AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 127, 1 June 1927, Page 11

AMUSEMENTS.

NATIONAL AND LYRIC. Corinne Griffith. who coses to tie National and Lyric Theatre* to-morrow, in That has beta described u the mast emotional characterisation o: her career, is certainly well cast in the title role ot •The T** via Ermine." A Ftr« National release the film is a pictunsation ot an incident which actually oocarred during the Austrian ia vision at Italy ia 1510. The story r"f- the star an opportunity to appear settings o: resal >oinp and splendour. :a the type of role tor whir, she is considered to be mfitted. Supporting her :a this r,r.d tale of the great European war *■ aa ideal?- cho«n cast, which includes Francis X. Busciman. Einar TT-.Ward Craae aad Charles Sellon. The story opens with the t"'»*rr.:c::o3 ot a wedding. oetwe-en a coast of the Italian Royal family aad the Countess Mariana, ruler of a small to—a on the border of Austria aad Italy. _Ia the middle of the celebrations news o: aa Austrian attack comes. aad the groom leaves w:h his troops to meet tr.e enemy, led bv the imperious General Dosta.. wr.;> r.nally takes the t c-wti aad makes the hone of the newly-wed nobleman ms headquarters. Seated in the long naL ia ur.wJ:nj hostess to the Au?*.r.iotncers. the countess relate* to them tae story of a woman whose picture is s<-eu oa the ■wall. With the capture of her husband fie is given the opt;.--a of s-oeir.g h:ra shot cr re-enacting the episode. Aa attack by tl-.e Italian troop*, cot ever, upsets the plans of the general. _ *sj. w.th ha for.owcrs is rout&d. The iav-.sh of the Italian nobleman s cast.e. provide a colourful background for aa exrelent theme. A good supporting programme tr.il arcumpany the £i="WHAT PRICE GLORY.*' F->r the first time in New Zea"-and'« screen history has appeared a picture is "too big for one taeatre. It • name is "What Price Glory. ' anc :t ias already proved itself ;a Britain aad Amcrica. where the aewspapers care :t the tnost glow-ag aad eathusiastic cntivativp dramatic critics :a the hab.t ot sneering at pictures, have turned their iversioa lato admiration —all because they u«r "What Pr~.ce Glory." Wherever tLi leviathan o: has been shown. there Las tot been aay adverse cnticisna —all Lave bowed ;a at the c.ever. irrest:ble cosedy. the great huraaa r:cry. lad the r-prrb aruag. Although "What Price Glory" is aa Amer-.caa procuct;oa. it a caeouragtag to kao-ar the rtar "*h3 r.as stolea the picture" u a Br.uier r.aac .s Victor McLoglea. a braway Scotch African. 6:t 4ia tall, chatapioa boxer, *";th i greit -a-ar re-cord. H_« actiog :s oae o: li.e xost perfect th;ar* about this picture, [t .« he *ho raakes the p.ciure what it -j. socurod thj r.i:r. achievctaeat. Aiter re-f.c-sir.g :t. the E:ar.agca:eat decided that it ' w "too b.g f-r oae t'eatrc. aai to maiic aa iaaova:.ra. aa; show rt a: both tr.e Majestic aad Straad the sarae Tne Majestic is New Zcalaad's larrest theatre, aad the Straad is do.c o: the biggest. Taereforc. th.s iaaster-p:e-re •» ill have a attiag prewatatioa. Ihroe thousand five hundred K?ats w;Il be available for patroas 11 tv-.caess the picture ach.ev«r.eat. A gala op-ra:az perioraaace has beea specially arrar.ged for the op-eaiag a:ght at the Maseru; Mr Jack L-inisdaiae *~JI ar; as host and master of cercajoaies. Patroas arc air..«od to book seals at both theatres. HIPPODROME ANO EMPRESS. " Desert Valley." a thrilling drama of :he laads. is the current attractioa at the Hippodrome aad Eaaprew TaealrcsA Wiilnai Fox release, with Buck Joaes m the star role, the tiltn coataias plenty of action, most e: which take* place in an oaMS situated ia the heart of the waste lands of the West. Joaes is seen as F.trsaaith. a waaderer. who stuzabies scross a small herd of cattle dying of thirst. He immediately breaks a water pip-e which supplies the animals with eaouch water to save them. Goiag oa the cowboy comes to Desert Vaiier. wh-rh he finds to be a small township ruled by Jefferson Hoades. who raoaopol**-* the water supply and allow* only his c - to be provided with it. Fitxstr.::!