AMUSEMENTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, 8 May 1925, Page 10

AMUSEMENTS.

THE GRAND. * “THE GREAT DIAMOND

•MYSTERY.”

~ A- picture of great; interest, pud one inqvhich thrills abound,; is “The Great Wiahibnd ‘Mystery,’” which 'opened at ’ the'. Grand Theatre last evening. The . story centres round the mysterious murder pf . the head of a firm of ■ diamond merchants’, • and depicts Miss Shirley Mason in the role of Ruth , Winton, an authoress,* who is enabled ■ tP solve the. mystery by putting to test her’ theory, that a murderer always * returns to the. scene of his crime. The fact 'that her ability to prove hen / theory is . the only ..way .in which to save her sweetheart from the 'electric . chair adds immensely to the interest of the story. The settings are unusually lavish, and viewed from all angles, the picture is one of the best screened in Titparu for some time past. The supporting cast is an excellent one, and includes such notabilities as Jackie Saunders, Harry Yon Meter, Philo McCollough, - Hector Sarnp, “Buster”Cdllier, and Denison Clift. Films in support include a ( “Fox Neivs,” a delightful scenic “Universities of: the World,” and “The Fight,” by ■ Van Bibler. The management wishes to apologise for/the non-appearance of Mr Clias. James, the celebrated English bazzo, who was to have commenced his engage- • ment last evening.

THEATRE ROYAL. “EAST LYNNE.”Wh;at can be described as one of the most varied programmes ever offered in Timaru both for variety and quality, was; submitted .to a packed house at the Theatre Royal last evening. The programme, which comprised 15,000 feet _of film, opened with a splendid “Universal News.” “The Sunset Trail,”- a five-reel drama of the West, is an example of the newer types ■of Western stories, 'a real drama, the incidents of which prove highly entertaining. It is the story of “The Happy, Hobo.” William Desmond and Gareth Hughes have the principal roles, irresistible Charles Chaplin, the king of clever foolery, w,as to the fore in a comedy, which is moro than laughable, “The Idle* Class.” The record seasons in_ tho North Island and the reception it received last eveiiing, goes to show that the modernized version of the great “East Lynne” is equally as popular. The picture is a-visualisa-tion in photo drama of Mrs Henry Ward’s well-known novel, which enjoyed a sale of over 30,000,000 copies. In its translation to picture form nothing of its power has been lost. The characters are household words, and thie story is so familiar that it does not need describing. It shows man sunken to depths of degradation, man raised to sublime heights. It holds the spectator fascinated and breathless for two hours, and the audience last evening were treated to a picture that will rarely have an equal. The Roval Orchestra, under the direction of Mrs Agnes Scott, A.T.C.L., L.A.8., played a, programme of appropriate music.