AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 133, 7 June 1929, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS.

STRAND THEATRE

'"Mother Knows Best" is in its second week at the Strand Theatre and is retail drawing large and enthusiastic audience*. The film, which stars Madge Bellamy, is the story of a girl's rise to fame on the stage under the guidance of her mother, and the eventual interference of •_ her mother when she falls in love with-a young song-writer. The film opens jwitli Miss Bellamy, as a little girl, entertaining some friends in a low quarter of New York, with impersonations of well-known stage and screen players. These sequences of the picture are unusually clever. Miss Bellamy gives a splendid performance, while other good acting is given by Louise Dresser as the mother,- and Barry North. (who sprang into prominence by his performance in "What Price Glory?") as the young song-writer. A carefully chosen budget of well varied supports is also presented. These include a Fox Movietone News and a laughable short comedy entitled "A Happy Birthday." PLAZA THEATRE. "The Singing Fool" completes its fifth triumphant week at the Plaza Theatre to-night. During the season the film,.'has been screened nearly ninety times and there has been a queue for every session. Al JoLson has won. his way into the hearts of the Auckland picture-going public, who will look forward to his future films with more than the usual interest. Betty Bronson, Josephine Dunn .. (who plays the role of Jolson's faithless wife) and little David Lee (who gives a-splendid, characterisation of.his child, Sonny Boy) are the principal supporting, players in the cast. Among the supports are numbers by the New York • Philharmonic Orchestra of 80 instrumentalists, which plays Wagner's "Tannhauser" overture; a fine male quartet whose selections-are "Drink To Me Only With Thine.Eyes," "Love's Old Sweet Song,". "Drinking Song" and "The Rosary"; the worldfamed violinist Miseha Elman, who playa Dvorak's "Humoresque" and "Gossec's "Gavotte"; Giovanni Martineldi, star of the New York Metropolitan Opera House who sings "Vesti La Giubba" from Leoncavallo's "I Pagliacci"; • and the Howard Brothers, who offer burlesque on grand opera.

TIVOLI AND EVERYBODY'S.

Two splendid' pictures, " offering adelightful variety of entertainment, . are being screened at. the Tivoli and-Every-body's Theatres. They are "The Night Bird" and "Love and the Devil." Universal's ever-popular comedian,- Reginald Denny, is starred in "The Night Bird," which is crammed with good* clean humour 60 typical of this entertainer. Betsy Lee plays-the leading feminine role opposite him. In "Love and the Devil" the stave are Milton Sills, a favourite who has held the fancy of the public for years, and Maria Corda, who will be remembered for her splendid work in First National's burlesque, "The Private. Life of Helenof Troy." Ben' Bard is"also in the cast. With, ' the films at both theatres there is also "an entertaining budget of well chosen 'supports. • - MIDNIGHT FROLICS. Clem Dawe and the * Midnight Frolics, who conclude their Auckland season tonight,- gave a new budget of sketches, sougs,, dances and novelties. at His Majesty's Theatre last evening. Particularly welcome. to the audience was the first appearance of Miss Gwenth. ; MacNaughton, a pleasing perionnj ance of a Russian dance. The resourceful Clem Dawe was in excellent form in.a I variety of. hits, and was ably. supported by Migs Mona Magnet, whose elocutionary powers have been well proved during the run of the Frolics in this city. The company's violinist, Gregory Ivanoff,- has a variety of selections, from which he always draws with popular approval; and Eric Eclgle'y has a way of handling his part of the programme that really delights. For the farewell performance to-night the company has prepared'a selection of the l most popular of its. offerings from the recent successful tour. "Atmospherics," "Horsey, Keep Your Tail Up," "Black and White Cargo," "The Man Down the Hole," and "Poet and Peasant," the jazz band offering in which Clem Dawe conducts in his whirlwind way, will be included in the programme. The song 'successes of Mona Magnet, and the most popular violin solos of Gregory Ivanoff will be presented by those artists. There will also be a further appearance o£ Miss Gwenth MacXaughton. Numerous other members of the company will assist in the various frolics. , ■ NATIONAL THEATRE. Cold, bleak wastes of ' the far North in midwinter provided the setting for "The Sin Sister," Fox film, which opens at the .National Theatre to-day. A party of'.six travellers, three men and three women, is left stranded in a deserted cabin without food or weapons. "The Sin Sister" is the story of how the mask of civilisation is torn aside under the maddening, nervous tension, revealing the persons as they really are. Joseph T. Horn, a rich man, turns in cowardly fashion to religion; Ethelyn, his daughter, becomes slovenly and selfish; Peter, a rather bored social lion, becomes a man for the first time; Sister Burton, an evangelist, becomes an atheist, and Pearl, a common entertainer, become charmingly feminine and selfsacrificing. The principal parts are handled by Nancy Carroll. Lawrence Gray, •Josephine Dunn, Mrytle Stedman, Anders Randolf and David Callis. The supports will include an interesting newsreel .a laughable short comedy and a. travelogue. Mr. F. Bartlett's orchestra will contribute an enjoyable musical score.

MAJESTIC THEATRE. Of all .Edgar Wallace's mystery-thriller*, few have been so pouter as "The Ringer,'' which, it will be remembered; was presented in Auckland by Mr. Maurice Moscovitch. This play has now been transferred to the screen, and in its transposition has, far from losing auv of the appeal of the original, gathered further realism. A British production, it will' open to-day at the Majestic Theatre on the same programme as "Strong Boy," *ox lnlms latest starring vehicle for Victor McLaglen. Leslie Faber and t »t! p^ enson ,. h * v . e th « Principal roles in The Ringer ". while Leatrice Joy, plavs opposite MeLaglen for the first time in btrong Jioy. ihe usual supports selected py the vlajestic management are of the u SrW 6tai ! d ? "■■***# tbom are , containing scenes of recent hm-t^ofT^M^ 1 from zraXl S WOdd 'i bea »tifnlly photofoniedv & g ?f a ' ld - , a hilavimis short be IJOJ M bIC lncidental music will undclh V Orchestra T. w I capable conductorship of Mr. John Wh.teford Waugh; this combination "HI also render ah .introductory march. ST. JAMES' THEATRE. An entire change of programme will be offered to-night at St. James' Theatre »J 1-at Hanna's famous "Diggers." New sketches, songs and drolleries "'ill be presented, and a programme which-is claimed as a -worthy follower to the two previous entertainments this company has staged, is promised. SACRED CONCERT. A sacred concert' was; given last nigh,l in the Methodist Church, Westnev Koad Manure bv the ■ Onelumga Methodist Church choir. .■.f =r>ln<! anthems, etc. My. A. k. (jatlano. Mr. H. W." Clegg presided a? the organ. The conceit was well attended and much appreciated. The collection tfas '"" »' d oi thc tn,st funds.