AMUSEMENTS.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17882, 1 October 1923, Page 7

AMUSEMENTS.

PICTURE HOUSES.

EVERYBODY'S THEATRE.

"THE WHITE-FLOWER," STARRING BETTY COMPSON. "TOO MUCH WIFE," STARRING XTANDA HAWLEY.

Manipulating motion picture cameraa on the edge of the famous volcano Kilauea furnished plenty of excitement to the cast of "The White Flower," the new Betty Compson Paramount picture, which was filmed in the Hawaiian Islands, and which will be screened at Everyl>°dy'3 Theatre thi3 week, commencing at the matinee to-day. The company remained in Hawaii for several weeiLs, encompassing in that time beautiful backgrounds ol Honolulu, exciting Bwimming scenets on the beach at Vv'aikiki, scenes with a background 01 pineapple and sugar cane plantation, and other views colourrully representative of the lamous American possession. An entrancing story 01 - the Hawaiian Islands is "The White Flower." Miss Conipson plays the patt of a young, half. American, hail TTawaiitin, giii, who is in love with a young American, the pineapple king of the islana. Many are the plans which miss Comppon forms lor winning this young yellow's love. . In fact, she almost does away with his fiancee by the aid of mysterious rites, so great is her love lor him. She realises, however, what she i 3 about, to do, and at the critical moment her real woman■cd asserts itself. The photogripiiy, as well as the acting, in the production is excellent The direction by Julia Crawford lveis, who also wTote the story, is superb. The heart appeal is intense. Miss Compson plays a half-caste Hawaiian girl, and'is supported by Edmund Lowe, Edward Martinuel, Arline Pretty, Sylviai Ashton, Leon Barry, and Lily Philips. Wanda Hawley and T. Roy Barnes, as a young marr.ed couple, cjfler a treat in the supporting feature, which is entitled "Too Much Wife," a Realart comedy-drama l , and me of the best things of its kind ever seen on the screen. It's a long story when you try to write it, but it reels alone at the limit of speed, with a laugh to. mark off every couple of revolutions. Miss as a fond little bride, eager to ensure the marital hapiness of herself and her bridegroom, takes advice from her "masterful" mother, but also, privately, from her henpscked • father. Her effort to reconcile and act on both conflicting counsels makes the story—one you'll .like. Wanda Hawley has the support of a splendid cast. T. Key Barnes, whoijjjdys! Mis 3 Hawley'B husband in the piece, occupied the same happy position in -Her Face Value.'' Other support includes Arthur Hoyt, Lilian Leighton, Leigh AVyant, Willard-Lou;;, Bertie Johns, and John Fox. The story rf Too Much Wife" is by Lorna Moon, and the scenario was written by Percy Heath. Thomas N. Heffron directed under the supervision of Elmer Harris. 1 An alluring musical programme his been arranged by Mr W. J. Eellingham, F.S.M., for Everybody's "Select" Orchestra. Chief among the items are the following:—Overture, "Patrol" (Zamecluk); opera selection, "The Black Domino" (Auber); ballet music, "Faust" (Gounod); dunse suites, "Slavonic Danses" (Dvorak); "Norwegian Danses (Greig);' entr'acte,' '"Tucky Home" (Lewis); Hawaiian music, "Moonlight" (Klickman), "Sw«et Hawaiian Isle" (Edwards), "My Isle of Golden Dreams" (Blaufuss). Reserved seats may either be obtained at The Bristol or by 'phoning 4925.

GRAND THEATRE.

