AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 38, 14 February 1924, Page 9

AMUSEMENTS.

■' ~~— NATIONAL THEATRE. j The Tuliy Sisters, who have had a most successful season, and been greeted with enthusiasm, which they rully deserved, will appear in their final performance at the Mational this evening. To-morrow, the Hanlon Brothers, famous pantomimists, will make their first appearance, with their great farce "The Haunted Hotel." Into this act the artists introduce every aspect of vaudeville, of which they are capable. The skeleton dance, which they introduce, is said to be the most weird and ingenious act ever presented. In a dream, one of the men sees a ghastly skeleton at his side. He makes an endeavour to elude his ghastly pursuer, *3Ut with hollow groans, and clanking chains, dances diabolically about him, finally cutting its victim's head off. Some screamingly funny burlesque is Introduced in the style which has made the comedian famous, and altogether the act is a perfect riot of humour from start to finish. Dorothy Waters, the dainty and talented child actress, who charmed her audiences last week, will appear again. Last week, the little artiste presented some nicely rendered songs, and proved that she was a most clever young dancer. This week she promises a complete change or songs ana dances, the latter to include the Sailor's Hornpipe and Irish Jig, in appropriate costumes. The picture Is the "Last Moment," which will be shown with | supports. j HIPPODROME THEATRE. | "Shadows of the North," an exciting and ' interesting Story or lire and adventure iii ■. a mining camp, in which William Desmond appears. Is the main attraction which comes to the Hippodrome to-morrow. Ben Darby was the most feared and respected young rellow in the snowy gulch country. He was called "Wolf," but the nickname ! did not refer to his disposition, but to the j lighting power that he was known to ■ possess upon occasion. Among the claim jumpers who sought the property worked ! by Woir and his Dad. Pancake, was a big roughneck who also loved the pretty daughter of the leader of the claim jumpers. The story touches on the WorlQ War to the extent or taking Woir oversea* There are no war scenes, but while Won ! is away the claim jumpers send Pancake ; over the rails in a canoe and jumn his claim. He is not killed and meets Woir in , Montreal ana tens mm about it. Eventually Woir wins back the claim and his girl • —cut Pancake is killed by the crooks. The I usual supporting features win De shown. I STRAND THEATRE. j "The Virginian," a screen adaptation rrom tho popular novel by Owen Yv'ester, will I come to tne Strand with the change or j programme to-morrow. The situations ] winch in cold type have thrilled millions are more than realised in the picture. Ag-atnst the most magnificent natural backgrounds ever seen in a motion picture, this mighty drama is enacted by a cast so good that the story might have been written ror them. Kenneth Harlan as "The Vlrgi- | nlan" has been Ideally chosen, and Florence j Vidor gives the Unest characterisation or her career in the role of Molly, the little school teacher from Vermont. Russell j Simpson Is a vicious looking and convincing Villlan, playing the role or Trampas. ] the cattle-thier. Raymond Hatton, one of the finest character actors on the screen, I supplies much of the comeay ln the role | or Shorty. Then there is Pat O'Malley as the renegade Steve, whose cattle-stealing rorces his best Irlend to order his execution. The picture starts with a thrill —the rescue or Molly rrom the overthrown stage-coach by the Virginian—and piles drama upon arama. situation upon situation, working up to one or Ihe mightiest climaxes ever screened. The usual supports, including Comedy and Gazettes, will be shown. LYRIC THEATRE. The next on the list of Paramount attractions to come to the Lyric Is "You Can't Fool Your Wire," which will be screened to-morrow. The story concerns Garth Mcßride, a New York business man, who, though he has reached middle age, is still quite happy, and devoted to his wire. Russell Feiiton, a rival ln business, attempts to shoot .Mcßride. during a stock exchange turmoil, and is arrested ror his deed. He is, however, pardoned at the request or bis intended victim, who has, meantime, gone to Florida. While ln Florida be becomes inratuated with Ardrita, t the wire or Dr. aaneck, a weu-known surgeon. Mcßrlde's wire hears or her husband's affair, leaves her home and becomes I a nurse. By one or those peculiar colncl-1 dences which only happen ln pictures, ber husband Is Injured and taken to Dr. Saneck's surgery, and Is being treated when Fenton, who arrives, discloses the patient's Identity 10 the doctor, who then threatens to poison him. A nurse Is sent Tor, and this proves to be Mrs. Mcßride. Afier all those strange complications the web Is untangled, and everything comes to a happy ending. Leatrice Joy, Nlta Naldl and Lewis Stone are ill the lead. The usual supports are shown. TIVOLI THEATRE. A beautirul love story "based on truth and faith Is "Without bcnelli of Clergy," Pathe's visualisation or Hudyard Kipling's famous story, showing- at the Tlvoli Theatre to-murrow. Ameera, the bride, was a pretty Hindu girl, or Lahore, India, John Holden, the bridegroom, was a British engineer. He bad bought ncr as though she were a Lucknow dancing girl instead or a child. They lived in the House or Love and were very happy, until a day or great rejoicing, when Ameera told John or the coming of "a pledge cr their undying | affection." Despite the dirrerence or race and creed and a marriage ceremony beyond I the pale or convention, it was an undying affection. The natives idolised tbe wnite man because or bis fidelity to bis wife and , little son. The story is a most appealing one, and the screen version Is a laithrui I reproUuction or the original story. The : scenario was personally written by Rud- : yard Kipling, and the cast includes Virginia Brown . Faire .and Thomas Holding. Tne usual Comedy and Gazettes, wui rorm additional attractions. PRINCESS THEATRE. Two star pictures win appear at the Princess to-morrow. The nrst is "The Conquering Power," featuring tne popular Hodoiph Valentino, ana tne otner "The Man Who Won," in which Dustln Farnum takes the lead. The first story concerns a French ramliy, the Gaudets. Old Gaudet has horded a rortune, but, through his miserly tactics, the ramiiy, Including his daughter Eugenic (Alice Terry) live almost In poverty. The old man's nephew, Charles Gaudet, a Parisian dandy, arrives at the home, and the two young people immediately rail in love. Tuis is not to the old man's liking, so he sends Charles to Martinique without a cent. Eugenic, however, loi-ces him to take some gold girts from her fattier. Later, she discovers some letters irom her lover, Which her rather has intercepted. She leaves home in a lury, and the miser, going down to the cellar to gioat ou his weaitn, accidetitaUy upsets the cask, and Is crushed to death. Charles and Eugenic are finally united. "The Man Who Won" tells how Wild Bill, a notorious gambler, takes up a Ilgnt ror a poor miner, whose wne has been stolen by a wealthy robber. Many exciting episodes are depicted, ending when the man gains his desires. The usual supports, will be shown. QUEEN'S THEATRE. • A double star programme opens at the Queens to-morrow. ine mam Item is •■Her Gilded cage," in which Gloria swanson takes the leading role. The theme Is one or Ihe seli'-sacriflce and devotion of one sister lor anotuer, which causes her to adopt the career or an actress, denying, herseir the love which is her uue, that she might provide the means lor her invalid sister's happiness. Ail ends happily, however, and tne picture is delightful entertainment ror tae average mutiun picture audience. The supporting Items include a arama "The Alien-' and a comedy "Spooks."

