AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 205, 29 August 1921, Page 7

AMUSEMENTS.

m —' ■ TnE NATIONAL THEATRE. At the National TMctute House "The Sin That 'Was His," a Selzntck film, featuring William Faversham. deals with a few incidents of the life of a man o who had no sentiment in his make-up. At least, that is the way is appeared until he met a woman who fascinated him. The man himself always shot to kill, aud always played to win. It mattered not how he won so long as be did come up on top. The character is played excellently by Faversbam. who takes tbe one type of being and follows him naturally md completely through all the stages of development into an ordinary soft-hearted human. Occasionally, for the purpose of the plot, the scenes are a little overdrawn : here and there they are exaggerated : but in the whole "The Sin That Was His" will be found quite satisfactory. It is well presented, vividly acted, and has bright lighting and dressing, while the settings are quite in accord with the swift and vital nature of the story. The second best picture on this uill is "The Outcasts of Poker Flat." a film starring Harry Carey in a slightly changed version of Bret Harte's famous story. The changes made consist of a prologue and epilogue, which makes the tale itself a double-header, one story within the other. THE HIPPODROME THEATRE. First upon the screen at the Hippodrome is a Fox film bearing the title "Know Your Men." With Pearl White as its leading lady this film goes in an interesting fashion about the business of showing how the fates threatened to grind a woman down, and through her own ignorance of the people with whom she had to deal she looked very much like losing the unequal light. However, it was not without reason that a movie critic once said the good will ever triumph, and it is so in this instance. Hut before Miss White comes out ahead iD the struggle with a hard and cruel world the audience is given plenty of reason to gasp and stare, for a hundred and one various incidents occur, and the story is followed with a speed of action, a delicacy of settings and vividness of style that make tt good from a dramatic point of view. There is also a comedy. THE TRINCESS THEATRE. One of the two headllners now in season at the Princess, the Paramount film they call "Straight is the Way" is quite the best, although this does not mean that the other one. a Realart production called "The Stolen Kiss," is no good at all. In fact, it is good, but "Straight is the Way" is better as a picture, for it impresses upon patrons the fact that it Ls absolutely natural, with wit and beauty thrown in. and an exceedingly happy blend of comedy with the more solemn parts of the action. Indeed, it would be difficult to sec how folks cauld fail to enjoy this picture, with its kindlyold aunty and her gloriously beautiful niece, the money-lender who squeezes them tightly—in a financial sense only; and the young burglar who squeezes the niece in the old romantic style. But there arc kiddies at play, an aged constable, and a plot that holds the interest hugely all the time. None have yet failed to appreciate this picture, and Its support. "The Stolen Kiss," completes a programme that leaves little to be desired. The latter film is the story of a boy who kissed a girl, and each spent the next ten years hoping the other would come back again. _ They did eventually, but meanwhile each had to go on living his—or her—individual life. "The Stolen Kiss" is what ls popularly known as a "heart-interest" story. It is light with a continuous touch of pathos, just as "Straight is the Way" has so much wit and humour. THE TIVOLI THEATRE. With a beautiful Paramount picture 'Tlenu Reval" as its headliner. and a tworeeler "Fatty ArbucUle" comedy entitled •■The Moonshiner." the current picture programme at 'the Tivivli Theatre has much in its favour. "Beau Reval" is a drama of the upper strata of society, and the suspense i-.nd interest of the tale comes frouL having a father (who is a rake) meet his son's srweetheart t\pho is a beauty), while he has sent his son (who is sincere) amy out of .the city. Tib* whole ritai is verywell presented, and it