LYRIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 622, 26 March 1929, Page 17

LYRIC

RUDOLPH VALENTINO AGAIN “The Sainted Devil,” which is now being shown at the Lyric Theatre, is one of the best films made by the late Rudolph Valentino. The story is one of a handsome young South American of wealthy parents, whose bride is stolen from him on his wedding day Don Alonzo (Valentino) swears revenge on the bandits. After a two-year search Don Alonzo i frequents a dive in Buenos Ayres, where 1 he is known as “the mysterious | stranger.” He cares for no one—just | seeking one man and waiting and hoping for some word from his bride. And when at last the culprit does turn up! There’s enough fast-moving action in these scenes for a dozen pictures. “Padlocked,” the second picture, !s the story of a puritanical father, who drives his wife to suicide, and his daughter from his home to a reformatory, before he finds the key to freedom and his heart. It is a poignantly powerful drama of to-day, produced by Paramount from the Rex Beach story of the same name, and with a sterling cast.

RIALTO AND REGENT, EPSOM ‘ THE PATRIOT” Starting from her lover's arms irt terror —she hears a knock thundering on the door—her husband’s voice in the outer room! This is only on* of the many thrilling situations which crowd upon Florence Vidor as she plays the featured role of the Countess Ostermann in Emil Jannings’s “The Patriot,” now at the Rialto and Regent (Epsom) Theatres. On- thing after another crowds into the life Of the beautiful player as she brings back to life again the character of one of the most colourful courtesans of Russia. Succeeding in allaying her husband’s suspicions by ready wit. she is again upon the verge of detection when the husband meets death at an open window, shot by a galloping Cossack who is clearing the street of all peering eyes for the passage of the Czar. “The Patriot” brings to the screen an amazing cast of players in Florence Vidor, Lewis Stone. Tullio Carminati, Vera Vorohina. Harry Cording. 'TWO RED ROSES” AT ROYAL i "Two Red Roses,’’ now at the Royal Theatre. Kingsland, is not only based on a song, but introduces into the story a young song composer who met with | sudden success. The song is called • Two Red Roses.” and creates a vogue l for wearing floral emblems, thereby i bringing profit to florists. The chief ; character is a sales girl in a florist’s, who also attends to the floral decora- ■ tions for dinner parties. This brings | her in contact with a wealthy man and his guests, one of whom falls in love with her much to the dismay of the daughter of the house. The lives of these four young people are thereby much intertwined, providing material for one of the most entertaining romantic dramas of a light character seen on our screens for a long time. “The Fortune Hunter,” which is also being shown, is a riotous comedy star-* ring the inimitable Syd. Chaplin.