AMUSEMENTS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18263, 23 December 1924, Page 16

AMUSEMENTS.

PICTURE HOUSES. EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. Drama of a very subtle variety—more in the nature of a "problem play"—heads the new bill which opened at Everybody's Theatre last night. "Single "Wives" is the bis feature, and it is a heart-reaching etory with a powerful theme, very well acted . The story deals with a curious class of \ women, rather common to present day existence. These women, through tho inattention of their husbands, are forced to seek pleasure elsewhere. They are literally forced away from their own firesides through their mates' pure; indifference. The plot 13 very naturally unfolded and is powerful in its dramatic momenta, of which there are many. Corinne Griffith and Milton Sills play the 1 chief roles. Miss Griffith characterises Betty Jordan, a role especially suited to her, ami one giving her excellent opportunities to depict a part that has macfe her name famous throughout the screen ■world. Milton Sills has a part entirely different from his uanal role. Instead o: being the ardent lover, he is a jaded and unenthusiaatic husband in "Single Wives." A3 a modern business man, too much tak*n up with "American methods" and the piling up of ddlais to give hia pretty wife any attention, he is seen in a particularly fine character study. He leaves behind him the glamour and romance of the days of courtship, and waits until a rival comes along, making the "eternal triangle" before he realises the risk he ia running. Kathlvn "Williams plays Dorothy Van Clark, Bett/s Mother, sympathetically and with distinct understanding. Lou. Tellegen i 3 the third comer of the triangle. Frank Denton is played by Henry B. "Walthall. The latter lovee Dorothy Van Clark and this introduces & third complication. As a aweet and , happy wife, in strong contract to Betty Jordon, Phyllis Haven has a charming role mm Marion Eldridge, and Phillips Smalley, as Tom Clark, Dorothy Van Clark's fastJtving husband; Jere Austin as the lovable Vatnily physician, skid John Pateick as Billy Eld ridge make up a very strong cast. Supporting the big picture are a topical number, a travelogua and a snappy comedy. Everybody's Select Orchestra, under Mr W. J. Bellingham, F.S.M., plays as the overture, "Old South" (Zamecuik), a patroi based on plantation melodies, "pie entr'acte, an arrangement by Mr Bellingham cf Goddard's "Berceuse," from the opera, "Jocelyn," «u an excellently played number, and opened with the cornet and flute followed by the 'cello, is a eolo part, played by Mr Harold Beck. A very beautiful tone was. obtained in Jhis number. _ The big picture opened to "Serenade (Strauss). "Reminiscences of Greig, blsed oa s most popular compositions, was another fine I piece of work. Other incidental numbers includfd "Divertissement" ('L»lo), and Valkyrie" (Wagner) t One of the gems of the evening was an orchestral arrangement of Chopin's "D Flat Prelude." popularly known as the "Raindrop Prelude. } QUEEN'S THEATRE. •THE CODE OP THE SEA." FLORENCE YIDOR IN "ALICE ADAMS." Liberality is expected at holiday times, and fhs management ti the Queen's Theatre, evi- , dently imbued with the spirit cf Christina#, hi» provided an immense programme of pictures and music. People who managed to •patch a iew hoars of leisure yesterday, fonad the new hill exoeJlent in every way. The Queen'e Theatre is the Christohurch home of "the famous Paramount pictures, and onto its screen have been projected many of the masterpieces of .the picture industry, bat this week's programme, headed by a smashing sea story, ''The Code of the Sea," wrtM new "movie history. A Booth Tarkington stexy and supporting pictures are ateo shown. There is no need to introduce the Queen's "Superb" Orchestra, for its reputation hsa bees established for. many months. It plsys brilliantly » programme that has been specially selected by ite conductor;' Mr H. Ellwood. If ever a picture deserved to he described ia "packed roll of thrills," it is "The Code oI the Sea*" but thi» film i» far frombeing juat a bunch of sensational "stunts" and nothing- mote. From the start, one realise* that it ia different from the usual run' of sea ctorici, that .it. is * romance of the deep * ocean, and not an insipid tile of coastal towns and ■ estuaries. Of those who serve the sea, it demands strength of heart and bod, often lifo itself. The fact that the story of the production was written by Byron Morgan, who was responsible for many of the snappy' automobile stories in which the late WaQaoe Reid waa starred, leads one to look for plenty of speed and action, and this is the esse. Bight from the beginning to the end them is fast-moving bud stirring action. The east is exceptional, the prominent players being Rod L» Boone, Jacqueline £ogan, George Fawcett, and Maurice Plynn. ; The story is one of regeneration, and shows how » young man, considered to be a coward, proves to be much braver than some of the people so fond of jeering at him. In " the scenes approaching the climax, the hero is seen still faltering "between. love on the one hand and cowaxiUce, which finds a convssieat alibi in his orders not to leave his pest on the other. But he rises above these, sad ia a small launch he starts to the rescue " of his sweetheart. The raging seas swamp the boat. Not until he has caught a line fired by % life-saving crew, and by swimming to the ship he brings about the rescue of all ssospt himself. Booth Tarkington, the bright American iribose stories and novels have won world- . iids fame, was responsible for the second faig picture, "Alice Adams." This is based on a tale of the same name, - and it contains that curious blending of v humour and romance thai have gained the ' author Ms popularity. Florenoe Vidor is feator&d in tnis picture, and it is claimed to ■ be the most successful production she hss, appeared in. It is replete with all those qualities that make a pictare< witertaining. The settings sre. graod, the dressing excellent, sad, above', all, the story follows the novel very cMsly/ The supports include , a : screamingly funny comedy, "Two After One," the latest Barton Holmes Travelogue and a Paramotptt Gasette. A brilliant programme of incident*! masks will he-played by the under the direction of Mr* - t > MBERTT THEATRE. A big sad unusual bill at the Liberty Theatiw is headed by "Let Not Han Put Asundsr." The story originally came from the pen of Basil King. In his novel of the same name he described the lives of three men and three womeQ, who find that riches sod pleasure* am insignificant beside the love *• that each (A them has felt. The picture was produced by J. Stuart Blackton on a 2 lavish scale, and with sympathy for tone and 0,"- artistic setting. The caet is an excellent one. Pauline Frederick, the "naturat" actress, who newer appears to he acting and laoa Tellegen, famous as the screen's "great lorrer," are the two state, while Helena £ -IXAlgy, a besatifnl Spanish girl, Pauline £ Gladys Fnsin, Clifton Webb and Homer I Xiind have big parts. "The Danger Point," | - *aoth«r interesting story, and "Air Pockets," a Mermaid comedy, ace also screened. As f-■ mml. the music played by the Liberty "Quality" Orchestra is most enjoyable. GRAND THEATRE. "Grumpy," Willism de Mille'a first rate production, is the big attraction at the Grand' Theatre. It features Theodore Robert*. May McA7oy, and Conrad Nagel. "Mord Em'ly," the eecond big feature, tells of a charming and bright little Cockney who lives in tho slums of the "Walworth road with her poverty-stricken mother. Her father is serving a long term of imprisonment, but Mord believes him to be dead. Bhe capers round the shims Brimful of life and when he is pressed into the service of thite old maids she feels her tied-up position very keenly an 3 so does 'Eneiv Bsroen, a railway worker, wiho has fallen in kve with Mord. The coame of true love is far from smooth, hut all oomee right in ' the finish. > '