AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 135, 10 June 1927, Page 11

AMUSEMENTS.

NATIONAL AND LYRIC

""The Reckless Lady" , provides the current attraction at the National and Lyric

Theatres. An interesting story, it tolls of a Mrs. Fleming, who, during the absence o: her husband, become? attracted by a wealthy Russian named Feodor. Soon a strong love grows between I them, and when her husband, returning unexpectedly, finds her in Feodor's arms, he announces his intention of away and never seeing her acain. Brokenhearted, and deserted by Feoder. she leaves with her young daughter Sylvia. - Ito live on the Riviera. Years later, she i< seen sealed at Monte Carlo, where '■ she again meets Feodor. who has by now i become interested in Sylvia. She, grown up. is in love with a young man named Hillier. and when Feodor begins to pay ! attentions to her. she resents his actions. I Then Mr. Fleming reappears and sa\ s i that he is coing to take Sylvia away with : him. because he does not think his wife I capable of looking after her. Sylvia !>y

now, has quite made up her mind that i she will marry no one but Hillicr. and her father, not wishing to separate the ■ two young lovers, decides to leave her. : Feodor he allow- to go scotfree. and the j sight of his daughter and her lover makes ! him want to be with his wife again. They are reunited and settle down to enjoy again the oil love that was once theirs. j One of the strongest casts ever mustered : by First National portrays the story, the I leading role being played by Belle BenI nett, who was for several years, prior to ' her going on the screen, a popular actress jon the London stage. -Tames Kirkwood I plays her husband, while Bon Lynn and I Lois Moran have the parts of Hi'.lier and ! Sylvia. STRAND THEATRtI. Admirers of Monty Blue will w.-iiume nis reappearance on the silver shoot in '"The Man Upstairs." which is now being screened as the main attraction at the Strand Theatre. "The Man Upstairs'' is an adaptation from Earl Derr loggers' I story, "The Agony Column." anil tells i of the exciting experiences of Geoffrey West., a wealthy young man who is living alone at a fashionable West End hotel in London. While there he answers j an advertisement in the "agony column"' i of a daily newspaper, and after writing j many letters to his advertiser , , is sur--1 prised to find that she is none other than . Marian Larnard. a girl staying at the , same hotel, and travelling in the company of her chaperone. Later, a rumour is spread that a guest of the hotel has been murdered, and West's knife having been iot.nd in the dead man's room, the weight of the evidence is against 'him. lie escapes from gaol, and commences to weave a net of very convincing evidence i around the chief of police and a woman. i who, to his surprise, lie finds to be ! Marian. She admits that she has been playing a practical joke on him, and that j the victim of the faked murders is well ■ and alive. Despite the fact that he is j annoyed at the way lie has been treated, j West decides to forgive her, and is really I very (satisfied with the result of his answer to the advertisement. Dorothy Devote his the feminine lead. "Daughters Who Play," another big picture, is also billed to be shown, and the entertainment ■will also include the screening of the Strand Magazinf and an Aesop Fable cartoon, and during the whole programme excellent music is supplied by the Strand Orchestra, undpr the direction of Mrs. j Eve Bentley. "Cavatina" will be played j as an orchestral interlude. I EVERYBODY'S THEATRE.

Two big pictures, both Paramount releases, arc now being screened at Everybody's Theatre. '■Stranded in Paris," which is the stellar attraction, is Bebe Daniels' latest fihn, and was presented for a successful season at the New Regent la.st week. Miss Daniels is S'-on in onf of her most amusing roles, that of a New York shopgirl who wins a free trip to Paris. Here she sets out on a spending fxpedition, and so effective are her efforts that she soon find* herself penniless— stranded in Paris. She masquerades as a countess, to whom she bears a marked resemblance, but after playing her assumed role for some time, she meets the "Count," who, of course, insists upon being recognised as her husband. Matters reach .a crisis with the arrival of the real countess, who is furious with the American girl. After much aigmncnt she clears herself and is taken back, to her home in America by her lover. All through the ti'm interesting scenes of Parisian night life are given. The fashionable cafes, recreation grounds of the idle rich, and the dimry restaurants of Montinartre. pleasure haunts of the emotional apache. The story -is well told in screen form, and is placed by a notable cast, which includes .Tames Hall. Ford Sterling and Iris Stuart. "Lady Robin Hood." the 6econd attraction, stars Evelyn Brent, who was seen in "The Broadway Lady" and "Queen o' Diamonds.' , Miss Brent has the part of a young girl who takes upon herself the task of winning- freedom for her people. The supporting cast has among its "numbers Robert Ellis and Boris Karloff. Good supports accompany the two big films.