includes several scenes, notably incidents wherein the wealthy old society flaneur tries to iplay the old game of hearts with the budding girl, that combine a very great measure of beuuty with a splendid dramatic aip.pe.al. Of course the father has two reasons for trying to find a.weakness in the girt. The principal one is because he wants the little lady as bis own toy; and the sei-oml is because he does not want his son to luivt anything to do with her. At all events; "Beau Is worth tfeeinw- It ts ou< of the pictures of the week. The Ar buokue comedy Ls well up to the fanion* "Fatty" standard, and even ah —c it it Alirdli-inaM'Dg. THE STRAND THEATRE. "The Leopard Woman" is the ohief picture current on the programme at the Strand this week, and it i.; ,1 film in which Louise Glaum has the .principal part. The scenes of this story" are set in a tropical country, and the action comes through a ■man being sent into the interior upon a ■dangerous and important mi-ision, and a woman—a white woman luring as :1 Goddess of the savages—doing everytlrirag in hi«r power to hold bini cp. Tile man had never been defeated; nedther had the woman: and through several reels of pictured story they tight against each oißner the man going down and i-omiug" aacain fighting and striving all the time, and the woman showing a il her feminine moods rrom deepest hatred, guile, despair and -ill the others, until finally she fails a victim to love. it Ls a very inteiresttnig studs t w,i p I? sel l tol and produced. Harold the fun-nun. brines mu<-h Ini-liter an his couiedy "From Hand :o Mouth " which is classed—and rightly' ::o —<is the chief support. THE LYRIC THEATRE. The Lyric Theatre has an attractive programme now in currency, with -1 suci-il story "Respectable by Proxy"' as itfeature. Sylvia Breamer is ' the obVI cha-aeter In this tale, aud the action h»M< a strong interest as the audience sees hei going into a respectable home, iM.si n ~ ... the widow of their son. who has beer reported dead. Then home comes the--on and some of the following scenes, thougl often a little risque, carry a full ment of the human emotions Varloucomplications are inserted into this mm chief among them being the fa.-t thai [Ik boy hated his wife, hut was very mti.-l surprised when he went home to find tha it was a beautiful stranger wh<> was claim Ing to be his bride, and proving her .lain by n marriage certificate. "Respoctabl. by .Proxy" offers good entertainment ; mixture of comedy and drama— and th manner in which it is produced, wltl beautiful gowns and striking decorativ. effects, assists greatly in its fast am humorous action. THE QUEEN'S THEATRE. Lieutenant Locklear in '-The Skvwnv man" presents one of the most modern s«i sational films at the Queen's, for in thi Fox preseutatiou the hero is an ai man who undertakes to do dange oils "stunts" up among the clouds. pretty story with more than a vein c romance in it gives a logical reason for lh feats that are performed, and the who] tale goes off splendidly, with enough ex, in ment to satisfy anybody. The charactei in this taie are well drawn, and some novi photographs are filmed after being take from many hundreds of feet'up in the ai The chief support is a Sunshine c o rned called "Hold Mc Tight. '■ and the usu ; secondary films and orchestral music cot plete the entertainment. KING'S THEATRE. The popular Irish play. Dion Boii.-ii-ault fine drama. "Con. Che Sluuighraun." wi MtJiged. with every attention to detn'l I Fuller's Players at the Kuig's on Kutti day. The escapades or the Lrn*=poiisib Con, together with Irish, wakes, itinera: country lanes and cabins, .together with il stress of tierce political warfare gave •the production a truly Irish a nnuspber Con, one of Bou<-i<-ault's favourite part was prayed by Mr. George Cross, wiii Miss Calarico Warner appcan-d .:- M... Dolam They were supported !.v the fii streiurtJi of the I'leiycrs. Including Miss* •M.uriel .Dale. I'-oniiie Metters, Klhi Carrin; ton. iljliatl Wiseman, Nita I Vile. an Messrs. Kenneth c.irltslc. ■Walter Cornocl Ben Frnwilov. .1.-n-k -UVCowan. Crosbi Ward. W. !•'". M<Goivun. W. 11. Ayr. .-in. others. The whole cast •su.-.