Round The Shows

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 553, 4 January 1929, Page 13

Round The Shows

MAJESTIC “ROSES OF PICARDY” The advent of a film such as “Roses of Picardy,” which will be screened at the Majestic Theatre for the first time this evening:-, is the type of production that all New Zealand has been

waiting for, not only because it is a wonderful achievement in itself but because it heralds the kind of photoplay which will lift cinematograph art into a plane that ■will challenge the supremacy of the stage. Britain. has made,, a great picture. The characters are real

humans, and the working out of * their destinies is as much the concern of the audience as of the characters! themselves.

Miss Lillian Hall-Davis, who takes the part of Madeline, proves her ability as a screen sjta*;. Her passionate intimacy with the shellshocked Skene is one of the big moments of this amazing picture. Her astonishing staunch regard and love for D’Archeville, in spite of his little regard for her —and tinally the sentiment expressed, are big moments that the audience will never forget. In the supporting programme also the Majestic -will maintain the usual high standard of entertainment. Among the smaller films there will be the latest edition of the Majestic News, an Aesop cartoon and an interesting film, “The Home of Honey”; also as an extra attraction there will be a stage presentation by York Gray, of which the outstanding feature will be a silhouette dance, “The Orange.”

Mr. J. Whiteford Waugh’s Majestic Orchestra has prepared another excellent selection of music.

LYRIC “PLASTERED IN PARIS” "Plastered in Paris,” the Fox comedy featuring Sammy Cohen, to be shown at the Lyric Theatre this evening, is a really amusing comedy. Cohen, remembered as the amusing little Hebrew doughboy of “What Price Glory,”’ and “The Gay Retreat,” is again seen in the role of a soldier, but only for a few moments, as most of the film is taken up with his adventures in Paris, along with a war buddy, where they go in search of a cure for Sammy’s kleptomania (the result of being shellshocked) and a cute little French girl that he had left behind. Jack Pennick plays the buddy, and gets every bit of humour possible out of his role.

ROYAL, KINGSLAND “LOVES OF AN ACTRESS” “Loves Of An Actress,” Pola Negri’s greatest dramatic picture, will be shown at the Royal Theatre, Ivingsland, this evening. The picture is the life story of the great French actress of last century. Rachel, an adventuress because she had many suitors, and was fickle of heart. She would become interested in a man, demanding everything of him* then would thrown *him aside like a feather. Until one unsophisticated boy came into her life, she cared little what others thought of her. But with his appearance, Rachel underwent a great change. She became the woman in love, and her love for this youth was a tremendous one. It finally resulted in her death. Nils Asther plays Raoul, the real love of the great Rachel, and others in the supporting cast are Paul Lukas, Richard Tucker. Nigel de Bruillier, Philip Strange and Mary McAlister. “The Wright Idea,” which will also be shown, recounts the hilarious adventures of Johnnie Hines.

“Three Week-Ends,” the latest Clara Bow starring picture was recently ! completed at the Paramount studios. Included in the cast was William Holden, veteran character actor of stage and screen. Others in featured roles in suDport of Miss Bow were Neil Hamilton, who played the male lead, Harrison Ford, Julia Swayne Gordon and Guy Oliver. The story is an 1 original one by Elinor Glynn.

“LEGION OF THE CONDEMNED” AT NATIONAL TO-MORROW Starting his second great flying production within the course of IS months, Director William Wellman ordered his cameras to grind on “The Legion of the Condemned,” a story of World War aviators which is Paramount’s companion picture to “Wings," coming to the National Theatre on Saturday. Practically the same unit that turned out the “epic of the air,” which turned away crowds in New York City as one of the greatest roadshows in the history of motion pictures, was reassembled to make new film history with “The Legion of the Condemned.” The story tells of a band of young aviators whose past lives were so terrible that they wished for nothing but to be killed in action. They were attached tcfe the French Air Force as a separate air squadron and given all the most dangerous jobs to do, including the work of landing spies behind the German lines. The story was written by John Monk Saunders, author of “Wings,” and has, as members of the cast in support of .Gary Coper and Fay Wray in the leading roles, such aces as Captain S. C. 'Campbell, Ted Parsons, Bob de Couedic and others who, in addition to playing roles in the production, also assisted Lieutenant E. H. Robinson with the technical direction of the photo-play. For the presentation of this big air picture a specially augmented orchestra has been trained, and will play under the baton of Mr. F. Bartlett.

