AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 64, 15 March 1919, Page 11

AMUSEMENTS.

THE NATIONAL THEATRE.

William Farnum, in all the manly bravfery of the parts the public love so well, c has oome again to the National Theatre, J where he plays to-day in a new l'ox drama. In "The Heart of a Lion" the stalwart t'ox star makes his reappearance, bringing with him a tale of absorbing interest ami excitement. "The Heart of a Lion" is taken from a novel by Ralph Connor called "The Doctor." Mr. Connor, whose real name is Charles W. Gordon, is now a major in the Canadian Highlanders. "The Doctor" Is one trf his best known and most popular works, as are also "Black Rock" and "The Man from Glengarry. '■ The story of this picture revolves about two brothers, Barney Kemper (Mr. Farnnml and Dick, a worthless sort of youth wno does not aiwaken to a realization of his own shlftleseness until Harney catches him making love to the woman engaged to marry hlrusejf. Then Dick reforms, studies for the ministry, is ordained and sent to a lumber camp. Baruev. Who has withdrawn completely from' civilisation after the loss of his faith in Dick, has become physician of this same camp. When the rough 'backwoodsmen of the -community attack Dick and wound him, Barney reveals his identity and does his test to nurse his brother back to health and life. Two women play important roles in this production, Mary Martin and Wanda Fetit. Th e second best picture 1h one of the "Roaring Line" popular comedies, named "ißoarlcg Lions in a Hospital." THJE TIVOH THEATRE. £>nee upon a tlrae there was a very beautiful, vcrv brave, little Princess Tweedledee. who lived with her father the King and her seven 'brothers. It is not a fairy story, but a Paramount picture, called '"The Seven ■Swans." and Miss Marguerite Clark is Its piquant Princess. To make this picture tiiere is also a wicked queen, a witch, a Prince Charming, and a great deal of characteristic Paramount scenic settings. "The Seven Swans," which is really a picture version of the fairy tale, tells of this Princess Tweedledee. who lived in the kingdom of the Seven Dials. Next door to this was The Land of the Bouncing Bali, ruled toy a wicked queen, who in her turn -was ruled by a witch who lived in a crystal ball that was always bouncing. The bad queen wanted the kingdom of the Seven Dials for herself, so <he tried to arrange for her wicked son to marry the princess. &;>metbing happened to mar the marriage festival, and the queen asked the witch to kill the seven brothers of the princess. So the wlfct<h changed herself into a lovely woman and 'began to drown In n pool. The seven brothers threw themselves In to save her, but instcud off dr*owning they were changed into seven white swans. They were swans every day. but humans every night. Fairies rescued the Imprisoned princess, -who meets the Sand Man. and Is told that to free tier brothers she must weave seven shirts of nettles, and speak to nobody. The Prince Charming met her at her task aiul look her home, but the poor little princess could not speak to him so he sent her away and Rhe was doomed to die as a witch on the very day her task was done. The seven swans appeared, she threw the seven shirts over them, they changed to men, everything was explained, and she married the IMnoe Charming. "The Seven Swans" is set in the typical fashion of fairy tales, with I romantic landscapes. moonlljjhT scenes, elves, fairies, and everything that can delight hearts that are young. PRINCESS THEATRE. I d thp new , progrunune •commencing the fPrince-ss to-day Charlie Chaplin, the wonderful pantomimic comedian appears In the first of his million dollar contract comedies, entitled "A Dog's Life." Th!e man, -by his droli artistry, has reached a pinnacle of fame unprecedented in the whole history of public amusement. It is said that he amusfs, cheers, and entertains 50,000 peopie daily, and that he is globe. "A Dog's Life" -will be shown at the Princess all the coming week. Another first quality attraction on the programme will be the reappearance of Madame Olga Petrova in a six-part play, said to 'be a powerful dramatic story of stage life, and hi which, in the character of Lucille Cariuthers. Madame Olga Petrova Is said to give the finest performance of her screen career. The name of this Petrova picture Is "Tempered Steel."

