AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 47, 25 February 1927, Page 13

AMUSEMENTS.

NATIONAL AND LYRIC THEATRES. A "'Wild West" drama is the first screen attraction at the National and Lyric 1 neat res. A new etar in the film world. Ken Maynard, plays me part or the harrirdrng hero in a stirring drama which is said to be far above the average ot its kind. The story tells of the adventures of a young cowboy who sets out on the trail oi a desperate outlaw. -Numerous perils beset him while carrying out his task, and he is given plenty of opportunities or displaying his extraordinary skill as a. horseman. Finally, with the u: oi his horse Tarzan, he wins through, thus earning the love of Ruth Gaunt, whose father's murder he has avenged with the capture of the desperado. " The second picture is a tale of crooks and gangsters, and a brave man's fight for life against great odds. The hero, played by Rod La Kocque. has insured himself lor 100.000 dollars, and by a pact with the leader ot the gangsters, has accepted the sum of 10,000 dollars, in return for which he will be murdered at the end of a year, and the insurance collected by the crooks. Inspired by the love of the girl iie has married he decides to free himself from the bond, and the struggle entails many; perils and exciting episodes. In addition' to the picture programme, each evening will see the contest between aspirants for picture fame. Four provincial representa- ! tives are appearing, and the judges' decision will be given on the last night. The winner will go to Melbourne to compete ! against Australian repi. :ntatives. "WITH COBHAM TO THE CAPE." i It is doubtful if a more suitable film ■ could have been chosen for screening during the Royal visit than "With Cob- ; ham to the Cape," that brilliant travel i film, which commenced at the Strand Theatre to-day. This British film record ; of Sir Alan Cobham's epic flight is de- ; 1 scribed by an English reviewer as the finest scenic picture ever shown. The critic says: "The photography is perfect, i and shows all the wonders of Africa from j almost every angle. Of outstanding merit ' are the scenes taken from the air such as ■ the Pyramids of Egypt, the Victoria '■ Falls, the Devil's Cataract, and. particii- | larly, birds-eye views of the Kimberle.v diamond mines. Johannesburg goldmines and the Kubura copper mines. Xevoi before have such views been screened. ■ Like the 'Three Musketeers,' Cobhani, Elliott, his mechanic who was tragically j killed on the Australian flight, and ■ Emmott, the Gaumont British Film I Company's camera man. set out to con- | quer Africa by air. Like the "Throe j Musketeers.'" these aerial pioneers ;k- ; chieved their purpose with thrilling and amusing adventure. In the film Cobham himself tells the story of his travels i'i a bright and breezy fashion. Every detail ' of the trip is included, from the departure ! at Croydon Aerodrome, London, to the j great reception at Capetown. Apart from , the tourist attractions in Athens. Egypt ' and South Africa, the film showstfascinat- • ing ,- iews of the interior." In addition I to this fine travel film. "'The Boy Friend,"' | a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer release will also | be shown. The Strand Magazine and an ; excellent film showing the arrival of the : Duke and Duchess completes the picture i part of the programme. The Strand j Symphony Orchestra wil be heard in a : delightful programme of popular music. PRINCESS AND TIVOLI. The star attraction at the Princess, and Tivoli Theatres is "Lure of the Wild," \ an exciting drama of the Canadian woods. The hero is a newcomer to the screen. He is Lightn.._'. siid to be one of the cleverest dogs which has ever faced the camera. In "Lure of the Wild" he, plays a part which is second only to that ' of Jane Novak, who, in the part of the heroine, takes the role of a deserted wife. Her husband, believing her to be j i false, takes their chiiv. and disappears into | j the depths of the Canadian forest. Here 1 ! he is murdered, and on Lightning falls the i jtask of guarding the child, and executing | vengeance on the murderer. How he does' this in the face of many difficulties and perils makes an absorbing tale. The j second feature deals with that ever- i popular theme, the work of a railroad man. Discredited and dismissed from his position as driver of the express, Joe Foley (played by Jack Dougherty) is replaced by his emy and rival in love, Sandy j McPherson. The latter accidentally drinks a cup of drugged coffee intended for his. victim, and whne he is lying unconscious : in the cab of his engine, the track is, undermined, and the express rushes' unchecked to disaster. How Foley strives to save it, and whether lie succeeds J provides a hair-raising climax to the plot. ! HIPPODROME AND EMPRESS. George O'Brien and Janet Gaynor are featured in "'The Blue Eagle" at the. Hippodrome and Empress Theatres. The! story opens in the city, where George! D'Arcy (George O'Brien) and Big Tim! Ryan are leaders in rival gangs. The two' leaders are contesting for the love of Rose Cooper, who is equally interested in both.; Father Joe in vain tries to make peace between the gangs. With the outbreak of war, both gangs join the navy* and find I themselves in the same ship. Battles both ; with enemy ships and with each other! keep the gangsters busy until their return after the war. The old feud then breaks out afresh, both gangs backing their leaders in their wooing of Rose. How they combine to stamp out the dope traffickers and save D'Arey's young brother, and how the two leaders join in single combat to I win the hand of Rose, brings the picture to a stirring climax. GRAND THEATRE. In ''California Straight Ahead,"' which 1 heads the Grand Theatre programme, the ever-popular Reginald Denny meets with some surprising and highly amusing adventures. A young mau of original ideas, he builds a luxurious caravan til which to go on his honeymoon. He spends his last night of "single blessedness" in the company of some too-convivial friends, and after an exciting race against time he arrives at the church late, and very much the worse for wear. *-e wedding is "off," so the hero sets out with his caravan converted into a travelling dining room and towed behind a powerful car, to cross America. Among the guests he entertains on the way is his former fiancee. There are both thrills and laughs when a circus breaks loose, and the animals descend on the motor tourists' camp. Reginald, of course, i≤ there to rescue his old sweetheart, and carries her off despite the efforts of hungry lions and angry parents, to whom he abandons his luxurious "covered wagon." EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. So successful has been the season o: "Variety," the sensational Gorman film. that the management of Everybody's Theatre has decided to run the film for another week. It is a strance story r: three trapese artists, played by hmil Jannings. Lya de Putti, and the English actor, Warwick Ward. Jannings, who plays Boss Huller. falls in love with a little dancing waif. They live happily until the famous Artinelli comes along. and then they are separated under most thrilling circumstances. In technique, tha picture is brilliant. The scenes of the famous Wintergarden in Berlin are astounding. Swinging over the heads or a crowded auditorium, the three Artinellis perform their death-defying feats. The infinite detail of the picture is amazing and the atmosphere is as strange and remarkable as the theme.

