AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 17, 21 January 1926, Page 11

AMUSEMENTS.

NATIONAL AND LYRIC THEATRES. Johnny Mines' latest picture. " The Live Wire,' a First .National production, Is now being: shown at the National and Lyric theatres. Described as she inimnaDle star's greatest picture to date, n g-ives a wonderful insight into circus life, and runiDiues bummir. thrills, and just that tuitch or patno.- necessary to satisfy every emotion. In this feature there appear a i. miner of sreat athletes, who perform a imniDer of death-defying " stunts." Taey loop-the-loop a hundred feet in the air. ana perform a giant head-slide down a w;re. in addition to many other marvellous feats. America's funniest clowns also add itteir share to the picture, as ror Hine.-;. he provides some of the liio-l uproarious comedy scenes witnessed on the screen for a long time. He never iias-s. and every moment he is before the audience he has it In tits of laughter. H9 i- irrepressible, and is ab!v supported by a number of well known players. The second attraction is •■ The White Nii-nkpy." another First National feature, adapted from the famous novel by John Galsworthy. The mm is a dramatic revelation of that period of restlessness which, the author holds, enters every married woman's life. The story ts an intimate one of the times and the follies of new that hurl their challenge to the old. Beautiful settings and rorsreous gowns characterise the presentation. Bafoarn La Marr lias the leading role. The usual supports are featured a. both theatres. .MAJESTIC THEATRE. The new nroeramme coming- to the Maiestic Theatre to-morrow, besides proriding patrons with excellent picture mteriamment. will mark the premier H'pearance or the strand-Majestic permaient ballet, of which Miss Pettina Edwards md Mile. Vaieska are the soloists and Mr. Theo. Tresize the producer. From time to time refined ballet- and scenas of classical operatic and modern romantic type will be presented. To-morrow the ballet will provide a racing prolog-tie to the star attraction, " The Dixie Handicap." a new Vletro-Goldwyn production. This is a thrilling- raciu? picture, sure to set the jiiises of lovers of the sport of kings •unnmg fast. Claire Windsor, Frank \><»nan. and Liovd Hughes have the lead.ng roles, so realistically have the actual tra-k scenes been produced that one can ilniost hear the thunder of hoofs and the leep roar of the crowd as the horses flash. dv. The nini embodies humour, pathos, ih-1 thrills, all nieeiy blended. It tells the ■ Mry of a proud old man who tries to •onceal his poverty from his daughter, and the sacrifice the "girl makes so that the feeble deception can go on. In this Southern romance, thoroughbred heart* md thoroughbred horses provide the enterment. The story ends in a great climax, Jhen the staunch-hearted little outsider, ighting all the way, snatches victory at :he very post. The supporting programme will include a Pathe Review, a Pictorial yews, and a Telephone Girl comedy, • Faster Foster." STRAND THEATRE. so great has been the success of " Tha jold Rush " at the Majestic Theatre this, .veek that the management has decided to ransfer it to the sister theatre, the Strand, 'rom to-morrow. ■• The Gold Rush " has )een acclaimed Charlie Chaplin's greatest Mcture, and into it he works a number of lew and subtle points of humour which nake delightful fun. Charlie is shown as i lone prospector, who. during the early Uaskan gold rush of IS9S, while suffering; Tom hunger, takes refuge in a miner's •abiii, and they become great friends. To he cabin also comes Black Larson, an :scaped criminal, who jumps the miner's daim. In the meantime the prospector las fallen in love with Georgia*, a dance lall girl, but she laughs at him. the miner, .vho temporarily lost his mind when his ilaim was jumped, again becomes sane, nut his memory is faulty. He hunts up :he prospector as the one man' who can lelp him. They recover the claim, and ooth become wealthy. The prospector ittempts to locate the girl, but in vain, so wealthy but disconsolate, he boards a neamer to return home, in the steerage if llnds the girl, whispers to her. and *l"c agrees to become his wife. The story is shown amid some excellent natural scenery. The part of Georgia is played by Georgia Hale, while Mack swain and Tom Murray are also In the supporting cast. The usual supports, ineludina- a comedy, will be shown, and the Penguin Ballet