AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 245, 15 October 1926, Page 10

AMUSEMENTS.

s NATIONAL AND LYRIC. Described as one of the best pictures ,creened at the National and Lyric Fheatres for a long time, '"The Greater 7ilory" commenced its Auckland season yesterday with capacity houses. Anna J. Nilsson nnd Conway Tearle are the stars. It is an epic drama of Vienna before, curing and after the war. The manner in which war profiteers amassed vast wealth by trading on the misfortunes of the population of Vienna .is vividly illustrated. For the sake of one sequence, which takes less than five minutes to show on the screen, the First National Company reproduced at their Hollywood studios" a great Vienna cathedral-" "The Greater Glory" starts before the Great War with a romance between two members of wealthy and aristocratic families. It is not a war picture. The story unfolds itself in a stirring and melodramatic manner. The girl, Fanny, goes to a questionable place. As the result she is disgraced, and her engagement is broken. When war commences Fanny is placed in charge of a gambling establishment. After the war she is found living in luxury, while the relatives who at one time spurned her were poverty-stricken. Financially she assists them, and finally she finds happiness In the love of the count, who was her fiance in the beginning. A special musical programme is played by the orchestras at both the National and Lyric Theatres. "THE VOLGA BOATMAN." "The Volga Boatman" season at the Town Hall is drawing to a close. The story of the picture is one of the most stirring episodes of modern history— the Russian revolution. The background of tho picture is the maelstrom of a revolution which destroyed half a nation. De Mille, the producer, has woven into the picture romance, •melodrama and humour with a deft hand, capitalising on his sense of the spectacular without losing the human touch. There is a startling contrast between the splendour of the aristocracy and the squalor of the peasants. The story centres round three leading characters—a princess, a and a Volga boatman, and carries the audience through the Russian revolution. The picture takes no sides, but is simply the love story of an aristocrat and a crude Volga boatman played against the background of the most dramatic social upheaval in the history of the world. "The Volga Boatman" was originally inspired by the sonor of that name and the story comes from the pen of Konrad Bercovici, the celebrated author.

GRAND THEATRE. "The Loves of Mary, Queen of Scots' is at the head of the new programnu which commenced at the Grand Theatre to-day. It is the romantic story o1 Queen Mary's education in France, o her marriage with the Dauphin,- and hei subsequent love affairs leading up to tin rebellion of her people, followed by he abdication and imprisonment. ?<o long after her imprisonment, Mar; escaped from Loch Leven Castle at the head of 6000 men, her loyal supporters Battle was waged at Langside, and the army of the Queen defeated. Refuge was sought in England by the Queen, but a group of statesmen looked upon her with suspicion and contrived to bring a murder charge against her. At this time there were many plots against the life of Elizabeth, and it was generally thought that Mary had been the instigator. She was removed to various English castles, and in 1586 was brought up for trial and sentenced to death. It was with the greatest disinclination that Elizabeth gave her Royal consent to th» sentence. The whole story is a picturesque and romantic episode of British history, and the film is an English production. "Romany." another British film with Victor McLaglcn starred, is the second attraction. PRINCESS AND TIVOLI. The real inside story of backstage Broadway, its glamour and bright lights, its humour and heart-aches, its pathos and romances, is revealed in "The Song and Dance Man," the picture which is at the head of the programme now showing at the Princess and Tivoli Theatres. It is a picturisation of George M. Cohan's famous stage success. No man knows more about the trials and tribulations and the gold and the gilt of life behind the footlights than the writer of tli* play by the same name. The picture Jias been staged with a -.lavish hand, and the producer went to great lengths in reproducing the atmosphere and environment of the theatre. ' The settings are said to be authentic down to the smallest detail and several of Xew York's best known theatres provide the realistic' background around which most of the action centred. "Bulldog Drummond's Third Round." starring Jack Buchanan, is the second attraction on the programme. It is a screen version of the story by "Sapper." Many Tisks were taken by the players in the picture. Several hand-to-hand fights, struggles against dogs, escapes from perilous positions and several other clever stunts are seen in the picture. I EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. "Girls Men Forget" is the stellar attraction on the programme now showing at Everybody's Theatre. The picture presents the modern and thoroughly interesting story of a small town girj who bears the title familiar to us all— "the girl who is the life of the party." The drama, which is lively and full of suspense, dwells on the predicament this girl awakes to when she discovers that none of her boy friends will take her seriously. To all of them she is a clown; nothing much more than that. Patsie Ruth Miller, who plays the leading role in the picture, gives a true characterisation, while Johnny Walker, long known as a delineator of American boy types, is seen to good advantage in the opposite role. A well-balanced cast, headed by Shannon Day and Allan Hale contributes effective support. The picture is the maiden effort of the Maurice Campbell productions, and was directed by Campbell in a thoroughly appreciative manner. The story is by Fanny Kilbourne. "Combat," starring House Peters, is the second attraction on this delightful programme. It is a thrilling melodrama of the great North iWoods, with the most astounding forest fire ever filmed. QUEEN'S THEATRE. "The Sporting Chance," a Master Picture, is the featured production on the new programme which commenced at the Queen „ Theatre to-day. "Flashing silks, cheering crowds, a thunder of hr°! S ° n « le turf. a field of thoroughbreds fighting out the most thrillin* eature of the film, a plot tmcked whh tense situations that* will hold you breathless from start to finish, with a sweet love story that will fascinate *h. —that is The Sporting Chance.' saida critic. Lou Tellegen and Dorothy Phillips areat the head of a strong cast which includes George Fawcett and Theo Yon Eltz.

