Round the Shows.

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 424, 4 August 1928, Page 18

Round the Shows.

EVERYBODY’S

RICHARD BARTHELMESS PICTURE A story of the simple folk of the Kentucky mountains, “The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come,” is a perfect part for Richard Barthelmess. This picture is now being shown at Everybody’s Theatre. While “The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come” deals with the days of the Civil War, there are no battle scenes in the picture. It is a great, human story of the simple people of those days, told in direct, convincing fashion. Molly O’Day, the young actress who created a sensation opposite Barthelmess in his famous World War story, “The Patent Leather Kid,” is again his leading woman in this picture, and her portrayal of the mountain girl is exceptionally well done. “The Rawhide Kid,” the second attraction, is an unusually exciting picture starring the popular outdoor actor. Hoot Gibson.

ADOLPHE MENJOU AT BRITANNIA

Adolphe Menjou is the star in “A Gentleman of Paris,” which will be shown at the Britannia Theatre this evening. He plays the role of Edward de Marignan, a gay young Parisian of noble birth, who believes in having fun where he finds it. It is practically no difficulty at all for him to find plenty of it. He has a weakness for the fair sex, and is very popular with the ladies. However, all of this pleasurable nonsense must come to an end. His marriage is approaching, and preliminary to the nuptials, he is paid a visit by his fiancee, Jacqueline, her father, General de Latour, and her mother. They arrive in Paris unexpectedly, and reach his house just a few minutes before he arrives home from an all-night party. John Gilbert, in the role of a rumrunner, is starred in the second attraction, entitled “Twelve Miles Out.”

“IF YOUTH BUT KNEW”

K. G. SPIERS’S PLAY FILMED

A picture taken from that famous and daring stage play by K. G. Spiers, entitled, “If Youth But Knew,” which had a phenomenal run at the Duke of York’s Theatre. London, has ■”! duced by G. B. Samuelson and will very shortly be given its pre- : miere in Auckland. An all st.ar cast including those renowned artistes Godfrey Tearle, Wyndham Standing, Lilian Hall Davis and Mary Odette, and beautiful African and Lilian Hall Davis English settings, it is without doubt one of the best films yet produced in England. Apart from its perfect technique and excellent standard of entertainment, the picture teaches a distinct moral. It will be released in New Zealand by British Controlled Films (N.Z.), Limited.

ITALIAN GRAND OPERA IN AUCKLAND NEXT MONTH Commenting on the Fuller-Gonsalez Italian Grqnd Opera Company's Christchurch season, a critic writes the following: “The Christchurch season exactly reproduced the Dunedin fortnight with ten operas and 15 performances. “Personal successes of an outstanding kind were won by Poletti as Violetta in ‘La Traviata*—she made a wondei fully dramatic study of the Camille part—Fraco Izal (baritone), who proved himself one of the world’s "best as Rigoletto (perhaps the finest individual performance of the season); Silvestri, the young dramatic soprano, as Norma; Rota, the lyric tenor, who reached the heights of song in Lucia; and Alog, whose Gipsy in ‘Trovatore’ will be remembered as the best since Agnes Janson played the part 25 years ago and created a fame which still lives in the memory of opera goers. “The feature of every cast in every opera—and they are all beautiful with immortal melodics—was the youth of the principals and the freshness and power of their voices, quite an unaccustomed luxury in grand opera. New Zealand is fortunate to get such singers.” The Auckland season will commence on September 10. Fourteen different operas will be staged during that period. “SUNRISE” EXCEPTIONAL ACHIEVEMENT “Siinrise,” the latest big Fox film production, is described as an exceptional achievement and a film which will provoke discussion wherever shown. The “Daily Mail’s” film critic writes as follows:—“A first impression of ‘Sunrise’ is that it is the most bewilderingly lovely picture to * look at which the screen has seen. Scene after scene of beauty glides by—quiet village, lakeside, imposing streets and buildings, groups of peasants, pedestrians and dancers. Superimposed on this kaleidoscope of a world is the story of a man tempted to let his wife be drowned by a seeming accident, because he longs to leave his village home with a light o’ love, of now he repents and how, when returning with his wife from a time of city gaiety, their boat is capsized, and the wife (Janet Gaynor) swept away. “Eventually bundles of rushes, which the husband had concealed in the boat for his own escape when he intended murder, float back to him the pale, drifting body of his wife. Here the picture captures something really tremendous: the husband’s despair, the search for the lost woman in the night, and the gradual approach of morning, which sees her open her eyes once #*ore.”