-. arrives at the Deaa raach. where he & hatch of newiy-made pies oa a w-.n;->w r.l!. He decides to make a meal o: them, but is caught by a coloured ccok. has him locked up in the local »ar' There he learns tha: IXeaa has be--r. blamed for the bursting of the fit't r:?e. and that Hoades has a warrant for n the hills, comes across Hoade? tor-.no hi- 4 atteatioas oa Mildred Deaa. A tnr..Lng hand-to-haad eacouatrr follow?, and Hxides if driven to hu home. When Dean is brought up for hat tr.al. F.'.x-'n-.:th informs the jury that :: was he irhn broke the pipe. Deaa is rp'.ea"*!. and persuades the raachers to tak-» part ;n a c. o-rfH a-ttoa agaias*. H-vades. wh*> i« r.t.i. v driven from the township. F: trsuiith incomes the idol rt the rar.rhers. and tor his sc-rvires is rewarded w;:h the hand of Deaa's prettv daughter. A cood supporting programme has also been arranged for both theatres. PRINCESS ANO TIVOLI. The r->mm£ chaace at the Princess and T.voii is beaded by :*? Uaiversa. releases. "Tne Perch of the Dev-.l" and "The Siieat Rider.'' Both coatain p>r.ty of action. A powerfully dramatir theme is brought to the screen ia "The Perch o: the Devil."* aa adaptatioa of Gertrude Athertoa's famous aovr'. Ma? Busoh and Pat O'Maiiev are c->-rtarred and aa ideal c->mbin atjoa. Ms. Bosch is s~ea» as a wife who wc-rjmps her husband. aad polish are su*f p• 2<". "cr h*t. fhf stha: *he of h«r dev.-.;.0n js tn love w;:h ar.->ther w ->rr.ar Wnrse sr.ll. the ka^wledie :ha: his lover was supposedly her best tr end. A tensely interest:r.r climax is reached, however. w;ta husband aad wife reroar.led. Aa rxoitiaz scene a provided when the wife chases her rival throuc'n a cesert<\i mir.e. Without ■oarr:ag they are swept through dars passages waters rarrv them round r "rr."r« and along unexplored shafts of the fon tt.-o tatne. A part:-uiarly strorz oa>i players supports :r.e >adm« artists. T me W.aton. an «x-F.-ll:«s cancer, hu tr.e role of the maa's lover, a par*. wh.*h sae plavs very credits. • • Th« > ."at RiC'r" is • W-rsterr. <t -r- . ar. i :s H v>t G ."os-a's latest starrir; •*-z.r.t. The »-t:--n ceils w:t't th' or.-.t the Bir 7. r»r.-h of a (ham :: Mar an F»er. .'«tv A ton. :^>r«th»r w.th '-tie ot hrr r 5 ? sr:th :hc hu* u:.Ar.»: *. 5 ' rexx 4 r*T .ir. i a psorrow. Aroir.fr r.c** : : j.r.ch a rfi-hcaievi . —. : a r.lrhed battle betweer a rir; •: %in-re«-i" «-ier.c "The >.>r.t K;->r is out JASPERS WEEK. 1-. - -- -- w-th t--m.sed ; hat heer. deeded to con- ■ iu.-t ar. "t"; •• Mar ' competition, of wh "h the procee--? t« .11 be rrvea »attrely t th* wnric of the Auckland C.:y Miss oa. Mr C aider :s inviting vir.ous s-> •*■!:»* ar.d :a:er<*sts t-> nominate a candidst* The votiag will, in reality, be a t--*t <->f popula-ity -ather than of ugliness Listeners-:a. "froth-bk.wers." footballers. sport«men. cc»mmer-.a] travellers and others hav challenged by the City Missioner. .a his snappy advertisements Jhe s" steal of 'c-tiac w;l! _i>» ]0 fO- - miaat:--.a. arc .*d a A vote-seller, wao is aiso supplying tickets tor Jasper s concert, w." be iastalled in Queen Street, opposite Wradhatn Street. Voting w.'j start to-morrow. "OLD WORLD LOVE STORIES." Some O.d Wor;d Love Stories is the subject cf the lecture to be delivered r '.v Mr. J. M. Prentice, better known as Lnr.e Ja-*. rv; 1\ A. at the Grey Lynn Library to-night. Tk» i--v» stories* o: Napoleon and -I->sephiae. Lord Nelson and Ladv Hamilton. Paols and Franeseca. and Chopin and George Sands will be re-to.d-