AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 115, 16 May 1924, Page 6

AMUSEMENTS.

— ; lNATIONAL THEATRE. ' "The Spider and the Rose." tnt,,____. Alice Lake, Louise Fazenda. Gaston gS?? Joseph Dowimg. Noah Beery, Robert », !| Kirn and a number of other notable scrim celebrities, is the premier attraction n 0 » being shown at the National. The s___?J_ placed in a State In Mexico in the tin_?_. the reign or Maximinian I. Tie afi characters In the play are Paula, the h<s_r tirul daughter of the State governor Hm Don Marcello, a revolutionist. M__._ns anu his band are endeavouring to rid thi country of the usurper Mendozza. who ' however, intercepts a message which PanS sends to her father. The result is that the girl and her lover are made the nrisoneS. or Mendozza. The climax Is reacbS when Don Marcello. with Paula, endeav_n_ to escape. They are caught In the act but the man's skill as a swore.man h_M« him ln good stead, and. after _ most e_ citing ng-ht, the pair escape, and are finaiiw ' happily married. The usual comedy ' " gazette, sr.d scenic complete a mow attractive programme. HIPPODROME THEATRE. A story or London's Night Lire, its _r__ -■■ traftl _, Its sordid side. Is the fascinating ana Interesting subject upon which Is built the story of "Cocaine" now being shown at the • Hippodrome Theatre. It ls a special _lc- 5' ture by Shadow Plays, London. This remarkable IlUn play, which takes the spectator into the by-ways of mighty London, has been brought to the screen primarily as an entertainment, but underlying v there Is a terrlllc moral brought to light, in that It exposes a danger that ls one of the greatest menaces to our modern society.—the dm* tramc. The central character of the storyIs played by Miss Hilda Bayley, who will be remembered for her sterling work in Carnival. Miss Bayley is cast in the role or a young girl, who, like many ottier girls of tender years ln the sordid byways off Piccadilly, falls into the pit of degradation in the house of oblivion. The story, besides containing a most Interesting and fascinating- background with a powerful iplot, gives a remarkable insight into the i methods of operating the drug traffic The usual supports are also given. Sl-lAND THEATRE. "The Fighting Blade," a glorious, exciting, romance or the days of Oliver ! Cromwell and his Roundheads, with Richard i Barthelmess, as a daring swordsman, and 1 enemy of the Cavaliers, is the most attractive picture now being presented at the - Strand. Barthelmess ls reatured as Van Kerstenbrook, a young Flemish soldier, who hau gained great fame as a dueUlst. The st_ry concerns the time when Cromwell was undermining the throne of Charles 1., and establishing the famous Protectorate. Van Kerstenbrook, after a great duel, kills a Cavalier, in revenge for the death or his sister, and joins In with tbe Roundheads. From that point he becomes known as the most dangerous swordsman in all Europe. Adventure upon adventure he has. and becomes such a scourge to the Cavaliers, that he is a marked man, with a price on his head. But they never get him —at least-—not for good. All lovers of old-day English pictures will enjoy this feature. The supports include "The Rural Cinderella," a comedy starring- Louise Fazenda and Chester Conk- ' Un, and the usual British gazettes; while the Lyric Four will sing "Cotton Field Melodies" in the interval. LYRIC THEATRE. % "His Children's Children." the latest Paramount production now being screened at the Lyric, is said to be one of the most up-to-date and modern stories of the season, and is described as a "stirring revelation of the lives or certain modern youths." The picture traces the history of one family from the lirst generation to the third, showing the sins and mode of living or the ro.erathe.rs, and their forefathers. It then endeavours to propound the theory that, not only are "the sins ar the fathers visited upon the children" but , the sins of the lirst generation may quite easily be visited upon the children or the third. The whole story is embodied in an Interesting, human plot, ami. placed as It is in New York, there are ,*ome dazzling | night life scenes depicted. ; The cast inI eludes Bebe Daniels, Dorothy Mac Kail, I George Fawcett and Mahlon Hamilton. j TIVOLI THEATRE. I "The Cricket on the Hearth," a screen version of Charles Dickens' great story, is the premier attraction now appearing on the Tivoli programme. The