MR. GROSSMTTH'S LAST NIGHT. Auckland -will be exceedingly sorry to lose Mr. Laurence Grossmlth, that delightfully natural English actor, whose all too brier season has been one of the most dfi-Ilig-btrul events at His Majesty's Theatre for a long- while. After all there Is nothing Hire good English plays and good English acting: for a British community like New Zealand, and this fact is being realised more and more by colonial audiences. There has always been a discriminatingsection that saw all along , that the llashy American stun" that has been so much to the Tore during- the past decade had no real amnlty with the true British temperament, and that a sane reaction would set In sooner or later. There are many signs that it has arrived. In the moving: picture world the Americanisation has been of an even thicker layer, and there also the false sentiment and cheap noise of much or the American film has set up the natural distaste that would be relt by people or any pretence whatever to taste. Mr. Grossmtth is typically English In many ways in his acting. We have become so used to the blatant style that is so characteristic or the American plays that there was a fear that there would grow up a generation that did not know what real English acting was. For instance, Mr. Grossmith's art is so absolutely natural that at first you seem to be listening- to and watching- someone that you mlgh. be meeting- in your own drawing-room. it did not seem like acting at all. Then as the play progressed the man's consummate art dawned upon you with delight. Perhaps the greatest service actors like Mr. Grossmtth do in a community like ours so far from the centre of things is in keeping- us right in the matter or comedy. There is scarcely a truer saying than -Ten mc what a man laughs at and l will tell you his character." And, after all. the humour or the British playwrights is the sort of comedy wr want. Nothing was more likely to bring this Tact home to us quicker than the surreit or other kinds that New Zealand has had during the past ten years. "The Silver Fox,"' Cosmo Hamilton's comedy, in which Mr. Grossmith is making his farewell to Auckland, js Just the sort or play one likes to associate with his memory—though perhaps his incomparable Captain Applejack will spring to the mind when his name is mentioned. As the popular novelist whose llrst marriage did not turn out so successfully as some or the marriages in his own books, Mr. c.rossmith has one of the parts that lit him like a glove. The shades or the character are often so subtle lhai an actor of less ability than Mr. Crossmith would have left the part singularly colourless at times. Miss Diana Wilson was convincing as the first and discarded wire, Miss Dorothy Seacombe made an attractive flapper, with whom the novelist eventually heiran a newmatrimonial chapter, and Mr. Ashton Jarry and Mr. Paul Plunket completed an admirable caste. To-nig-ht "The Silver Fox ,, will be repeated, and. as this Is Mr. Grossmith's last appearance in Auckland, ihc theatre is sure lo be crowded. EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. "The White Rose." D. W. Grimth'S latest screen masterpiece, will he shown at Everybody's during the coming week. The story concerns a younp parson, who, while on a walking tour, endeavouring to learn more or the world, meets a pretty orphan girl in a charming- ittti« village. They learn to love each other, and then the parson returns to his home. A child comes to the girl, but of this the man knows nothing, until, chancing to overhear a conversation, he learns that the pirl is dying. He hastens to her, and the two are married. Her happiness complete, the girl recovers, and everything- ends happily. Mac Marsh, Carol Dempster and Ivor NoveUo. are in , the leading- roles. The usual supporting items will be featured. ,/