AMUSEMENTS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18087, 31 May 1924, Page 15

AMUSEMENTS.

—»— PICTUKE HOUSES. QUEEN'S THEATRE. TTCO BIG ATTRACTION'S. The programme to be presented gt the Queen's Theatre next week, commencing Monday, is claimed to be one of the most entertaining and attractive bo far screened .this year. The outstanding feature will be ' His Children's Children," and supporting 1 this picture will be "A Gentleman of Leisure." The first-named picture features Bebe Daniels, who heads an all-star cast. It is claimed she has never been seen to better advantage. The picture was produced by Sam Woods lor Paramount and has been given a magnificent and costly production. The picture is of moacrn society, with big sets and accomphbhed player-.i. The story of this picture tells of a wealthy old man leaving his money to his three children. Always having ah they required the extra money is only a means of them living at a faster rate than formerly. How this influence is marked on the next generation is vividly pictured and makes a. colourful and most interesting sUiry.

In the aecord at .ruction, "A Gentleman of Leisure," Jack Holt is featured. This picturo is a comedy drama quite in contrast to the other attraction. It has plenty oi action, many thrilling incidents and ii laughable from start to finish. The, story deals with the love-at-first-Bight affair of a wealthy New Yorker, v/no wages he will within twenty-four hours secure the photograph of ihe girl whom ht> dots not even know and have it inscribed "with love.' To do this he enlists the aid of a firstclass burglar. It is here that the fun starts. In addition to stealing the photo, the burglar also takes a vr.luablo necklace for which the hero is blamed. All sorts of humo;cus situations nrise, o'lly to be smoothed out by the marriage of the hero and the girl. The supporting programme includes 'Peaceful Valley," a.comedy, the latest Paramount Gazette and a Burlon Holmes Travelogue. Incidental music will be flayed by the Qi!ns>n'R Orchestra. the overture being "Bedouin" (Montague Ring), and for the entr acte, "Sweet Dreams" (.Rudolf Friml).

EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. THE DEMPSEY-FIRPO FIGHT. "DUSK TO DAWN." All next week at Everybody's. Theatre will be screened two films of great interest. Tho Dcrupsey-Firpo fight film is deserving of attention, for apart from tho actual contest various scenes are shown to illustrate ths strenuous physical exercise a, man has to undergo nowadays to succeed as a professional boxer, and in addition to theso slow motion pictures demonstrate how various blows are delivered. The whole constitutes a most interesting, instructve and entertaining picture, such as. will find favour with all cksses of the community. The contest, boween Jack Dempeey, tne world's heavyweight champion, and Luis Firpo, of Argentina, known in the sporting world as tho "Wild Bull of the Pampas," was the big sporting e\ent of 1923. Firpo was not matched against the champion until he had gono through a moßt drastic test. He met and defeated all possible candidates for the championship, and then the American Press proclaimed the time ripe for a meeting with the holder of the title. The contest torik place in New York on September Mth, 1923, and was witnessed by an enormous crowd, almost equal in number to the population of Greater Christchurch. Many sensational combats have been depicted in motion pictures, but they dwindle into insignificance when compared with this, even as a candle does to an arc light. Though lasting less than two rounds, it waa one succession of thrills. Apparently well beaten, Firpo rallied and knocked Dempsey out of the ring in the first round, and) only the marvellous recuperativo powers of the champion saved him from defeat. He came back and landed tho winning blow in the succeeding round. The event was tho talk of the sporting world of both hemispheres, and is regarded as one of the most thrilling battles for the heavyweight championship that has ever been waged in pugilism-. , Special attention is drawn to the fact that this picture -will be screened twice in tho afternoons. Tho other feature on the programme is "Dusk and Dawn." To the ever louder and more insistent cry for something new comes an answer—"Pusk to Dawn," which will be shown all next week. It is a Jluig Vidor production starring Florence Vidor and presented by Associated Exhibitors. "Dusk to Dawn" is entertainment aimed to stimulate the heart, the mind and the emotiona-and it succeeds. The heart throbs for the romances of the two girla whoso lives are so strangely bound together, lhe m,nd is interested by the fact that the story almost unbelievable though it seems, Is based on definite, authentic cases. It does not, however, attempt to work out any problem, prove any theory, nor settle any "demotions are exercised by the heroic, struggle of one girl to clear her brother of the stigma of forgery, to prevent the family honour being stained; to ««"«•* love because, not being master, of her twin soul she thinks she has no right to love. Thirl there i the other girl-tho vivacious, fiery* passionate beggar dancing girl who is loved and wed by a man far above her n station. Then comes th, &»1 •» climax when one girl dies. \\ hat win nap- . mTwT Bellingham, F.S.M., will conClU^ "Suites "0 Mitake San" *KS entr'acte ,'Ole

STRAND THEATRE

TO-DAY'S CHANGE. ■•A Shocking Nighclumnß EdJja' Lyons and Lee Moran, is the principal attrition at the Strand Theatre. The story isa parlorn bedroom, and kitchen farce, and gives he two famous screen jesters the opportunity of their careers to produce some of the stunts they have long hoped to work into comedies. The theme.d.us wUh .bus, , .„ »nn foes uroice at tnu v.ioii o . ue tß iuou **>*"" appearances -in me the role of W ly Al *ler expected turn and the climax is dianwttvAUy humorous. „ Miltou sills and ".Legul.y Dead, barring attrac tion. executed. He commits a m ,uur „, , is sent to the P£»« a le ™ C £ pro! meets a girl who is serwng * l h M :Tt£% frustrate a gaolbreak th n e life winning pardon. In the girl's home town C »p §£» a chanco to make woo, e ever, he is> ««?8 M « ? u^ht tho detective first arrested him. Une & Hc . a is shot, to die. The tned n y lct^-, h a e nd re 8 a! murderer confesses ■5 rl ti n T rt tffite> the Governor, and Will goes back to happmess. „ Other are comed s . p^ t ß mr a,ns._ one of tho aerial.