"Mouth to Mouth," advertisement should fill the Grand Theatre-each night this week, lor several hundreds of people waxed enthusiastic over the new programme "screened on Saturday night, and the majority of the.ni, surely, have told their friends about it by this time. It is a really enjoyable bill; the two big- pictures are remarkably fine, and the supports all fit in beautifully. Also the augmented Grand Orchestra,,. which has already mads ft reputation for itself, plays an e./silent programme, which is a delight to music-lovers. The main attraction is "Timothy's (Juest," the picturised version of Kate Douglae Wiggin's charming story of theaame naane. The author of "Rebecca, of Sunnybrook Farm", embodies ..the charm and heart appeal of one in the other, the Only difference being that "Timothy's Quest" has. always occupied a niche of ita own in her affections. . It is properly described a play of the heart. It may also be said to have been produced by the heart, for in every ' detail it was generally a labour of love. Occasionally there comes a picture so simple and refreshing that hope for the screen revives anew. Such a picture is "Timothy's. Quest.'* Its merits are not be wondered at when .the . author's name is known. For Kate Douglas Wiggins .stands alone in the art of creating stories of gentle "->thos and whimsical humour. She sees children with eyes of sympathy and understanding, and, as in "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm," they can be're-created on the screen. In the new. picture they tell the story of "Timothy's Quest." Timothy, an orphan of the slums, learns that he is to be sent to an asylum and separated from the little girl he protects, called by. .him "Lady Gay.'' Always he has longed for a real home and an adopted mother, so with Gay 'be steals out in quest of both. From their freight car the beautiful countryside stretches before them, and finally they stand before the house of the hoy's dreams. But the spinster who lives there is not inclined to adopt children or to be adopted by anyone. For Gay's eako he begs shelter and the spinster yields. Samantha, her "help," intercedes for the children and threatens to desert if ahe is opposed. Day by day, as the children stay on, the spinster's heart softens a little, and Timothy's, eyes recall the dark sorrow of her life—her harshness towards her deceased sis-', ter. Timothy explores the neighbourhood and comes upoa a lonely.. house in which a man deliriously calls ''Samanthy." Kettfrn-' ing to tell Samantha, he overhears the spinster announce that she will keep Gay but that Timothy must go to an, asylum. He knows that he has not found a home after all, but his,quest must continue. "What the boy decides to do and what'effect his message has on Samantha comes with the unfolding of the most appealing. story the screen has told in' many^.a day. Tinusual conditions are behind "the presentation of "Timothy's Quest." The conditions with a group of' Maine people, many of the. friends and neigh-' bours of ,-Kate Douglas Wijginz, who decided to form a motion picture company .and. produce pictures that should show the panoramic beauties of their native state, and delineate as well J&e quiet charm of. their village life. For their first picture, •'Timothy's Quest" was the logical choice. It had the additional advantage of being by the author held in deepest affection by the people of Maine, the writer who had felicitously achieved in literature what' the film company desired to do on the screen. By no means a casual matter was the discovery of the two children best able to play the story-book youngsters. The other big supporting feature is the Paramount masterpiece, "The Gilded Lily," in which Mae Murray does the finest work of her career. " Sines "The Glided Lily" we a produced, this talented etar has app< ared in "Fascination" and "Brocdway Rose," but her critics everywlTere proclaim her best work still to be in "The Gilded Lily." A fine number,of supports, comprising a comedy, ok., complete the programme.

GREATER CRYSTAL PALACE.