THE STRAND THEATRE. The pretty little mirth-maker, Maliel Normand, now one of the tlrst of the Gohlwyn stars, has re-appeared on the Strand screen, nnd plays now in the film "Peck's Bad Gill." This bad girl is Mabel Penelope Peck, a village maiden who for years has shocked the staid old vlllagerg by her absurd pranks. Nearly all of the people have at some tliue or other been victims or tricks, but the girl suddenly reforms when Richard Hayes appears. He poses as a C.T., but is n privnte detective, and takes a Using to the girl, and she to him. He Is there to discover a scheme to rob the bank, but it is Mabel who sees things and takes steps that bring the story to an exciting cilmax. and the rapid action of the play to a satisfactory end. ORGAN RECITAL TONIGHT. The municipal Organ Recital will be given In the Town Hall to-night, when the city organist will play organ ' works by I Dubois, Ilollins, and Wolstcnholme. "The Curfew," by Horsman. and Schubert's overture to 'Rosamund. Mrs. Cyril Towsey, the vocalist, will sing congs by Clay and Tosti. THE DA-NDIBS. A new class of entertainment. Dandies and motion pictures combined, will be Inaugurated in the LyTic Theatre at a I proved a very effective one In the South, large audiences having been present at all ! the performances. The Dandles are old favourites in Auckland, and the present company includes several new performers who are said to be well up to the standard of the past. The programme will open with a film production. Mabel Normand in j "Peck's Bad Girl," followed by an hour and a-half of music and comedy. EVERYBODY'S Everybody's Theatre features to-day a film called "The Firefly of France," which j Is really a story within a story. An aviator I descends in his machine to the ground, and to his mates he tells the tale of how he came to win a medal he's wearing. The fine reminiscent tale he tells Is of "The i Firefly of France," and it Is pictured on ! the screen as he talks. The Firefly is a ' brave lnd, and the girl in the case is his 1 sister. This beadilner has fine supports, with good musical numbers. THE QUEEN'S THEATRE. Bessie BarrlscaU- the light of the screen at the Queen's today. She is the j heroine of a dramatic theme entitled "The I Cast-off," which Is the tale of a'girl who ' Itegins as a shop -worker and ends as a very famous actress. The (same man Is prominent in both phases of her existence, but where at first he spurns her. later nothing he can offer is enough. The actress has vivid memory of his former attitude, and her reasons for accepting his attentions later on Is the whole point of the plot, j •The Fighting Trail," starring William Duncan, Iβ the chief support. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. "Going Up." the delightful musical comedy now in season at His Majesty's Theatre, was presented again last night 'before another capacity house. Every- • thing in the acting and setting of this ! comedy is of a kind that must make the j play popular, and, in fact, nothing for ! quite a long time has approached "Going | Up" in either general excellence or in popularity. The play will run till .Monday night. On Tuesday and Wednesday next "Oh! Boy" will be staged. FULLERS' VAUDEVILLE. '' Fullers' Vaudeville, at the Opera House, comprises many intaresting numbers. The i last repetition of the current programme will lie made to-night. j THE GLOBE. The Globe has two headlners on its new I programme to-day. The first of these is j the third or the series of society picttires | j called "The Eagle's Eye." The other Is j the Fox film "Playing Fair," starring William Farnum. THE GRAND. I Charlie Chaplin plays in one of hi; eornei dies to-day at the Grand Picture Theatre. i The fifth chapter of the serial "The House jof Hate" is the best of the supports. THE A-RCADIA. For the last time to night, at the Arcadia Theatre, George Behan appears in "One More American." "The Battle Royal" is the comedy. THE BRITANNIA. "Amarilly of Clothes-line Alley' - features Mary Plckford at the Britannia, where the dainty little actress appears In one of the sweetest parts she has ever made popular. THE EMPRESS. The Empress has Viola Dana in ' "Breakers Ahead." Fatty ArbuckJe in "The W.Uer Dog." and a Scarlet Runner stoiy.