win appear in a special prologue. HIPPODROME THEATKE. Arrangement* to extend the season of " The iron Hnr=e ■at the Hippodrome Theatre for another week, in order to '•'■pe with the increasing crowds who are -till nockmsr to see the nim. have been made by the management, so far, it i~ estimated that over 13.000 people hate seen the aim. but its popularity remains is great as ever. Described as an epic of the screen, this great William Fox production tells thp wonderful story or the iaying of the nrst railway line across the, onttnent or America. It is a =tory of a ler-.uc light against giant odds, of the leroism of the men who paved cne way tor he " Iron Horse." of the accomplishment 3f a tremendous work which meant the 'urtherance of civilisation in the States, rhe Unking up or the East with the West >y rail was the result of the far-seeing rature of .Abraham Lincoln, who, when isked why he insisted on sanctioning the ■normous expense for the commencement if the undertaking when the country leeded all its money for the Civil War. •eplled that he was not thinking only of he generation of his time, but of the ona o come. The men who took part in the .york were open to all kinds of danger, iheir chief enemies being the Indians, who ■esented the trespass of the whites upon ihetr lands, and who tried to check the narch of progress by attacking the gangs md supply trains, killing at every possible opportunity. But the work was finished, md one of the finest scenes in the film : hows the " wedding of the rails." Against the historical background Is told the pretty romance of the beautiful daughter of the contractor in charge of tha undertaking, and a " pony express " rider. Madge Bellamy and " Smiling" George O'Brien have the principal roles. EVERYBODY'S AND TIYOLI THEATRES. Betty Compson and Raymond Griffiths, two of the most popular motton-ptctura stars of the day, are the featured players in " Paths to Paradise," a Paramount comedy-drama which will come to Everybody's and the Tlvoli theatres with the change of programme to-morrow. Miss Compson has always appeared at her best In •• crook" roles, and she has another' admirable opportunity, and Griffith is regarded as one of the finest comedians on the screen, and in - Paths to Paradis* " he ts seen as a gentleman burglar. Tha film Is a screen version of the successful New York stage play " The Heart of a Thief," by Paul Armstrong. It is a rollicking comedy of two •• crooks " wha plan to steal a valuable necklace. Their adventures are hilarious and exciting to a degree. After considerable trouble, they manage to obtain the jewels, and fly a: top rpeed f<-u- the border, with the police close a' their heels. Bur once across the safetv-hne. the dann? girl does a strange thinsr. she 1- very much in love with her partner, and decides that they cann-.t. be happy on stolen goods. They have enougn money to go straight, so they double back on the.r tracks, beat the r,r,r.-e. and put the jewels back from where' they took them. The baffled police, ir:'.---ogate tnem. but give them the benen! of the doubt, and them to happiness. Clarence Bad?er drected the attraction, which i- shown with the usual supports. CAPPY RICK.S." "Cappy B: r ks" "a= recognised a; one of :he hi -' er,ter:.>.n;p.g comedy attractions t. c. W;H:amso:i. Ltd.. has sent :o Auckland 'or many years, and the remarkable lmpresuori created throughut New Zealand has lecess;rated a special return visit to all .he principal towns. The Auckland return late has definitely been arranged for next •aturday. when-His Majesty's Theatre will igain b~ the scene of wholesome and hearty aughter. ::i the hands or that inimitable ml clever character actor. Ward Lyons, md his talented company of comedians readers or "Cappy Ricks" were ■ceptirai regarding the stage version oC J e;er B. Kyne's famous book, but now it s acknowledged that the play eclipses the jook. It provides three acts of irresistible •omedy, and those who saw it when presented in Auckland three months ago win lave pleasant recollections or this b"le-ht md convincing comedy, it Jumps off well rrom the very first entrance of that lovable old tryant Ward Lyons (as CappvM , and from then onwards it is simpiv one long string or laughs. The box plan is now rapidly filling at Lewis R. Eadv and Son Ltd.. and shows every indication that the return season of Ward Lyons and his talented associates will be quite as =ucces--ful as the previous one.