lON CHAKEY AND VIRGINIA VALLI IX "THE SHOCK." NOBLE JOHNSON IN "TRACKS." ■ Lon Chaney and Virginia Valli, in the big eight-reel Universal-Jewel yiper-produc-tion that oomes to a climax when a reproduction of the earthquake of 1906 Bhakes San Francisco into kindling for the great fire, will be the big attraction headin? the new programme at Greater Crystal Palace this week, commencing to-day. It is entitled "The Shork." The earthquake i» shown on the screen with vivid jealism. It was, in fact, an earthquake that the camera 1 recorded. Or. the 550 acras cf Universal ■ City, a section of San Francisco was built f in replica. It was then shaken to pieces and burned as San Francisco men who had experienced thti great catastrophe stood by 1 to point out the course of the firo and i the duration of the shocks. Playgoers will be thrilled in Ihis big Universal-Jewel, which mirrors real life on the screen. Un- ' like many productions of tho ecreen, there is nothing forced. The action moves for"." 11 with the naturalness of life itself. Ine sweetness is provided by Virginia Valli, the beautiful atar of "The Storm," and tlle y*' ternca3 is shown in a graphic account ofithe life of a man in San Francisco's Barbary Coast. The storv of "The Shock," written by William Dudley Pelley under the title of "Bittersweet," abounded with colourful situations and plenty of action. hut the tas* of finding two suitable stars was a difficult one. Choice finally settled upon Tkw Chaney and Virginia Valli. but as both players were engaged in other productions, it was necessary to delay filming for several months. However; the delav was well worth while, ae the two characterisations are masterpieces of dramatic technique. '•Tracks," a Playgoers' feature, is the second big picture on the new programme, and it has lor its locale the broad sweeping ranges of Texas. Yet it cannot be called * Western picture in the accepted sense of that phrase, for it is not so much a story of the West as it is of mystery. As written by L. V. Jefferson, the story gets its name from the fact that invariably, when any of . a series of raids is mad© by horse thieves, mysterious cow tracks appear in the neighbourhood. These baffle the ranchers and rangers for a long time, and form the basis of a mysterious plot, enhanced by roI mantic complications. Noble Johnson, with i Beatrice Bmnham and Bill Patton p'ay the leading roles in this fine story of outdoor

We- ~1.,' The supporting films ore the eighth chapter of the big thriller "Around the World m 18 Days," a very, funny Century ccmec./, and the latest International News film, in addition to tho above pictures, a lunner chapter of 'The Timber Queen" *iU be. screened at the afternoon sessions througnout the week. . , ~ Incidental to and in conjunction with the screening of the various motion pictures, the world-famous Symphony Orchestra under the distinguished conductorship of Mr Alfred J. Bunz. wiil present a magnificent musical programme, which includes the following classical and popular numbers: Overture "Morning, Noon and ■N'g'Jt (Suppe); "Symphony Number 5" (Beethoven); "Siegfried-IdylV (Wagner); "Within the "Walla of China" (Lively); "Overture 1812" (Tschaikowsky); Ballet Suite "Oriental" . (Vecsey); "Suzanne's Secret" (WolfFerrari); "To-nighfe the Night" '(Rubens); "Beside a Brook" (Donaldson); "River Shannon Moon" (Walter). The box plan is at The Bristol, or seats .may be reserved by telephoning Greater Crystal Palace, number 3758.

STRAND THEATRE.

HOOT GIBSON AND PRANK MAYO. Many splendid double-feature programmes have been presented at the Strand Theatre, since that popular house opened its doors to the public of Christchurch, but Uw of them came up to the standard set by this week's bill in all round excellence. There are two big features, which star the sterling actors, Hoot Gibson and Frank Mayo, both of them .famous film artists. First-class supports include a. side-splitting- comedy. On Saturday night a capacity house enjoyed ths pictures, and the fine .musical-score played by the Strand Orchestra. Hoot Gibson in "Dead Game," is the principal attraction on the new bill at the Strand Theatre. In the xuiiet interior of ,a ranch house parlour Alice Mason- sat aad< wept as two men spoke to her. One "Prince" Tetlpw, ruler of the nearby Western town, I was her fiance, or thought he was, The other I was Jenks, a disbarred attorney, her guardian. "This young roughneck you sold an interest in the ranch to has left town, and with another woman," said Jenks bitterly. Out in the wide desert, cactus doited, gleaming hot in the hard yellow eun, a man struggled pitifully to his feet. It was hia second day without water, he had been kidnapped and left there to die. Suddenly he heard an unbelievable noise. A horse's neigh. Not until the animal rubbed his nose against the silent form did the man move. Then he jumped and grabbed the mane of the beautiful black animal. That waa the wi'dest ride that ever a man took, a ride hanging to the mane of a galloping, frightened horse that was trying to throw him off. This is the best western story in the career of Hoot Gibson; and contains the finest example of horsemanship thai the star has ever given tne screen. Prank Mayo in "Wolf Law" is the .other big film. Jeff de CroUau (Frank Mayo) could not\ believe that this was the civilised world reputed to exiet in 1870. This waa a hole in the fine world that Nature made. To be more exact it was somewhere in the Ozarks, but Jeff could not believe even that, 'for here was a kingdom ruled by one "Samson" Bender, who handled violent men witV greater violence and killed the ones unfortunate enough to disagree with him! And the most disagreeable part of it was that new citizens could not leave, a fact wh : ch mifht have kept Jeff on the Missouri side of the border if he had known it, even if a sheriff with a murder warrant, was on his hee's at the time he toddled across. Jeff began to eee red in green Bcenery, and the kingdom of "Ssmson" Bender tottered on its Ozarks perch. This is an insisjht into the strangest atory Frank Mayo'has ever appeared in, and he is admirably supported by Sylvia Breamer. A Century comedy. "The Cabby. International News, and "The Lion Man" (serial) completes the programme.

