AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 75, 29 March 1928, Page 20

AMUSEMENTS.

NATIONAL AND LYRIC. It is difficult to say which of the two pictures uti the current double-feature entertainment at the National and Lyric Theatres will appeal more to Auckland audiences. The chief attraction, "The Adventurer," is a thrilling story of adventure in Latin-America, while the supporting film. "Finger Prints," is a laughable comedy-drama. Tim McCoy, the popular Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Western star, heads the cast of "The Adventurer"; he appears as an American mining engineer. His strong cast includes Dorothy Sebastian ;ind Charles Delaney. The film was produced by Tourjansky, who also made

"Michael Strogoff." "Michael Strogoff" rt«tored France to the place in screen production which she held in the days before the war. "The Adventurer'' is Tourjansk.v's first production in America. Louise Fi/.end.i, the delightful comedian who was starred in "The Cradle ."inatchers," and who has been featured in several light dramas, is featured in

"Finger Prints.'' She is supported by Gertrude Astor, Helene Costello, and Myrna Loy. Among the fine supporting numbers at both theatres there is a topical news film showing the most recent events of importance from overseas, a comedy and a travel picture. STRAND THEATRE.

Again the management of the Strand Theatre has engaged a picture which is well up to the high standard of entertainment set by the house, and which will help to maintain the name which it has been given, " The Home of Big Pictures." To-morrow, the long-awaited "The Circus," Charlie Chaplin's latest comedy drama, will have its premiere. For many years now, this great artist has been producing pictures, but none of his films, either his famous short comedies, or his more recent dramas, have been of the same quality as "The Circus.'' Even "A Dog's Life," ''Shoulder Anns'* and "The Gold Rush," it is said, have been surpassed. In the opening scenes, the star appears as an "out-of-work."' He happens to fall in with a circus, but his freedom is menaced when hn unknowingly becomes the accomplice of a pick-pocket. After he has secured a job with the circus, his awkwardness loses him the position. At that the other hands strike, and he i<s re-engaged. From here the theme rushes through a wonderfully amusing sequence of events, and the climax is perhaps the most unexpected that could be imagined. A good prologue to the film has been arranged, and the bill will also include an Aesop Fable cartoon, the Strand Magazine, and an Eve's Review. Min. Eve Bentley's Orchestra will play enjoyable music throughout the entertainment. MAJESTIC THEATRE.

From an architectural point of view, the I settings used in "Quality Street," which will open at the Majestic Theatre tomorrow, are the most exquisite yet built for a motion picture. The film is an adaptation of the famous play by Sir James Barrie. When it was proposed to place the play on the screen, it was thought by many that producers could not do justice to the great playwright's work, but peopled with a cast such as that which it has been given, the film is, it' anything, even more appealing than the stage version. Barrie concentrated his play into the Throensel drawing room, and so close to the story has the director kept, that for the first time in screen history, a director has suceeded in filming eight full episodes, almost four hundred scenes, in a single room. Marion Davies, one of the screen's most popular artists, has the leading role, that of Phoebe, while the male lead is played by Conrad Nagel. The supporting cast is a strong one. With the film there will be a first-class accompanying bill of fare, which will include the screening of a scenic, the Majestic Magazine, and a comedy entitled "Call a Cuckoo." "A Corner of the Officers' Club" will be the stuge turn. This will be presented by the Majestic Quartet. Mr. John White-ford-Waugh's orchestra will render an enjoyable musical score, which will include a fine overture. new Regent theatre.

For the first time in either New Zealand or Australia there is to be a ladies' diving competition on a theatre stage. This novel presentation will be featured on the change of programme at the New Regent Theatre to-morrow. For the turn, a special tank, containing 7000 gallons of water which passes through special electrical heaters haa been built. Gold medals will be awarded to the winners, and .i silver cup to the club of which the winner is a member. The contest will be conducted under the auspices of the Auckland Centre of the New Zealand Swimming Association. Few screen stars have had the sensational rise to fame that has been Clara Bow's. Miss Bow is featured in "Get Your Man," which will be the chief picture of the change. "The madcap of the screen" is seen to great advantage in this production, which may well be called her finest film to date. It is the story of an amazing French love intrigue, of a girl who determined to get the man she loved, and who risked and dared everything to do it. There will also be good supporting numbers on the Regent's bill; these will include news reels and the Regent Review. Leslie Harvey, at the Wurlitzer organ, will render some entertaining numbers, while the music which Mr. Maurice Guttridge has arranged for his Operatic Orchestra is also very enjoyable. EVERYBODY'S THEATRE.