STRAND THEATRE. 1 , *\A truly remark-able picture," said a j critic when reviewing "The Mystic," | which' commenced with the change of I programme at the' Strand Theatre today. "It is a romance of a.girl of the Shadows lifted into .the. sunshine by a great love—an unforgettable- stirring film of an imposter- and her struggle for regeneration. . An amazing story of a fake gipsy medium "and a man who nsed her pretended • psychic powers to fleece the wealthy. Seances and sinners, fortunes and fools, robbers, remorse and romance are all blended into, one sensational piece of dramatic art. A dashing gipsy cavalier, with his heart tingling with a fire of an ardent love boundless hate; a polished trickster, a beautiful Nomad girl who used, her charms to fleece the wealthy; a sensational exposure of spiritualistic trickery and a film teeming with thrills.'' That ! is the description given the picture by a | well known American critic. It 'is a' Metro - Goldw'yn - Mayer production, ' "Paint and Powder." tlie life story of a ■ great actress, is screened as the second attraction. Elaine Hammerstein is starred. Also showing is a Strand Magazine, and a- cartoon "The Flying, Carpet." The orchestra provide a de-j lightful interlude when they play Beet-1 hoven's "Minuet.". ! HIPPODROME AND EMPRESS. "The | Beloved Brute," said to be one of the fastest moving vehicles ever screened, is at the head of the programme now showing, at the Hippodrome and Empress Theatres. The picture has I at once the tang of the sawdust ring and the breath of the frontier, while it develops an alluring romance. It is different from the usual run of Western pictures—so different, indeed, that it's appeal is certain to be to every class of picture lover. The film is ramarkably faithful to the novel, which enjoyed a heavy sale from the beginning. Victor McLaglen, William Russell and Marguerite de la Motte are the featured players. • "The Bandit Tamer," with Franklyn Farnum at the head of the cast, is a strong second attraction on the programme. It is a thrilling story of the* west with many exciting and amusing moments. PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE. Two fine pictures commence screening with the change' of programme at the Prince Edward Theatre to-day. The featured film is "The Sporting Chance," in which a thrilling horse race provides the main feature. It is the story of a girl who is loved by two horse owners. She is undecided as to which one she will marry until one shows his true colours during the running of one of the chief sporting events of the year. The story is splendidly told, and should find favour with all who follow racing. "Peter Vernon's Silence," an Australian production of an Australian story, is the second attraction. The picture compares well with the imported type, and marks a definite progress in the growth of the film industry in Australia. MUNICIPAL BAND. The Municipal Band will give a free musical recital in the Town Hall on Sunday evening at 5.30 o'clock. Special items arc "Rienzi" overture. "Attila' selection, and a zylophone solo by Mr Rowland Jackson.

'.....■ MAJESTIC THEATRE. "The Tower" of Lies,"' featuring Lon Chancy and" Norma Shearer, commenced its Auckland season at the Majestic Theatre to-day. The picture is a Metro-Goldwyn -Mayer production and is a screen adaptation of Selma Lagerlof's popular novel, ''The Emperor of Portugalia." Lon Chancy, in speaking about the picture said: "It is the greatest characterisation of my entire film career. 1 ' The role offers oppor- ! tunities for a wide range of acting, and . in the story covers a period of more j ! than 20 years. It opens with Chancy I as a Sweedish farm tenant, a hard work-1 imr grouch who, sullenly and resentfully ; looks forward to the birth of a child as | •"'one more mouth to feed," and less time ! for. his wife to work in the fields. But | with, the birth of the baby, he becomes ; a different character and devotes his ' whole life to her. This is what a critic I said about the stars: "At no time in the careers of Lon Chancy or Norma Shearer has either of these two stars been given such a.wonderful screen vehicle. Miss , Shearer has far outdone any of her; j former successes, and Chancy has made I 1 a very radical.departure from his usual ■ | characterisations with highly gratifying results. The two are supported by a remarkable cast-, which includes lan Keithi Claire McDowell, William Hams, Edward Connelly, David Torrence and Anna Schaefer." Included on the programme is a Majestic News, a New Zealand scenic, and a comedy. "Rene and Benaud," direct from the London Coliseum, appear in a delightful musical divertissement. The All Soloists Orchestra play as an overture, "La Sorrentina." RIALTO AND REGENT. "A Woman of the World," with Pola Negri as the star, is at the head of the new programme which commenced at the Rialto and Regent Theatres to-day. Tho i star plays the part of a vivacious couns teas. Several humorous episodes are i introduced into the picture, when the ' countess, visiting a rural community, I startles the country folk by her ultramodern ways. "A Society Sensation," starring the late Rudolph Valentino, is also screened. The supporting picture ? at the Rialto Theatre is "The Beautiful j i Cheat" and at the Regent Theatre "The I Timber Wolf." s ======= l