QUEEN'S THEATRE.

TO-DAY'S CHANGE. A double featured programme that is said to be exceptionally entertaining, will be screened at the Queen's Theatre commencj ing to-day. Tne leading attraction is the I latest Fox super-special entitled "A Fool I There Was," which has been adapted i* oa - Kipling's poem. There are many well-known names portraying this fascinating story. £*• i telle Taylor, and Wm, V. Mong, of "Monte Cristo" fame, are-said to give splendid characterisations, as well as Irene Rich, Marjorie Daw, and Lewis Stone. Miss Taylor is said to be a symmetrical, beautiful version of the notorious "rag, and a bone and a hank of hair." She is slim and wicked with beguiling eyes. Her methods as a vampire show a subtle knowledge of the demands of her role, and never once is she. untrue to the .character she. portrays. Even in her crue'.ty, she is beautiful and up to the last when she is shown scattering petals over the body of the man she calls her fool, she is characteristically picturesque. The picture j has been given a magnificent production, there being many scenes of exquisite loveliness. The second attraction is "The Little Wanderer," in which Shirley Mason is featured. It is a bright drama, very suitable to Miss Mason's special type. . Supports include an Al. St. John comedy and the latest Gazette. A special musical programme has been arranged by Mr H. G. Glaysher, conductor of the Queen's orchestra. I

LIBERTY THEATRE.

A COLOSSAL PROGRAMME. "FURY," FEATURING RICHARD BARTHELMESS. Once again Mr Claude Haigh overwhelms Liberty Theatre audiences with a colossal programme of wonderful intensity, and fascinating interest. Before a crowded and enthusiastic house the Liberty management presented, on Saturday night, one of those long and thoroughly interesting programmes which have done so much towards tho establishment of that picture theatre which 's famed in centres beyond the Dominion. It was not only the quality, o£ the pictures submitted that caused the eager patrons to wait in front of the theatre and clamour for admission long before seven o'e.'ocK, dthough that was the predominating fi-aitre, but the quantity also attracted iham. During the evening the patrons had before them all the best of every phase ,i motion picture art. Drama—alluring and gripping in its intensity; comedy—light, snappy, and refreshing; sensation—stirring and tascinating;— scenery—beautiful and extensive, and news from all parts of the world, and at the end of the evening everyone had a comfortable feeling of an evening well spent. There are two films of .inusual merit—"Fury" and <s Via Ea'dio," supported by the masterly playing .f inn Liberty Quality Orchestra, which ;a imd..r the direction of Mr Howard Moody. "Fury," which is the moving attraction on the current programme, iB a First Niti-mul Super-Serial of nine exciting parts and tw"> ' great stars, Richard Barthelmess and Dorothy Gish, ably assisted by an all-«tar cast, are seen in the principal roles. The theme is unusual and it is treated in a manner which makes the play distinctive ih : every feature. "Tol'able David'" has bem deservedly called a classic of the Virginia hills, but even that drama ha» been eclipsed by the young star's latest triumph. "Fury," is a gom of the bounding main by Edmund Goulding.

