AMUSEMENTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 24 March 1926, Page 11

AMUSEMENTS.

THEATRE ROYAL. “THE RENDEZVOUS.” A great love story, teeming with thrills, crammed full'of forceful action, and a cast such as has seldom graced the silver sheet —no wonder the Theatre Royal was the rendezvous for lovers of good pictures last evening, when the famous' First National production, “The Rendezvous," was shown in Timaru for the first time. It is a wonderful story of a peasant lass and a Yankee soldier boy, from the pen of distinguished Marshall Neilan, and staged against _ the thrilling background of Russia, in upheaval. It is heralded as a film fit to rank in entertainment quality and artistry with the other fine pictures Neilan has made. In keeping with the company’s policy of producing big pictures, the cast or

“The Rendezvous” is a strong one. Conrad Nagci plays Lieutenant Stanford, a dashing young army officer in Russia Sydney Chaplin adds many comedy touches. In directing “The Rendezvous,” Neilan had the initial advantage of working with a powerfully dramatic narrative, adapted from the story of tho same name by Madeline Ituthven. The setting of tlie stoi-y is laid in Siberia in the time of Czar Nicholas, and after its overthrow by the Soviet. A headstrong Russian noble, who married, against the will of tho Czar, is exiled to the governorship of a harsh Siberian village, where lus young bride dies. Tho child becomes the heroine of the story. By the time tho girl grows to womanhood the Soviet regime is in full swing, and tho terrible Gudonoff, ex-Cossack adventurer, is local ruler of the village. He covets the beautiful girl, but she loves fho handsome army officer, and, although neither can speak tho other s language, they manage to make themselves understood. There is a dramatic conclusion, put over in Neilan’s superb style. The supporting subjects cannot tail to please with such fine pictures as the “Gaumont Graphic,” ‘ A Sailor’s Life,” a picturesque and intcrostino- educational film, while all the eomeciv relief necessary is provided m the latest Hodge Podge comedy, entitled “Spec*vil!e.” Hie Royal Orchestra, under the direction ot Miss IC Sherlock, A.T.C.L., supplied an excellent programme of . incidental music which blended admirably with tho fine picture programme it accompanied.

“PROUD FLESH.”

THE GRAND’S ATTRACTIVE BILL

“Proud Flesh,” presented at the Grand Theatre last evening, depicts not so much the haughty disdain of a Spanish senorita, as the struggles for that lady between a romantic countryman and a fine, fighting Irishman. With such groundworlr, much humour can be expected, for the weapons of 1 both suitors arc hard to turn aside, and it is sometimes difficult to combat frigid politeness by disarming smiles. Eleanor Bordman, Pat O’Malley and Harrison Ford have the leading i*?cs in this picture, and form an irresistible trio. O’Malley, who may he remembored for his excellent characterisations in other pictures, is again pleasing in lhs humorous role as the Irish plunibei. Charming and petite Miss Boardman rives an excellent performance as the Spanish senorita, and again acquits herself with fresh laurels. lhe incline is wholesome, humorous and intensely human, is milestoned ' vl tli bug'iconvulsing scenes, and cannot iail to command the attention of the most discriminating audience. When the proud young girl from Madrid apuniod the American on account ot , ° trrdo Pat started to prove that tne Irirfi ’are tho “salt of the earth, and ■“is from this on that the dramatic element develops, although there is always an air of enticing wit about the r,lot Tho girl is loved also by a! S Danish Don, hut although the plumber heltv her social scale, she cannot deny a growing interest .j l . ll ' n n „ fi edits his rival with biting satne, s=lssst £ ;ei3 popular numbers rendered ny Grand Orchestra.