While it muit be admitted that to attempt the screening of the life of Christ was a difficult task, and that the subject was an unusually delicate one to handle, cinema fans cannot but admire the manner in which that muster-producer, Cecil B. De Mi lie, has treated it in his picture "The King of Kings." For two weeks now, "The King of Kings" has been drawing large audiences to the Everybody's Theatre. It started on its third week to-duy, and the booking is still heavy. The narrutive for the production starts m the Saviour is resting on the road to Jerusalem. Here, surrounded by His followers, He has won the love of the people. From this point until the crucifixion, the gospel story is follo7/ed, and in the intervening scenes there, is some screen work which has never been equalled. In such sccnes as those of the crucifixion, the Garden of Gethwemane, that following the crucifixion, and the court of Mary of Magdala, the true artist.y of De Mille is seen. Colour has been *.ised for many of the pictures, and it is undoubted that with this, they are even more splendid. Although the publication of the cast which plays the picture is forbidden by order of the New Zealand Government Film Censor, it may be said that no picture yet released has been so well peopled. PRINCESS AND TIVOLI.

Famous in fiction, Bill Cody (Buffalo Bill), has been a favourite for many years with readers who are fond of Western stories. He lives again in the person ot Jack Hoxie, the fine Western screen star who impersonates the celebrated scout in 'The Last Frontier," now being screened aa the stellar attraction of the now pvogramme at the Princess and I iv oh Jheatrcs.Hoxie plays the frontiersman during the period of his greatest Mil .even, cut when he had the remarkable record ot killing sixty-eight buffaloes in one hour An appealing theme has been used tor the picture, and it is played bv a strong cast. William Boyd, who will probably he best remembered for his performance in "Two Arabian Knights," with Louis Wolheim and Mary Astor, has the role of the hero, while other players are Marguerite De La Motte, to whom the feminine lead is entrusted, J. Farrell Mac-1 ilonald, who plays Wild Bill, the life friend of Buffalo Bill. Mitrfiell Lewis Sally Rand and Gladys Broekwell. "The La«t Frontier" is a story of early Kansas .nid the struggles of thg builders of the ..lissouri Pacific railway to construct their

lino despite warring Sioux Indians. There .no two supporting nictures at both t !ipatre», "The Irresistible Lover" and the initL of "The Collegian*" aeries. Norman (Carry and Lois Moran are starred in "The 1

TOWN HALL CONCERT. Judging by the poor response made by the public so far to the Wednesday evening's Municipal concerts, it is not a suitable evening for these performances. Ihough the programme submitted by the city organist was an attractive one, they were rtnly 100 persons in attendance. Basil Harwood, one of the leading organ composers of the day, was represented by his "Paean," a work of special merit, and eminently suited to display the resource of a large instrument, and the skill of the executant. Mr. Barnett made admirable selection from his fifty-nine registers, accessories for stop control, and couplers, presenting a reading of the solo which gave much pleasure. In Guilmant's Allegretto in B Minor, the two-voiced duo between reed and flute was charmingly sung, and good use was made of sub and swell octaves. Tastefully played was Hol'.ins' Concert Piece and Morandi's Vivace''; Wood's "Scenes in Kent, ' and Toselli's "Serenade" were other pleasingly rendered solos. Bach's "Prelude and Fugue in C Minor" received a performance which delightfully expressed the pastoral character of the initial movement and the greatness of the five-part section which followed. Miss Berta Carr was heard in acceptable performances of Rachmaninoff's "Spring Waters" and Chaminade's "Alone," receiving warm applause at their conclusion. Mr. L. Whittaker acted as pianist.