Films and the Stage.

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 35, 4 November 1922, Page 13

Films and the Stage.

"The Unknown,” Richard Talmadge’s . much - discussed dual - role masterpiece, is having a successful season in Wellington tlrfe week.

Next week the much-discussed Jules Verne story, “Waiting for the Dawn,” Universal’s adaptation of the. author's “Mathia,s Sandorf,” will be screened in Wellington. The cast is an allstar French, one, of high merit. -

Described as “the best true-to-life rural comedy since Rip Van Winkle,” the Goldwyn whimsicality “Honest Hutch,” with Will Rogers inthename part, should be a goojl drawing card ■t the Empress Theatre next week.

Paramount and Artcraft features in Wellington this week include the Fox film romance “Strange idols,’-’ starring William Farnum. Cabaret scenes and pictures of the wild North-West are shown in some fine photography.

A perceptible flavour of the “Potash and Perlmutter” features “The Good Provider,” the Paramount picture by Fanny Hurst, now screening at Shortt's Theatre.

Coming to Paramount and Artcraft in Wellington next week is Mark Twain’s famous Satire “A Yankee at the Court of King Arthur,” or, as it is styled in the Fox film production,“A Conhccticut Yankee.”

John! Gilbert is to be starred in the Fox film “St. Elmo” with Bessie Love. Nigel Do Brullicr, who' made a big hit in “Monte Cristo,” will be in the cast, and Barbara La Marr will play a character role.

Ruth Renick, who is playing character roles with the William Fox organisation, will be seen in an important part in “Kentucky Days” soon.

Irene Rich, who plays the wife in "A Fool There Was,” has been (Selected to play opposite Dustin Farnum in a new Fox picture.

Basil King’s famous s.tory, “The Street Called Straight,” is* generally conceded to be the best work of an author who has produced an unbroken line of successes. t With a strong cast, headed by Naomi Childers and Milton Sills, and luxuriant settings, this dramatic production grips the iiiterest.

“The Right that Failed,” a Metro production featuring Bert Lyttel, presents a new set of characters with a humorous touch — a good wholesome story with plenty of thrills, and breathless suspense, alternating between the prizg-ring and a fashionable holiday resort.

The production of “If Winter Comes,” the play from the popular novel, which J, C. Williamson, Ltd., have secured fOr Australia, has achieved wonderful success in London. Owen Nares and his wife, Marie Polini, have made a big hit in the leading roles. Marie Polini is a sister of Miss Emelle Polini, to whom she bears a remarkable likeness.

The charming and vivacious little English actress, Betty Balfour, who made a sensational hit in her screen debut as Sallie in “Nothing Else Mat-1 tors,” offers ns her next screen attraction, “Alary Finds- the Gold.”.

■ Mary Pickford will be here soon in “Little Lord Fauntlerojy,” a United Artists' special feature. Mary makes a delightful character in this feature', and at a private screening before New Zealand critics recently the picture was received with general approval.

“Laddie,” starring Sydney Fairbi other, is admittedly quite the best -of the British films that has been put on the screen for some time. The'picture is to be seen at the Princess, where the supporting feature is a Rex Ingram production, '•‘Shore Acres,” with ■ Alice Lake as the star —a picture of rural life in a sleepy New England village.

When D. W. Griffith sent his research staff to France to gather historical lore for his production “Or-, phans of. the Shorin,” they discovered] many things, hot actually appearing in the play, but of great interest to followers of history. Girls who now I bob'their hair' may be interested to I know how the practice began. , Dur-ji mg the French Revolution this became ■ the custom of young women ns a pro- ; test for mourning by them for members of their family who had'been made - victims of the guillotine.

“Romance,” from ■ the well-knbwn stage play by Edward Sheldon, featuring Doris Keane, will be shown here soon. Miss Keane, it will be remembered, starred in the original stage production for a continuous season ,of six years in New YorJc and for three • years in London. As Mme. Cavallini, tho fascinating prima donna. Miss Keane has won for herself and is ranked as one of the greatest ’emotional artists of the day. The picture is re-leased-.through tlie United Artists.