-essfuJ'ly '-on vcyed Ilie psfifutials of their parts. "Trl the revolt thu't .Saturday's largo andlemci were .thoroughly pleased with the preseii tation. The drama will be repeated cact evening this week. EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. "Pinto," the chief picture at Every hodv's, features Mabel .Normand as a llrrl ranch girl who is the despair of he -uardians She goes to a L'reaf i-itj. an. There she gets raanv surprises. evcmu.Uo coming to the decision that she likes he, country friends-with one "'"^'""-^, Thp exception ;n>(*:* every yruiiu becoming the best friend of ail. "lint., is a film full of the wide. ..pen places, am f„!i of the care-free laughter of a houncinj „ ir | It is like a breath of fresh ai: Mmongst the ••society- and such-bke film: that come along in their thousands. J. -azette. a scenic. ami a fun-film an included Iv the supports. 1

THE GRAND THEATHE. The most ambitions production tliat ha* yet been successfully presented by Mack Bennett and his bevies of beantlful girls is now in season at the ilnmd. after running for a week at the Strand Theatre. This is filmed under the title "The Small-Town Idoi." and with its satirical reproduction of tile general run of pictures, its piquant humour and the a.-tion that moves so speedily through every scene, it must be held to be a bright "entertainment. <>f special interest in tills study Is the scene where many girls con.-; -ate in abbreviate! garments. Another p: ture un the same bill is -The Intrusion of Isobel." a dramatic subject with ilary Miles Mintcr as the leading lady. '-The Liv,t i'.ty." the current adventure Penal, is vow in its fourteenth chapter. FULLER'S VAUDEVILLE. To-day's change of bill at Fuller's Opera House will bring on to the hoards ten individual vaudeville turns. -Miss Laura Guerite made herself popular last week, and Kenans anil Arta. Marshall. Ilea trice M:ieKenzie and Co.. Randolph King. Miriam Mahr. Richardsons and I'hcrie. Lola Stantonne, I'ou Stuart. Kerch and English will all be present. The tirst presentation is being made at the matinee this afternoon. CITY ORGAN" BEtTTAI,. Cesar Frnnck's " Tocratft " and " Pastorale," and Mendelssohn's third organ sonata were the principal so!„s played byMr. Harnett at the municipal organ recital on Saturday evening. The Kram-o-Belgian composers' works were exhibited iv a stylo delightfully expressing the severity ami fineness of the autSior's modernisms, whi'yt the various features of Mendelssohn's music were presented In a manner whb-h showed the- massiveuess of the writing <>f the '-.mi Moto Maestoso and the large-toned stops "f the instrument, whilst the unquestionable beauty of the Una! movement was displayed on delicately voiced registers in a tranquil and chanmugly-phrascl manner. inner pleasingly rendered umitbers were Greig'S' •■ Norwegian 1 lance " aud Schubert's " Am M.eer." Mr. Sydney 'Butler sang Handel's -■Sound an Alarm" and T.ohr's .Pagan, effectively, and Mr. Cyril Toivsey acted as pianist. CHERNIAYSVS FARF.VeEL.t.. Tbe Chernlavsky Russian Trio concluded a successful season on Saturday evening iv His Majesty's. A splendid programme was submitted, and the gifted musicians gave very enjoyable readings of the .-oneerted and' solo pieces. After each appearance the artists were warmly encored. The partileave Wellington this afternoon for Australia, and by the same steamer Jascha Ueifels will be a" passenger. GARDEN FAYTtF. COMING. Next Wednesday Ye Olde Rose Garden Fayre wUI open at the Town Hall, and it will run ou in its merry way for threedays, closing after the Friday evening. For this fete the Town Hall is now being decorated with roses, and three hundred girls are at work stitching and pressing their yuakcr costumes to wear at the threeday festivities. On each of Ihe three days a selected entertainment will be submitted, for the approval of patrons, who are confidently expected to reach multitudinous figures. There will be rose garden dances by thirty girls dressed as roses, and also included' in the entertainments will be Quaker sets. Keaeh evening of the three wiil be set aside for dancing, and a jazz hand will be in attendance. rturnnand's Orchestra will discourse music during tbaftcmoons.