THE RENOWN BAND. The band of H.M-s. .Renown, undei Lieutenant Pragnel, A R.C M. : and conducted by Bandmaster Markye, -R-ill make their first public appearance ir Auckland at Blandiord Park on Saturday afternoon. Popular selections will b< rendered by this band, which was specially selected for the tour of the Duke anc Duche«s of York. The band, in the courst of its official duties, will play at th. opening of the new Houses of Parliamen at Canberra. Particulars of seatini accommodation for the perfi-imance a Blandford Park are advertised. Ilie pro -rramme will start at 2.30. A fleet 01 Cit; Council buses will run direct to Blandion Park from the Poet Office.

I "THE BIG PARADE.' , : To-day marked the first screening at i the Majestic Theatre o£ Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer'"s remarkable production, "'The Big Parade," which has been the subject of much discussion in England, Australia and America. The records established by ;liis celebrated film are remarkable. It has just completed fourteen months in New York at the Astor Theatre, and is running as strong as ever. During the first fifty-two weeks the total receipts, which have been audited and certified, reached over one million dollars. These enormous figures have never been approached by any other picture in one theatre. la England. "The B;g Parade" showed at the Tivoli Theatre, London, for over seven months, a record for the British Isles. Xq less than ton .travelling companies, carrying full orchestras and effects men. are touring prints of "The Big Parade"' throughout America, Canada :ind England A private screening of the picture was recently given, by courtesy of the Xev Zealand Government in its publicity theatre where the film was screened in the presence of Cabinet Ministers, members of Parliament and representatives from the Returned Soldiers' Association, and other leading citizens, who praised the picture very highly. . The war scenes are views of rare reahsru f i and extreme beauty, while the love story i is described as "one of the sweetest and truest ever recorded by screen or pen." i A very rich vein of humour is largely in evidence in many sections of the picture, anil thus lightens, in admirable fashion, ! the intensely dramatic and realistic incidents featured in thp battle scenes in "Xo-man's Land."' Characterisations by John Gilbert. Karl Dane and Tom i O'Brien are regarded by the Press of ; England and America as "three of the finest character delineations ever seen together in one picture." Renee Adoree presents a portrait of Melisande. a French girl, who can "spik no Inglis," with a masterly skill, which has won for i her a position amongst the first flight of actresses for the screen. A special feature of the production will be the presentation of a splendidly-staged, atmospheric J prologue, "The Soldier's Dream,'" intro- [ ducing with beautiful vision effects the : original sons scena. "Mv Dream of the ■ Bi; Parade." sung by Mr. Jean Dellore. I A special music scor«? ithe identical one used in Xcw York'i accompanies the picture, and this will be rendered by the r-ri-lipstra. under the direction of M*\ Fred ■ Mumfcr;!. Box plans for the season are available .it the Majestic—telephone ; 43-210. The management desirps to im- ■ press upon intending patrons the necos- ! sity fur making early reservations.