Gold—chests of it at the bottom of the sea! That is the theme of “Wet Gold,” a Goldwyn super-feature,, to be seen hero soon. This is a st.oi-y of a fight for a sunken treasure, and offers considerable novelty as ,a screen production m that much of the photography was' taken at the bottom of the ocean.” For this purpose a huge sub-' marine of the war type was brought into use, and plays an interesting role in the story. Ralph H. Ince, the wellknown film director, plays the leading yile.

it private view recently given to dramatic critics of a film versioji of “A Doll’s House,” with Mme. Nazimova playing Nora Helmer, afforded, as the invitation said it would, a “unique opportunity of forming an appreciation of the screen medium.” I have formed at other times (writes W.G. in the London “Observer”), different appreciations of the screen medium. varying between the delight experienced when horses in swift action are seen galloping over prairies, the I boredom that can be produced by such a romance as “The Glorious Adventure,” and the excitement and interest of a well-told story such as Mi. I). W. Griffith’s “Orphans of the Storm.” When Ibsen comes on to the screen,' however, we arc on othei ground. The screen was challenging the stage as it has already challenged the novel —was trying to repeat, ns exactly as possible, the effects to be obtained on the stage. It was a unique opportunity, for it had challenged A masterpiece. And the conclusion to bo reached was norm other than that in doing this sort of thing the kinem.n is making the largest of mistakes. “A Doll’s House.” is on the stage, what the world knows it to bo. On the screen it might have been an adaptation from a serial story that could have appeared without comment in almost any magazine in England or America.

"Captain Applejack,” in which' tho English star, Lawrence Grossniith, is appearing at tho Criterion Theatre, Sydney, is regarded as the best exponent of a certain type of Englishman the stage has known. This is the “silly ass” typo, which has been depicted l mostly as an “effeminnto” caricature of a man. The New fork “Times” recently paid the following tribute to tho eminent English actor: “The Ijkiglish nation ought to give a V.C. to Lawrence Grossmith for the services ho has rendered his country as Freddie Popple, in ‘Nobody Home,’ the role in which he starred in New York. He is th© first English actor to do full and complete justice to tho modern ‘silly ass’ typo of young Englishman on the American stage.”

Daisy Jerome commences her Wellington season at His Majesty’s Theatre on Monday next. This piquant comedienne has had a most successful run in the other New Zealand centres, and it would be quite safe to predict a repetition hero. At Pullers’ His Majesty’s this week thfre is a revuo company that is worth seeing: It is now staging its third revue. George Ward, the principal comedian, has established himself as a mirth-raiser. The rovue for next week, “Hermio’a Night Out,” is said to be Mr. Ward’s favourite piece.

i The well-known English jockey. Joe Plant, is included in the cast of ‘'Kissing Cup’s Race,” the big turf drama at the King’s Theatre. This jockey has won some three hundred races in seventeen years, and he has achieved fresh glory as Bob Doon, -who rides Kissing Cup in the big race in the picture. His prowess on horseback at forty miles an hour is exhibited in a series of sensational “close ups” taken from a high speed motor-car. , ■

The release of.- the all-star picture, "The Bohemian Girl,” will be announced shortly. This is the film in which Gladys Cooper and Ivor Novello figure prominently. A private view of, it in New York brought to Ivor Novello: several tempting offers from America, but if he accepts any of them the contractu will be of brief duration, as he is engaged to star in six forthcoming British pictures. In tho meantime he is off to Venice, where Adrian Brunel, the producer of,A. A. Milne’s screer comedies, is malting a film.

The film version of the play, “John Ch’lcote, M.P.,” conies to the screen under the title of “The M*asquerader,” '.vith Guy Bates Post, in the'leading role. The story is based on the theme of the substitution of a member of the English Parliament for a struggling journalist—the journalist’s great conquest in Parliament, his love for the wife of the man for whom he is ppsing; all these are brought home with the same dramatic force cn the screen as on the stage.

Louis Bennison, • who first became famous throughout America bv' his performance as the cowboy in “Johnny Get- Your Gun,” which will be seen shortly, was actually a cowboy in his youth. He was born in California, rind when seventeen years old he was obliged to leave school in San Francisco in .an endeavour to recover his health. He went on a ranch in Texas as a cowboy. He grew into stalwart youth, and to-day he is described as one of* America’s most popular screen heroes and beauty actors.

