000 inhabitants. All of these things are brought out with a fine sense of art and discretion in “Old San Francifco,” in which Warner Master Pictures are starring the beautiful and talented Dolores Costello, and which will be shown this evening at the Adelphi Theatre, Grey Lynn. “The Merry Cavalier,” starring Richard Talmadge, will also be shown. “MOTHER MACHREE” AT EMPIRE “The Law of the Range,” starring Tim McCoy, will be shown at the Empire Theatre this evening. The story is a thrilling romance of Texas in the “eighties,” when men fought for what they wanted, and justice was on the side of the man who pulled the trigger first. They were roaring adventurous days indeed when Redskins and bandits preyed upon the unfortunate pioneers. There are thrills galore for even the most critical of movie-goers. “Mother Machree.” the beautiful story of Irish life, will also be shown this evening.

CAPITOL ‘ Mother Machree,” the story of tu Jove of a little Irish mother, will a ,j be shown this evening at the Caw 7 Theatre. ‘‘Confetti.” a story of love i a tin carnival time at Kice, will j, shown, starring Jack Buchanan nl Annette Benson.

A JAPANESE FAIRY TALE

Hidesato, a Japanese hero, as brat« as any knight of King Arthur's Conn, was one day wandering about in searc. of adventure when he came to a loveJr lake at the foot of a mountain. It wu crossed by a bridge, but on that bridff a hideous dragon lay asleep. Hidestto feared nothing, so he clambered ov« the dragon’s scaly coils, and was on when he heard a voice calling, lord! My lord!” Hidesato looked round. The draf had vanished from the bridge, and m its place there stood a handsome!dressed man with red hair, who wore a flashing crown. “I have just proved that you sre brave man.” said he. ‘ now I beseect you to help, me against my enemy. “If your enemy be an evil P®* B*® 8 *® will fight him,” said Hidesato. that is the duty of a knight. But rb are you?” - —i ‘‘l am the King of the Lake, the stranger. “My enemy is a mowtrous centipede, half a mile long, «• as thick as che biggest tree in » world. His skin is as tough as - Every night he comes down In o lake and carries oft one of m - Yesterday he took away my favour. Chi if-; e does not slay me, I win ** him.” said Hidesato. ♦Kow»ir#*d hi® The King of the Lake th joyfully, andbade lam Hide*- 5 palace beneath the water. , followed his host boldly. "r & beautiful flowery country “j „... lake. The palace was 2* nished with gold and ebon. • lull they feasted 10 goldfish playedth and 10 carp danced to am guests. But all at once t mi was interrupted by a ru^, thunder. Everyone except nj grew silent and trembled. hisper; c lips the King of the Lake wnlsl ~ ’hi ’the’bridge,” said HW “2 soon as Urey reached «£-*£ ha saw a dreadful Sl S“*\ urfjtii* mountain came the I fiery*!* up the whole scene with its Hidesato had three arTO™ 'struck t* his bow. The first arrow su centipede’s head and glan se cori same thing happened the j if. Hidesato moistened the arrow In his mouth, and brsagain. It pierced the * Over and over it rolled, do j lake, which was churned into as the creature thrashed abou r , death agony. At . la fL lt OI the moonlight shone down , tbeltfc monster lying at the bot ’ on J No words can describe the gratitude of the Lake peop • drew Hidesato down to their i-”„ and begged him to stay tor • vowed that a knight must * Xfrc on{> ing while the world IS full of * that need righting. When they would not stay they let h® * y sent a retinue of servants *? pe;ito the nearest town. The. < of & fish till they rose to the surface ;rj<: lake. When Hidesato reached £ they laid three parcels before bowed, and vanished- . sH» In the first parcel was arou which never grew less, ho^ e fh _ re *** was cut off. In the isecoj* .jthoiit a cooking pot which boiled fle* In th© third there wasa c a *U, des4 :: which could not be emptiedwas thus enabled to and feed the hungry wherever and because of the ma&e , Btfpoor folks called him of-Rice.” | a « —