QUEEN'S THEATRE. \ Although Rudolph Valentino is lo?t to the screen, a number of his best, films are still being released. "Monsieur Beaucaire," one of his latest and most popular pictures is now being presented at the Queen's Theatre. '"Monsieur Beaucaire'' represents one of the greatest romances of the world, and is the story of France's immortal lover. It tells of a prince who. in order to prove to the world that he was a real man, became a barber and carried on that business for some months. Despite the fact that he is supposed to be a barber, the dashing noblernar cannot refrain from indulging in love affairs, and it is this which brings about man. oi the intriguing but amusing situations which abound throughout the story. The lavishness and splendour of the court of Fiance are especially well depicted. The glitter of the fine jewels of the court ladies, the brilliance of the noblemen's costumes, the flash of their drawn swords: all help to n.nke one of the most spectacular films ever produced. And perhaps the most attractive feature of the" picture is the great cast which interprets the theine. In addition to the star, there is Bebe Daniels, who has recently been starred in Paramount comedy-drama. Lois Wilson and Doris Kenyon. both of First National fame, and Lowell Sherman, who was starred in "Satan in Sables.' , "Monsieur Beaucaire" has already had a successful season in Auckland, but its further screening i< expected t> draw large audiences. GRAND THEATRE. Alter a most successful season u: the Majestic. "What Price Glory?" William Fox's masterpiece of the war, will be screened at the Grand Theatre. Perhaps no more graphic- war drama has ever visited Auckland. War in all its horrors, and with all its grim humour, is excellently depicted. A good love theme runs through the stoiy, and is provided by two American marines and .1 coquettish mademoiselle. Shanghai, with its squalor. opens the story, and he; . Sergeants Flagg and Quirt are seen, both in love with the same woman. Invariably the suave Quirt captures the girl. In 1017. when America becomes involved in the great European struggle, the two i.wv soldiers are seen in France. Flagi: has by now become a captain, but this does not prevent Quirt from showing his contempt. Both fall in love with C'harmaine. the daughter of a vilager. The tickle C'harmaine favours both of them, and- their quarrel reaches a climax when Flagg returns from the lines and finds Charmaine in Quirt's arms, They decide to gamble for her, and FWg wins, but knowing that she really loves Quirt, de- ' cides to release her. Then the two enemies are seen united in friendship, tramping back to the fighting line. To— who knows where? The vivid battle scenes and the picturesq;;eness of the quaint French village provide a splendid background for the theme, which is interpreted by a strong cast, headed by Victor McLaglen, Edmund Lowe, and Dolores del Bio.

MAJESTIC THEATRE. It has been said that Gloria Swans'n's magnetic personality has never been better employed than in iicr latest st3r- < ring vehicle "The Love of Sunya." now ■ being screened at the Majestic Theatre, i Gloria Swanson gives live distini; char- . acterisations in this Him. the reincarnation of an Egyptian gi:l of centuries ago. a modern girl, sought by throe d:ilercn: men. a temperamont.il ope: a singer who shocks Paris, the "■bought"' wj;> of .i milHon.r.re. and the asred school teacher. struggling for her family. The mystic- : Orient, where people have implicit faith in their heathen priests, provides the opening sieno. Hero is seen Yogi, a young worshipper, who is told by his priest that he must atone for a sin supposed to have been committed bv him thousands o: years ago. He meets Sun\a. and her Inver Paul, v.-honi he recognises as the poisons ho has wronged. Sunya's other admirers include a poor clerk who: begs her to wait until lie has ri<on to a good position in the bank and marry him. ' and a millionaire to whom her father I would sec her iv.arriod. S.> Sunya has I I'liir absolutely different paths open to i hf>r. Weaitli. duty, ambition and love. ! Then i: i> that Yo-i has the opportunity j 11• r which iie Ims been seeking. By means ■ of a cry.-tal lie reveals to iicr what wiil happen i: she should decide f> take any of the four. Finally, after much worry, she determines tli.it she will many no i one but Paul. A varied suppoiting pro-| gramme has born arrange-!, th emain ■ toatino beiiii tile further appearance oi , •Tack Lumsdaine. This, it i< anouneed. ' "ill bo Mr. Lumsdaino's appearance. The i Majestic News. Kvc'e Review and a | comedy will aiso be sr-roonod. and the i picture section of the bill will bo com- : plote with the film of the sci rvn tests of I the "Miss Nou- Zealand l: r J7" contest. Mr. Find Mnmfoid has arranged :■<!■ hioivhestia. a em-d musical si-oic. which will isu-i-j.'n "M.iritana" n< the overtuie. and select;.mis from "Lm:a di Lamincrinooi"' as tio interlude. "PEG O" MY HEART." Good w;:io improves with age n:id surely this is equally true with tiie thieeaet comedy, "l'cz (•' My Ilt-.nt." winch ■ Miss Xcihe Brain ley and her company of j half a dozen, revived at H:s Majesty's j Theatre last evening. From the moment Peg. an untaught Irish lass, with the