The, story opens with the rolling deck arid the full sails of the pictuiesque four-masted schooner, the "Lady Spray." "Dog" Lcyton, the sea captain, whose life has been -oursd by the ruin of his wife through the falsenow of a friend, rules his orew with an iron arm. His son, "Boy" Leyton, who is of finer fibre than his father, like the rest of the crew, is submissive to the continued bullying of hia father. He dreads the con- J

etant brawls and feais hia father's method of settling disputes which is "fight it out!" At tho "Limehouse," a waterside sailors' rest, "Boy" has a sweet little slavey sweetheart, but trouble looms dark on their horizon of happiness when the first,mate casts his roving eyes on Minnie. Many conflicts . i are fought mentally and physically between the father and the son, but finally ""Boy" suddenly assumes the right to choose for himself his own course of actions. And to the skipper, who had long been on the verge of a oollapse.due to the consuming fires of his passions and the wearing toll taken by the secret love and memories he had treasured of his lost wife, the *:?cck proved too great and he succumbed. Before he died he made his son vow that ha would

never marry until • his mother's betrayer had.been avenged. When the "Lady Spray" berthed in Glasgow, "Boy" found hie mother, a, discarded, poverty-stricken, gin-eedden wreck in the Thistle Inn, and she.jjointed out to her son her betrayer. 'Boy's'' wedding 1 day was postponed by the vow he had made over his father's body. A terrific fight is fought. between "Boy'' and the first mate, who was the lad's mother's betrayer. But at sea the battle was renewed and the new captain was cent overboard. "Boy" then became master of the vessel and achieved his heart's desires. TEe scenes in the haunts of sailormen ashore and the.life on the "windjammer" are wonderfully portrayed. Richard Jiarthelmess ■as "Boy" succeeds admirably. Limehouee, where Minnie washes dishes is the Mecca of all sailors, end some exceedingly difficult social scenes ere delicately handled. Ujss Dorothy Gish as Minnie triumphs, and she is at once humorous and lovable. . "Via Radio," the wonderful wireless film, is another special feature. It is the romantic story of the conquest of ether wa« - ci« The screening of this film was accompanied by.wiroless music. . Special arrangements ' had been made, with the Radio Associ-iiion of Christclinrch in conjunction •with Air J. T. Small, for the installation of a complete wireless receiving' set inside the Liberty Theatre. The music was broadsiatod bv stfc tion BA.C, received in the thouro erd distributed by means of a magnavox amplifier and everybody heard for the first. 1 irtr-, in Ch'riatcnureh :the wonder of wireless fin, a picture-theatre. Sharp at ocek "Via Radio" was • screened. The orchestra stopped and everyone of the audience eat silent waiting for iSie first rounds of the wireless music whioh was played by Ihe Lilac Jazz Orchestra. As clear as bell the voice of a man could be heard from the amplifier telling the patrons to -prepare for the wire-. fess music. The musTb was distributed with . such clearness that it could be heaid all over the theatre. Supporting films included > G-vimoni GraphTc featuring the christening ef Princess Mary's baby and the Army Point to Point, races. A World News and two screamingly funny comedies, "One 01'.Cat" and "The Stork's Mistake." In conformity with the dramatic and 6omedy elements irt • the motion picture programme, the musical selections by tr»a.. Liberty Quality Orchestra, under the direction of Mr Howard Moody, were pleasingly rendered. The musical- numbers included: "Passpied" (Delibes), "Andante Patbetique" (Schumann), "Danse Miniature de Ballet" (Suite) (J. Ansell), "Dance from Die Meistersinger" (Wagner), "Selection of English Set Songs" (Moore), "Camaval" . (Gourand), ''Arabesaue" (Debussy 1 ), "Aria" (Ho), Measn Moody, Ellwood and Dicbs-n (Paul Rougon)j "Yes, We Have no Bananas. To-Hay' (entr'acte), "To the Sea (piano solo) Mr Howard Moody (McDowell).