GEORGE WALLACE AGAIN NEW ST. JAMES PROGRAMME George Wallace and the “Merry Moments” Revue Company will present a new and original programme at the St. James Theatre this evening. George will be funnier than ever, and his company will support him better than ever.

He will be assisted in the comedy by Jack Scott, who is always an able second. Marshall Grosby will sing a series of new songs as delightfully as ever, and is assured of a welcome from the audience,/ Dancing will l>e in the capable hands, or,’-rather, on the capable feet, of JJkliss Marie Nylman and Miss Thelma Buxton, who also sing attractively and take part in the plays and one-act comedies.

The new programihe is crowded with good things, but everyone likes comedy, and Mr. Wallace has accordingly made comedy the predominating part of the show. Visitors to the St. James can be sure of an amusing evening/

CAPITOL AND EDENDALE “HOT HEELS” Another of those gay exuberant comedies of youth, with Patsy Ruth Miller and Glenn Tryon in leading roles, will be presented at the Capitol and Edendale Theatres this evening in “Hot. “Hot Heels” starts with a- smalltown show and ends at a colourful race track in Havana, Cuba, at the height of the season. Delicious comedy is scattered all through the story. A small-town hotel owner buys the contract of a road show actress with whom he has fallen in love and takes the troupe to Havana amid many adventures of riotous comedy. “The Sawdust Paradise.” which will also be shown, stars Esther Ralston and Hobart Bosworth in an unusual and interesting drama. Bosworth plays the role of an evangelist whose gospel meetings run in competition with a cheap travelling carnival, of which Esther Ralston is the main dancer.

NEW REGENT DRAMATIC INDICTMENT OF WAR One of the most intensely dramatic pictures ever produced was shown at the New Kegent Theatre last evening - . This was “The Enemy,” which deals grippingly and convincingly with, the phyehological, not the physical, side of war, and sharply contrasts the glory of the front line trenches with the hunger, fear and despair of the civilian population, following a young war bride through her desperate struggle to “keep the home fires burning.” The* personality and sound histrionic talents of Lillian Gish lift her great role into the regions of supreme artistry. It is alive with romance, with that disillusionment that is inseparable from War, and with all that is good and selfless in woman, and her love. Miss Gish proves with clear-cut emphasis that she is still undoubtedly the screen’s most inspired and appealing feminine star. “The Enemy” is not a war picture. It is the story of a love that withstood the onslaughts of war and those insidious enemies—loneliness, hunger and poverty. As the young wife and her soldier husband, Lillian Gish and Ralph Forbes are an unforgettable couple. How they become separated by war, how they struggle to again find each oth*-r, and how at last they are reunited by the man they had called “The Enemy,” is told with simple sincerity in this unusual picture based on one of the most successful stage plays of recent years. A splendid musical accompaniment was, provided by the Regent Operatic Orchestra, which this week is under the baton of Mr. Arthur S. Frost. An added attraction this evening will be the first appearance of the Ten Regent Wonders, a talented company of juvenile tumblers and acrobats, direct from the Sydney Regent. At the matinees every afternoon the Regent will present another colourful Christmas pantomime for the children, entitled “Red Riding Hood.” This pantomime, which is being produced by Lester Sinclair, has an entirely new cast of clever juveniles and adults.

“MIDNIGHT FROLICS” CHANGE OF PROGRAMME NEXT TUESDAY Again last evening Clem Da we and his gay set of entertainers at His Majesty’s Theatre treated a large and enthusiastic audience to all the merriment and fun produced in a first-rate variety show. In the clever And delightful foolery which is a feature of the Midnight Frolics, Clem Dawe stands out as the central figure and in assuming many roles his clever wit produces a telling effect. He is, however, throughout ably assisted by a good company of real mirth-makers* But the turns do not all feature comedy. The Frolics Jazz Band plays many of the latest hits, intermingled in which are many and varied pieces from operas. Equally pleasing numbers, also of the more sober nature, are produced in songs by Miss Lilian Crisp, William Perryman and Oscar Beck, who besides their solo efforts, were heard in the expressive ‘"Angels Guard Thee,” with a violin obbligato by Gregory Ivanoff, who also played a “British Fvhapsodie” of his own composition. There will be a complete change of programme on Tuesday and on Thursday, when the company will make its farewell—appearance in Auckland, it will present a special programme of request items. A feature of these new sound comedies will be the screen dialogue versions of the famous Octavus Roy Cohen negro stories that have appeared in the “Saturday Evening Post” for many years.