“CIRCUS ROOKIES”

AT MAJESTIC NEXT WEEK Trying to look funny while knives hurtled through the air, and impigned a board before which they were acting and trying to look still funnier ■when heavy steel battle-axes took the place of the knives —this was the harrowing occupation of Karl Dane and George K. Arthur in “Circus .Rookies.” their new comedy, a Metro - Goldwyn Mayer production which comes to the Majestic Theatre next week. In the new picture Arthur, as the Press agent, insults Dane, playing the animal tamer, and Dane starts chasing him. Dane chases the diminutive comedian around and around a big board on which Steve Clemente .is practicing his knife and axe-throwing act. Each time one of the comedians passes, a knife or battle-axe flies past his head and buries itself in ihe board.

“THE CHINESE PARROT” AT ROYAL “The Chinese Parrot,” a dramatic story of murder and theft, will be shown at the Royal Theatre, Kingsland, this evening. The story commences when Sally Randall, daughter of a rich Hawaiian planter, marries Philmore, the man of her father’s choice, thereby jilting P. J. Madden, to whom she had sworn her love. Tearing from her throat the priceless pearls that are Sally’s wedding gift from her father, Madden declares that he will one day buy her at the same price. Twenty years later Mrs. Sally Philmore, now a widow in financial straits, returns to San Francisco to offer for sale through her jeweller, Philip Eden, the last of her possessions, the pearls. Accompanied by her daughter Sally, she goes from the ship to meet the prospective purchaser of the gems, who turns out to be Madden. Marian Nixon, K. Sojin and Edmund Burns are the stars. The second feature is “Senorita,” starring Bebe Daniels. COMMUNITY SINGING REQUEST DAY NEXT WEEK Next Wednesday at the Strand Theatre there will be a community singing request day. All those who expect to go and who have any special favourites in the song-book should send their requests to “Community Singing,” care of Lewis Eady, Ltd., Queen Street. The song leader for the day will be Mr. Vernon Drew and Mr. W. Coltman will be in the chair. Miss Etta Field will sing solos and Mrs. M. Osborne will be the accompaniste. MUNICIPAL CONCERT TOWN HALL ON WEDNESDAY The concert to be given in the Town Hall next Wednesday will be contributed solely by the Municipal Band and soloists. The outstanding numbers will be Weber’s great “Jubel” overture, a selection from the same composer’s opera, “Der Freischutz,” two items from Bizet’s suite, “L’Arlesienne,” and a fine selection from Oscar Strauss’s light opera, “The Last Waltz,” together with many other bright and tuneful numbers. Solo and duo items will be played by Messrs. McLennan, Bowes and Morgan. CAPITOL AND EDENDALE “COHENS AND KELLYS IN PARIS” “The Cohens and Kellys in Paris,” a merry comedy of family quarrels, will be shown again this evening at the Capitol and Edendale Theatres. The trouble commences when 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. Sayde and Patrick, in the meantime, have a quarrel when the young wife catches him painting a model, Paulette. “The Gay Defender” is the second attraction at both theatres. This picture, which stars Richard Dix, is a story of the early days of California and the fight of the residents against unscrupulous gold prospectors. “SUNRISE” 1 Fox Films next big release for New eZaland is “Sunrise,” with Janet Gaynor and George O’Brien in the principal roles. The picture deals with a man’s tragic emotional revolt—born of the wiles of a vampire—how his soul redeems him and the love of his wife endures to the end. The performances of Miss Gaynor and Mr. O’Brien are said to be the finest of their careers. Three of the largest sets ever built for pictures were used in “Sunrise.” One presents a section of a great metropolis that was erected at a cost of £62.000. Another is a complete rural village, and a third is an enormous amusement park. Besides Janet Gaynor and George O’Brien the cast of “Sunrise” includes J. Farrell McDonald, Margaret Livingston, Ralph Sipperly, Arthur Housmand. Bodil Rosing, Jane Winton and Eddie Boland. McDonald. Sipperly, Housman and Miss Winton take care of the comedy sequences. “Sunrise” is from an original theme by Herman Sudermann, the German novelist.