' GRAND THEATRE,

•THE WORLD'S A STAGE." "PONJOLA." Dorothy Phillips, considered by mar; 7 tho foremost emotional actress of the screen, plays the leading part in Elinor Glyn'a "vital Btory of Hollywood life, "Ponjola," which will head the new programme at the Grand Theatre to-day. Elinor Glyn, tha famous English authoress, has written a story which features the inside life of a. screen actress. She shows that the players of the makebelieve world are no different from the players in the business world. Elinor Glyn has a powerful dramatic document of a girl Kessed with talent, but who was 60 unfortunate that sho could never rise above mediocrity. She was gifted, to bo sure, but she was identified with one night stands—p.aying Shakespearean heroines with a. cheap repertoire company. Naturally her ability was not recognised, until one day the stars smiled upon her. It was discovered bv two men j n , the audience that she possessed real abi.ity—that she possessed a screen personality. Her opportunity knocked and eho was not slow in answering the summons. Elinor Glyn has written a story that is so Te *\ m "s tragedy that even without a iio lywood address it would strike home to millions of women. The supporting cast in tms picturo is a very good one. It conS 'm? of Kenn eth Harlan and Bruce Macrae. The second feature of the programmo is a picturisation of Cynthia Stockley'a novel, Ponjo.a." It shows Anna Q. Nilsson et her best, who masquerades as a man. It is a story of the African veldt and Paris, whew men and women of every race gather to Btakcjheir last dollar, their lives, for the unto.u riches of the diamond minea. On the programme also is a screamingly funny comedy and the latest gazette. Intending patrons are advised to took their seats at ihe Bristol, or ring Grand Theatre, 2934

GREATER CRYSTAL PALACE. POLA NEGRI IN "SHADOWS 0? PARIS." HERBERT HAWLINSON IN "STOLEN SECRETS." "Sporting Youth," "A Wife's Romance," and current fine programme of motion pictures will be presented at Greater Crystal Palace for the last times this afternoon and to-night, and the big Symphony Orchestra, under the distinguished cenductorship of Mr Aifred J. Biinz, will perform at both sessions.

Pola Negri in "Shadows of Paris" heads the now bill at Greater Crystal Palace, commencing on Monday, and the manager of the big theatre, Mr V. Al. Beebe, looks forward with confidence lo crowded houses throughout the entire week. "Shadows of Pans" is Poia Negris latest .and greatest screen work, and telis a fast-moving and colourful story of the Parisian demi-monde and tho higher Btrata of society lite in cue French capital. Here at last the star, Miss Negri, has come into her own, a 10'e which fits her like the proverbial glove and into which she throws all the fire, temperament, passion and emotional ab.lity which first brought her to the attention of the public. The production is a big fi.m and a vast improvement over any of her former Ame-rienn-made vehicles. They do not make a "clotheß-horse" out of the star in "Shadows of Paris," but there are Bceneß, however, when she wears striking garments which aro very artistic. The picture opens with somo novel scones of the bombardment of Paris from the air, somo colourful scenes in the Cafe" Boule, the' haunts of the apacheß and here we are introduced to Charles do Roche as Fernand, the war' hero who later becomes a notorious bandit. Do Roche, also, has at last found a role for which he is suited and is convincing at all times. The atmt sphere of the Parisian upper and lower worlds has been transplanted to the screen in admirable manner. The raid on the cafes are thrilling momenta as are these surround.ng the entrance of Fernand into Claire's, room as.du Croy is stealing the jewels, and the subsequent fatal shooting of the apache bandit. The dancing 6cenes in the Cafe Boule are. the very «DBencf> of realism. The picture is a Paramount masterpiece, and to Herbert Brenon, the producer, mu3t go tho credit for bringing out real Pola Negri. It's an old adage that the surest way to beat a crook is to adopt his methods and beat him at his own game. . A clever demonstration of the worth of such a thouglit is presented in Herbert Rawlinson's newest Universal feature, "Stolen Secretß," which is tho second big picture on the new programme. Rawlinson plays a criminobgiot who "cleans out" a gang of crooks, by working on the "inside." The story is built around a mystery situation deftly handled by Director Irving Cummings. It involves the exploits of a notorious free lance crook known as the "Eel," whoso adventures prove ft puzzle to the police, and the gang 1 which mle.B the underworld. A woman crosses his path and nearly causes his downfall. But not until he is actually in the hsnds of his enemies does ho realise his situation. In the cast with Mr Rawlinson are Kathleen Myers, Edward I>v'b. Arthur Stuart Hill, Alfred Allen. Edwin J. Brady, Gecrge Scig'mann and other players of exceptional skill. ... , j Bottles with beasts of the jungles on land and sharks under the sea; «. contest for go'd waged in the heart of a teeming city; in the depths of a tangled jungle and under the Pacific—these are somo of the thrills of "Beasts of Paradise," new Universal chapter play starring William Desmond and Eiloen Sedgwick, which forms part of tho new bill. . ,„ . _ Besides there is a very funny Century comedy featuring Buddv Measinger *rd the latest International News film. Fallowing the established custom, particulars of next week's magnificent musical programme will be announced in Monday's newspapers. Th? bo* plan is at The Bristol, or seats may bo reserved by telephoning Greater Crystal Palace, number 3758. .