PLAZA AND TIVOLI

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 646, 24 April 1929, Page 17

PLAZA AND TIVOLI

NEW PICTURES ON FRIDAY This evening will see the final screening at both the Rlaza and Tivoli Theatres of the current programme,

“The Michigan Kid,” a story of the Alaskan gold rush, starring Renee Adoree and Conrad Nagel: also “Synthetic Sin,” a comedy-drama of the New York stage, Moore. The funniest theatrical scenes ever filmed are an important part of Glenn Try on’s newest starring vehicle,. “The Gate Crasher, * which will be one of the features on the new programme to be shown on Friday. Patsy Ruth Miller is co-featured. An entire theatre was built for the picture, and a whole theatrical troupe engaged to put on their regular show. Patsy Ruth Miller took over the leading I'ole, and Tryon stepped in and turned the show into one of the comedy riots of the year Dozens of beautiful girls in oriental costumes of the days of Cleopatra danced. Miss Miller played Cleopatra and Tryon “crashed the gate” and stole Caesar’s costume, being unwittingly forced on the stage. Tryon, however, has a rare appreciation of stage comedy as well as screen comedy, for he was on the stage for many years before he flashed into the movie sky. In addition to the spectacular theatrical sequence, “The Gate Crasher” includes novel scenes in a small town, a night club, a hotel and an expensive apartment house. “The Case of Lena Smith,”' which will be the second * attraction on Friday. marks Esther Ralston’s 21st picture for Paramount, and it offers her the greatest opportunity of her career for real dramatic portrayal. Jt is a story of mother-love and her character requires her to appear as a young girl of 20, as a harassed young mother of 22. and as a woman of 40. Miss Ralston lias built up a following.' with her beauty and her charm and. occasionally, has had the chance, as in “The Spotlight,” to prove her dramatic ability. In this great picture. directed by Josef von Sternberg, she surpasses anything she has ever done. It is a role that comes once in a lifetime to a few actresses.