LIBERTY THEATRE.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18148, 11 August 1924, Page 14

LIBERTY THEATRE.

BOOTH TARKJNGTOJTS "BOY OF MINE." "HAS THE "WORLD GOMB MAD?" An exceptionally fin© programme at the Liberty Theatre thia week i-a a blend of comedy, drama, and music, that shou.d attract a record number of patrons. It is fitting that a National Week b.IL should be fairly light and humorous, and consequently "Boy of Mine,'' an enjoyable Tarkin s ton story, will be welcome. The other big picture is "Has the World Gone Mad?" and the supporting iteiu3 are interesting and amusing. As usual, the Liberty Quality Orchestra plays dehghtiul mus.c. Booth Tark.ngton is prcba'o.y one of tne best known of American authojs, and most of his work has a touch of or.g.nui humour about it. H.e 'Pernod" stones, which have already been brought to the screen, have made him deservedly famous, zjnd it is high praise to say that "Boy of Mine" is equally enjoyab.e. There is not quue so much comedy in it, but this picture has ever so much more of the requisite quality of "heart-.nter. St." Tark.ngton luniselt nao said of the production: "The picture is so dignified and yet so humorous—so touching and yet so immensely truthful —that any writer might indeed be pleased to have his name associated with it. Essentially a story of everyday life, lacking in meloariu.at.c thruls and sen ational climaxes, it fascinates one by its truth ulness and its ; a"pijear''to' the better qualities." Every incident in "Boy of • Miner" . rings true, and the result is that no imagination is required to 'convince'one that it is'a' page out of real life ■ "Bill" Latimer, ten-year-old, and lull of all the pranks and "div.ltr cs" associated with that, ag", is the main hero, and not enough can be said in favour of Ben Alexander, who takes that difficu t part a.s if ho v.-ere the original and not merely the actor. His father, by wh~.se mov-m n's th" v 11 g' sets its clocks, had married late in life, and he had nlwaya.led such an orjeny exs enoe that he eompiete.y iailed to understand the animal spirits of his growing boy. Kuth Latimer, the mother, has a senre of humour, and she realises that her boy is not entirely ■ bad. Father concludes that 8.11., is full of vice when he rides with the town "junk" man, carries water for tne circus elephants S5 that he can get a free and beoamen a bo;om friend of black littla Vestibule Thompson. • Some hing of a climax occurs when Bill and Vestibule play "burglars"" with father's "re-olaver," and the weapon g?M of! in the stab'e, mercifully without dlra resul s. Mr Latimer is wro'.h, and Bill is so heart-broken that he decided to leave home. After a night of adventure ho is brought back, and then his mother, tired of the way her husband still misunderstands the boy, tells him th*t she and h-r son will leave his house. There is ft great play on the emotions before the happy ending comes, all the difficulties having be n cleaned up satisfactorily. "Boy of Mine' should make a host of friends for itse f in Christchurch during the next w:ek. Henry Walthall, Irene Kich, and Rockliffe Followed are in the cant. Billed as a "scathing and inspiring denunciation of modern fellies and foibles," the. second attraction.. "Has the World Gone Mad?", hardly keeps pace with that highsounding tit'e. Mr Goodm?n devised liisst rv for st ai.htfoiward entertainment, repl.tewjh thrilling" situalions, hum-ur, broad touches of comedy and delightful romance. But interwoven in the stirring d;«ima of modern life "Has the World Gone Mad? strikes • a note of timeliness. Screen devotees who recall Mr Goodman's first contribution to the record of films, "What's Wrong with +he Women?" will anticipate the • new offering with unalloyed pleasure. Thi? cast includes such noted stiu's as Robert Kdeson, Charles Richman, Hedda Hopper, Mary Aldon, Vincent Coleman, and Elinor Fair. The excellent supports include a sparkling comedy, "Keep Moving," featuring Eddy Lyons. The Lpx-r'y Q ality Orchestra under Mr Howard Moody .-till mair.t ins it 3 high rrtis io level. An excellent selection from "La Ju've" An excellent selection from "La Juive' (Halevy), one of the finest of French <.p:T 3, is played; the ensemble throughout is good and the interpretation' moet musicianly. "Chant Elegaiouo"' (Tchaikowsky) gave M'sa Dorrie Middletcm an orp rtnnity to show hor undoubted ability as ft 'eel ist, ' and she played''with' a n : ce regard for 'the spirit of the piece. "Legends" (Wieniawski) was another enjoyable item, the woodwinds having some nice work, wh'ch they took fu'l aivantage of. Mr Moody played the "Rigoletto" Paraphrase (Verdi-L'szt), a pianoforte solo which is full of technical difficulties, in hie u=ual finished style. Other numbers included ;—Comic. op'ra, "A Waltz Dream" "Sinbad" (Romberg);, suites, "Suite Franra-'se" F ti'ds). "LArlfS--ehne" (B'zet) "Cl-r'srima" <Elb»t) ; new "fox Irot3, "Sevcn-and Eloverfr (Donaldson), "Oh Gee,- 0 Gcsh!" (Brower).