PLAZA AND TIVOLI j EXCELLENT PROGRAMMES Willi its bright, breezy atmosphere of the Australian, turf—the suggestion of thudding hoofs and flashing silken jackets, “Odds On,” a new Australian film screened for the first time at the Plaza and Tivoli Theatres last evening, is a most enjoyable picture. Apart from its well-contrived plot and romantic love story, the film is remarkable for its clever producing and its well-sustained continuity. The action of the theme leads up to a thrilling climax in which horses and finance figure. Phyllis Gibbs and Arthur Tauchert are featured as headliners in an all-Australian cast. The whole story is typically Australian, a racing story full of exciting incidents, and the producer has succeeded in localising it in a really clever manner. The introduction of such great horses as the m\ghty Limerick and Winalot, and such-great horsemen as Jack Toohey, McCarten, Jimmie Pike, Ashley Reed and W. IT. McLachlan, all give local colour that makes an immediate appeal. One must pay a- tribute to the beautiful Australian girlhood, typified by the star, Miss Phyllis Gibbs. Her beauty is of the soft, appealing type that makes the hearts of many a Romeo beat overtime, and added to her beauty is the fact that she acts perfectly. Her close-ups are remark-

ably good, and her natural ease and grace when facing the camera stamp her as an artist of real merit. In the supporting cast Arthur Tauchert and “Check” Hayes are outstanding. The second. picture was another of those entertaining Western pictures by Ken May-

nard, entitled “The Glorious Trail.” Maynard in the role of the young scout and engineer in charge of putting up the poles and stringing the wires of the telegraph has one of the finest characterisations it has been his opportunity to portray. He and Tarzan romp through the picture with all the abandon and daring stuntriding that has marked all of Ken’s features. At the Plaza Theatre Howard Moody’s Symphonic Orchestra played “Rio Rita” for the overture, and among the incidental music the selection “Princess Charming,” the suites “Hiawatha” and “The Oracle,” and the “Italian” symphony.

STRAND LAST DAYS OF “SPEEDY” The inimitable Harold Lloyd is still entertainng Aucklanders with his latest antics at the Strand Theatre, where his picture “Speedy” continues to be shown to delighted audiences.. Harold Lloyd has long been recognised as one of the screen’s great comedians, and his fresh, clever comedy is as amusing to children as to adults. In an age of speed, Speedy, as Harold is known in this picture, finds difficulty in living \J) to his name. An obsession for baseball and an accompanying suffering of his work bring Speedy into continual conflict with his employers. He eventually falls in love with a girl whose father owns the last horse-tram in New York, and through a series of fortunate circumstances hears of a plan to defraud him of the ownership of his obsolete tram system. After many exciting adventures following this discovery, matters end in happiness and prosperity for Speedy. Excellent supporting pictures will also be shown this evening, including a Strand Magazine, a cartoon and a comedy. A first-class overture and most enjoyable incidental music is supplied by the Strand Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Eve Bentley.

GRAND “THE RIVER PIRATE” It is the best of advice to picturelovers, if they have not already done so, to take advantage of the presentation of the Fox Films “The River Pirate,” at the Grand Theatre for the very good reason that this picture is hailed as the finest and most thrilling production that, lias come this way in a long time. The cast includes many favourites of local picture lovers, including Victor McLaglen, still remembered for his classic portrayal of Captain Flagg in “What Price Glory”; Lois Moran, Xick Stuart, Donald Crisp, Earle Foxe, Aggie Herring and Bob Perry. This story of modem pirates who ply their trade on the river, in warehouses and on docks, is of the pulse-Quicken-ing, heart-stopping calibre.

BRITANNIA “THE WRIGHT IDEA” Johnny Hines’s latest trouble, as seen in “The Wright Idea,” now at the Britannia Theatre, is the invention of a luminous and blotterless ink which lie endeavours to put on the market in spite of a troublesome love interest. And never was true love so hilariously humorous! Suffice to say that the comedian puts a laugh twist on each of these merry obstacles and comes out triumphant, | wealthy and possessing the girl. I The dramatic picture, “The Blind i Goddess,” is the second feature.