"'very divi!'" i:i her, a: rived at tTie home of her snobbish English aunt with fully thirty shillings worth of clothing and a dop named Michael, and simultaneously with the aunt, receiving a letter announcing that the banking institution in which she had her money had pone "broke," there is a delightful supply of comedy, with a da.-h m sentiment added every now and then. "Peg O' My Heart" is

too well known to require traversing azain. and equally popular is Miss Nellie Bramley. Her portrayal of Pez is one of her best efforts, and she really carries the whole company and the audience through the three arts. On the st.ize all the time, she has a lot of woi k to do. but she does it just as only a clever actress could do it. Her English and snobbish relatives are a mother, her daughter and son, and as, Mrs. Chichester. the mother

of Alaric. a foppish young man who smokes cigarettes a foot Ion?, but does no \v..rk. and Ethel, a young lady who is only prevented from eioping with a married man as she is about to steal out of the home at midnight—scratched at the post, on emight say—.Miss Marie Dillon is particularly good. Miss Mabel G>>wer, as the daughter, carries out her part well, as does also Mr. Brett Randall as Alaric. The remaining members of the company who satisfactorily fill their parts are John Galway as" Christian Brent, a man who would give Kin? Solomon a run at love-making. Robert Purdie as Montgomery Hawkes, solicitor. Millie Carltou. a maid, and George Hewlett, as Jerry, Peg's guardian. The r>ieve will be staged again this evening. To-morrow the spason will close with .: p: cremation of "Camille."

PRINCESS AND TIVOLI. Zane Gray "s popular novel. -The Man of the Forest,' , is the subject fur a picture of the same name, which is no«being presented at the Princess and Tivoli Theatres. Although the theme is a popular one among authors, Zane Gray has handled it insiu-h a manner as to br:ng it to the public in an entirely new form, the love story having been written of the author. Ja-k Holt, one of Paramount's most popular Western stars, has the lending role, and is seen as Milt Dale, a cowboy, who learns that a cattle rustler, Clint BcntcW. has planned to kidnap -Nance Kaynor, the heiress to a large cattle ranch, in which Beasely has prospects o: sharing on the death of old Kaynor. Del ci mined to up-rt the st hem<\ Milt kidnaps the girl himself, but she disapproves strongly of his actions and. after an argument with him. she shoots him with a revolver Finally, she is forced to understand the reasons nr his action, and in addition to pardoning him, promises to marry him. The :e>iiiii;ne lead is in the capable hands of Georgia Hale. El Uremic! has an amusing part and certainly lives up othis reputation of being a clever comedian. Tom Kennedy of "Behind the Front" and -We're in the Navy Now" iamc. is also in the cast. On the same programme is '"The Whole Town's Talking." a Universal comedydrama, starring Edward Everett Hortoii who was s.> well received in "Poker races. ' JASPERS WEEK. To-night H the last night of "the""AilAuckland \\ inter Fair, conducted by the Auckland City Mission. Rev. • Jasper Calder states that so far the fair has realised i'.XH) in the two clays, but it is hoped that to-day's total will almost double that amount. The fair is open continuously from 2 p.m. till 10 p.m. \t 9 o clock the art unions and ugly man contest results will be announce..!. At present Mr. Vivian Potter. M.P.. is leadinc by a narrow margin of votes. "Jasper'' being second. ,-.nd M r . Geo. Ponder third To-morrow night there will be a repeat performance c>: Jasper'* concert, when a capacity house is anticipated. The two little la.Mcr boys have a special topical joke up thcii sleeve.! n:id i ! ::> i< paid to be veiy fu::ny. PADEREWSKi. A private iclepam lioni states tnat Pjderewski gave his cepening recital of the .\>«- Zealand season there last night, the Town Hall l >o:n _. packed, and among those present being Lady Alice Fergusson and sui:«>. The grea"t pianist received an ovation when he tame on the platform and was cheered .it the conclusion o: each item, while at the conclusion of the perforanince the audience rose and cheered, a similar demonstration being made as I'.iilert-w.-ki left the ha!l to enter his car. The wonderful art:*:, it ;s stated, is as viiile as evei.