Tact that such a gem rrom the Immortal works of the great English writer has been brought to the screen, will come as a distinct pleasure to lovers of Dickens' stories, and not only to them, but to all those people who welcome any picture that deals directly with -.nglisl. life, as apart from those stories or artificial, high society existence to which picture patrons are so used. This tale or Dickens' is a simple story, i_._ In a manner that is worldrenownecl, ana the screen version is billed as being a ralthful reproduction of the original story. AH the old characters will appear on the screen—Caleb Plummer; Dot Peerybingle, Tilly Slowboy. the blind girl. May Fielding—and will be portrayed by Virginia Brown Falne. Margaret Landis, Fritizi Ridgeway, Joan Standing, and Josef Swickard. The usual supports will also be shown. PRINCESS THEATRE. "Blue Blazes," a William Fox production starring: Lester Cuneo, and "Lawful Larceny," a Paramount attraction with Hope Hampton, Nita Nalda, Lew Cody and Conrad Nagel in the principal roles, are the main pictures now being presented at the Princess Theatre. The first-mentioned film is a drama or the West, and is the story or the adventures or an ex-champion pugilist, who decides to rorsake the ring Tor ranching. So he becomes a cowboy, . and has not been in the West very long, before lie becomes the central figure in a long adventure in which s girl, a villian, and numerous cattle thieves and the like are featured. The hero, or course, plays the part or protector to the girl, thwarts the villian and the bandits, gains the mortgage on the girl's farm, and the girl for himself. "Lawful Larceny" is a society drama, which shows that while there Is a law forbidding many wrongs, there is none forbidding a woman to steal another's husband and happiness. Needless to say. It is Nita Naldl who is the vampire in this play. She learns her lesson. The usual comedy and gazettes are also shown. GRAND THEATRE. "Hate," a Metro production starring Alice Lake, is the main attraction now beln£ screened at the Grand. The story concerns a pretty show girl who figures ln a murder mystery. She is in love with the district attorney, wno, because it is his duty to do so, ls trying hard to secure a conviction against a man accused of murder. The girl knows that the accused is innocent, but, because or a promise to the murdered man. she is unable to tell all she knows and so save the innocent man. But, determined to thwart the district attorney, and so save the accused, she sets out to prove the case herseir. What happened, the methods she employs, and the ultimate happy ending ror all. makes a most absorbing- drama. Conrad Nag-el plays opposite Miss Lake. In addition, another picture from tbe "Leather Pushers" series will be shown with the usual supports. EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. "Harbour Bar," the screen version of Peter B. Kyne's well-known story, gained such a distinct success when screened at Everybody's last week that the management have extended the season ror a further period. The great popularity which Peter B. Kyne's stories enjoy no doubt accounts ror the tact that so many or them have been turned, and also that the films, too. have been great successes rrom the picturepublic's point of view. "Harbour Bar" is a sea story, dealing with the adventures of a young captain and the pretty daughter or his employer. It is told with the typical Kyne touch. In addition to this maiu item, gazettes, scenic, and another film will be reatured. • FULLERS' OPERA HOUSE. On Monday next Mr. Jim Cerald and a talented company will open in a tabloid- . musical comedy entitled "A Millionaire For a Night." Mr. Gerald has just arrived from Sydney, arter a long and successful - season there, and Auck landers have a rare reast or humour awaiting them. Mr. i Gerald's work is in a- class all its own, and does not follow In the lines or his predecessors. He excels as a dancer, and his whimsicalities are most mirth-provoking. The supporting company is a strong oue, and includes many name's familiar to 1 patrons or vaudeville. Miss Essie Jennings' line voice will be heard ln tunerul songs. Mr. Reg. Hawthorne (weir remembered in the Walter George Revue) assists in the . comedy line, and Miss Polly Maclaren as a solo dancer ls also a popular figure. An adequate ballet is also carried, and. special . scenery has been brought for the production.