Round the Shows

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 460, 15 September 1928, Page 17

Round the Shows

“EASY MONEY” RICHARD DIX AND TOM KATZ AT THE REGENT In the latest of his famous, big, clean, bright and sporting comedies, Richard Dix is at the New Regent Theatre this week. “Easy Come, Easy Go,” has more wholesome entertainment and more laughs per foot than most other comedies have in a hundred yards.

Beginning their second week with an immense popularity, Tom Katz and his “boys with sax appeal,” present a new programme in a new way. Their six instruments form a full orchestra which brings all the melody from Gilbert and Sullivan or it becomes a military band at an Aldershot review, or suddenly it changes into a real ITarlem charleston-mad jazz band. These saxophones can talk as well and Tom Katz does some midnight prowling and howling just to prove that he deserves his name, while the other boys wail and chant in chorus.

But the climax to the vaudeville entertainment is the shadowy scena, “The Dancing Tambourine.” Something quite “out of the box,” this a combined act by the saxophone band and a bevy of clever little dancing girls, the Radium Ballet. It is spectacular and at the same time mysterious.

Based on the play by Owen Nares, and made for Paramount by Frank Tuttle, who directed “Kid Boots,” “Something Always Plappens” and many other big successes, “Easy Come, Easy Go,” starts with a click and bounds off on one of the most amusing plots thought out for the moving pictures.

Richard Dix, who seems to be able ! to carry any kind of role, light or heavy, | dramatic or humorous with equal | ability, is cast a> Robert Parker, a young radio announcer, who loses h i s job. By simple ehancd he falls in with a plausible crook and unwittingly helps him to bring off a big’ robbery. With money heaping ip on him, Parker makes some desperate efforts to

restore the dollars to their defrauded owner. All he does, however, is to acquire the reputation of being a crazy millionaire with the “Easy Come, Easy Go.” habit. This is the second picture Rix has made this year and it is a companion to that excellent comedy, “Sporting Goods.” Nancy Carroll, who is known at Hollywood as the -“perfect screen type,” plays opposite to Eix, and the cast includes Arnold Kent, Charles Sellon and Frank Currier. Mr. Maurice Guttridge and the Regent Operatic Orchestra play a delightful programme of music, including the overture, “Eie Schone Galathea.” One of the most interesting of the supporting films is the picture of the landing of the Southern Cross at Christchurch and the welcome of the Southern city to the trans-Tasman flyers. Several gazettes with the news of the world, an animated cartoon and a clever animal film are on the bill.

Gilbert Roland's wavy locks have been cut off. In “The Woman Risputed,” Roland appears as an Austrian army officer and for the role he affects the style of close-cropped hair worn by subalterns in central European countries. Henry King is directing “The Woman Risputed,” in which Miss Norma Talmadge is starred. The film is being made at the United Artists studio in Hollywood.

GREAT ALLEGORY “SUNRISE” AT STRAND “Sunrise,” the Fox feature film that has been attracting large audiences to tho Strand Theatre, began the second week of its season yesterday. There have been many successful long-run features shown at this theatre, but it may easily be argued that none of the others have quite the same quality as “Sunrise.” In “Sunrise” one of the great attracting qualities is the superb screencraft of the producer, who seems to have evolved a photographic technique of his own. Rarely indeed is it that one feels that the screen play is not a screen play, yet in “Sunrise” one does have that feeling. The camera seems to have been the spectator of private events which the audience, almost as interlopers, are privileged to see. This, of course, is the highest achievement of dramatic technique. Of tho photography itself, with all its strange, exhilarating “shots,” much could bo written, but words would be vain to communicate the aesthetic joy that is given.

The story of “Sunrise” is probably the simplest that has ever been used for screen purposes, and there is an almost Biblical starkness in it. There is no superfluous detail, and the little age-old domestic tragedy marches along with classical inevitableness. The story is set in no particular place, and the theme is really an exquisite and telling allegory. It is concerned with the old struggle between the natural and the artificial elements in the heart of man. The principal parts are played effectively by Janet Gaynor and George O’Brien, who, by excellent acting, have been able to create in convincing manner two difficult characters. As a prologue to the film, there is a remarkable stage reproduction of the famous picture, “The Angelus.” This was folio-wed by a solo sung by Miss Sara Stagpoole, a charmingyoung soprano. An interesting orchestral interlude was provided by Mr. Alf. J. Lawrance, who showed the classical origin of many popular songs. The Strand Orchestra, under Miss Eve Bentley, played an excellent programme of incidental music. PRINCE EDWARD

“MAN, WOMAN AND SON”

The romance of a you ng newspaper reporter on a busy newspaper in Wash-

ington is the theme of “Man, Woman and Son,” which will be shown at the Prince Edward Theatre this evening, with the popular John Gilbert in the leading role. The spectacular detail of the great Embassy Ball, Washington’s greatest social affair, where envoys, ambassadors and leaders in American life gather, • forms the background of one of the scenes. The story has caught the very spirit of America’s capital

to weave into a huge setting for the Jove romance of a reporter and a society editor, and a strange plot that grows out of it. ‘‘The Opening Xight,” a drama of a man whose courage failed, is the secI ond feature. Claire Windsor is seen in this picture.

loveliest of any opera. Faust, Marguerite and Mephistopheles are each allotted exquisite music, and the orchestral score contains much which reaches a high standard. Last evening’s performance was a triumph for Margharita Flor, who made her first appearance. She has a. lyric soprano voice of excellent quality, which she uses with great skill. Even if one is tempted to forget her voice, though this would be almost impossible, the memory of her acting will always remain. Rarely does one see a grand opera star so admirably equipped for the part as this attractive Danish singer. Her simple dignity when she first meets Faust in the market place, her joy when she discovers the jewel casket, and her hysterical emotion at the death of her brother and in the prison scene were memorable pictures made more lasting by the splendid quality of her voice. Signa. Flor’s finest work was done in the garden scene. Her “Jewel Song” was remarkable for its expression of sparkling, girlish glee and coquettishness. and the introduction to her final duet with Faust was one of her loveliest numbers.

“Faust” is no less a triumph for Ernesto Fumagalli, a commanding figure, who sings the dominating role* •His voice is one of excellent quality—round, full and resonant. His v acting was also admirable, and he was able

to make his Satanic Majesty a figur*full of vigour and character. His "Invocation” in the third act, and “The Calf of Gold” In the second were splendidly sung and his whole performance was magnificently sustained. Federici acquitted! himself admirably. He has a delightfully full baritone voice, produced without effort. “Even Bravest Heart” was sung with delightful ease, and in the death scene outside the cathedral he acted and sang most effectively. Matilda Pfrimmer doubled the roles of Martha and Siebel. Her sturdy figure rather belies the fact that Siebel should be a slim youth, but her clear voice made one forget this. Signa. Pfrimmer was excellent as Martha, and sang with fine effect in the quartet. “Saints Above, What Lovely Jewels.” The chorus work was at?*nirable. The Kermesses music was refreshing in its youthful spirit, and the “Dies irae” was sung with ominous fervour. The returning army received an ovation for the “Soldiers’ Chorus.” “Faust” is simply but effectively staged and the costumes keep to the I period.