William Fox has changed the name of Marta Alba for the second time. She first started as Maria CaSajuana, now it is Maria Alba. Miss Alba is playing the leading role in “Lagringa” with Lionel Barrymore, l

“THE GOOSE GIRL” TO BE STAGED IN SCOTS’ HALL The Patrician Operatic Society will present, on August 14, 15 and 16, the four-act comic opera, “The Goose Girl,” by Sir Alfred Scott-Gatty. The production, which will be staged in the Scots Hall, will be remarkable for the lavish costumes, scenery and bright ballets. Eighty performers will take part.

CHORAL SOCIETY CONCERT VARIED PROGRAMME Excellent variety is offered in the programme to be presented by the Auckland Choral Society at the Town Hall on Thursday, August 16. A miscellaneous programme has been arranged for the occasion, and with choral and orchestral items, vocal and instrumental solos, and items by the popular violin choir, a full evening’s entertainment should be available. Among the choral numbers are “God Is a Spirit,,” “The Heavens Are Telling,” “Nazareth,” and “Hear My Prayer,” in which Master Cameron will be soloist. The choir will also sing two numbers from “The Messiah” —“Worthy is The Lamb” and the “Hallelujah Chorus,” and a choral fantasia on "Tannhauser,” all of which will give the choims an opportunity to display tlieir great vocal power and artistry. Popular numbers will be a pianoforte solo by Miss Theo Halpin, Chopin’s “Scherzo in C Sharp Minor,” and Bruch’s “Ave Maria,” by Miss Ruth Rowe. Soloists in the choral numbers will be Miss L. Woods, Mr. W. Leather and Mr. John Bree. The box office opens at the E. and F. Piano Agency on Monday at 7.30 a.m. “Fazil,” originally called “Bride of the Night,” has gone into production at Fox Films West Coast studios under the direction of Howard Hawkes, with Greta Nissen and Charles Farrell in the featured roles. It is based upon “Prince Fazil,” and English stage adaptation of Pierre Frondaie’s “L’lnsomumise.” Others in the cast include Mae Busch, Vladim UTaneff, Tyler Brook, Eddie Sturgess, Sfi-rna Loy, John Boles and Dale Fuller. According to an announcement from the offices of Winfield R. Sheehan, “Fazil” * ill be a big special production.

“THE CRIMSON CITY” Just how clever the Chinese really are is to be shown in “The Crimson City,” a pictui’e drama laid in the Orient, a Warner Bros. production which Master Pictures will soon be releasing This picture bears all the , earmarks of the good old-fashioned , thriller brought up to the minute and in the modern manner. Care has been taken to preserve all the thrills which , is as it should be, for thrills are the mainstay and backbone of the melodrama that aims to succeed. There is much to intrigue one’s interest in : “The Crimson City,” with its “house of a thousand daggers,” its Chinese ; seaport and other colourful Oriental scenes. In this picture Myrna Loy is | cast as a Chinese slave girl and she looks the part. As a contrasting fig- j ure there is the slight blonde and languid Leila Hyams portraying an English girl of title. No picture with a Chinese background would be com- 1 pleto without Anna Alay Wong, and So-Jin. and both are prominent in the film. John Miljan, Richard Tucker, and Anders Randolf are also in the cast, which was directed by Archie Mayo. Three motion picture notables who contributed materially to the success of “Wings,” the aviation epic, now playing to capacity at Sydney’s Regent Theatre, are working together again at the Paramount Studio in Hollywood Clara Bow, star, Richard Arlen, leading man, and William Wellman, director, are hard at work making a new drama of the underworld, “Ladies of the Mob.” This is the first time the three have been associated since the filming of the air production. In the story, which is a rare departure from the type of picture Miss Bow has made in tiie past, the flapper star will 1 play the role of Yvonne, an underworld character who reforms and then spends the balance of the time persuading Richard Arlen, as “Red,” to < do so. _ i

With, a complete hotel staff and several hundred “guests” as atmosphere, and a full-sized replica of a hotel at Monte Carlo as a background, Marion Davies s next starring picture. “Her Cardboard Lover,” has gone into production. The picture is a version of tbe same play in which Jeanne Eagels created a sensation, and all of the action is laid in the town of Monte Carlo at Monaco. Miss Davies plays the role of a girl who visits the spot as one of the members of a collegiate tourist party.

Samuel Goldwyn has announced that Ronald Colman’s first starring picture will be Charles Dickens’s “Tale of Two Cities.” Air. Colman will, of course, portray the role of Sidney Carton, a part he has long wished to interpret. Lili Damiti, Goldwyn’s newest film discovery, will play opposite Air. Colman in this picture.