Clara Kimball Young is at present working on her latest picture, “The Hands of Nara.” ' Mary Pickford has completed the revival of “Tess of the Storm Country.” According to reports received from Log Angeles, it is the star’s biggest achievement. “Oliver Twist” is at present in the making in Los Angeles. Jackie Coogan plays the leading role.

Alaurice Tourneur has just completed the screen version of “Lorna Doone.” Keenan plays the role of Sir Ensor Doone, picturesque outlaw of the Doones of Bagworthy Forest. Madge Bellamy and John Bowers are also in the cast.

“The Eternal Flame” is . Norma Talmadge’s next picture. Critics declare that this is the best picture tha popular star has made. It will ba released in New Zealand in due course.

“Alary Found the Gold,” to bfl tcreened at Everybody’s Theatre in Wellington next 'week', stars Betty Balfour, the vivacious little English actress who made her screen debut as “Sal?*.” in .“Nothing, Else Matters.”

Tlie Selznick photo-drama, “Ths Face of the World,” is the star attraction at the Queen’s Theatre this wepk., Romance, thrills, and humour are well interspersed in a really fine drama. Also showing is “Cupid the Cowpuncher,” a sparkling Western comedy featuring Will Rogers.

Charles Dickens’s immortal story, The Old Curiosity Shop,” has been ; icturised. The characters and the settings are faithful replicas of the famous author’s work, brightening the life of that old-time romance. No incident is left out, the pathos and tlie comedy is preserved throughout. The picture is at present being screened in Australia.

Alae Afarsh is to be ‘Paddy in '“Paddy, the Next Best Thing,” the screen version of which has been taken in hand by the Graham-Wilcox Producing Company. Nina Bouccicault, Haidee Wright, and George K. Arthur are among the players who will “support’’ her. Alae Alarsh’s next engagemeift will be with D. W. Griffith.

“Orphans of the Storm” will be screened in Wellington some time hear the middle of November. This picture is heralded by critics as the greatest masterpiece of D. W. Griffith, and a triumph for the two Gish girls. Lillian and Dorothy, who have not appeared together since “Hearts of the World.” The picture is one of the most elabor-ately-staged features of all time. Nearly twelve months were occupied in‘the making of the picture—twenty-six tons of properties were imported from France that the dress scenes might be faithful to history—each scene was photographed from three to ten times.

Connie Talmadge will be here next week. Her latest offering is “The Primitive Lover,” in which she plays the part of a young girl who is faced with the choice of yielding to care-man metlwds of courtship, or submitting to the supposedly inane modern code of tactics. This story is chock full of comedy, though there is more dramatic action for the star than had been associated with her previous efforts. Harrison Ford and Kenneth Harlan are in the supporting cast. '' «

What type of girl is best qualified 'to succeed on the screen? According to Ann Forest, the Nona of “If Winter Comes,” a blonde has the greatest chance, although she qualifies this view by adding that J-the statuesque' is not so fortunate as ’the petite. “It is the small, slim blonde, who is the most popular,” she says. “But she must be winsome, charming and graceful to a degree, with a simple and pleasant smile. However, she must not be to sweet to smile; otherwise, in time, she will bore the audience. She must look becoming in whatever dress she is called upon to wear, so that her personality is never forgotten. *’ It does net sound easy.

“A Ridin’ Romeo” is Tom Mix’s latest William Fox picture, aryd he will be seen in it at the Public Hall. Ekhtnliuna, next. Saturday. From all reports, Tom gives many laughs and many thrills in tills photoplay —sometimes a laugh and a thrill simultaneously. So if you want to feel thrillingly funny, watch out for this ’Western picture. Tom wrote the story himself, and is said to have put into it some big “cowboy” stuff, Tire scenic artists are busy on 'the scenery for the forthcoming J. .and N. Tait pantomime. “The Forty Thieves.” There will be seventeen settings in the big show, with ballets, specialties, and other features, including the first appearance in Australia of Fortunelfo and Cirilhno, whoso acrobatic comedy. specialty has been one of the sensations at the London and Conltinqntal pilusic-halls for some years. A feature of Fullers’ American revue, now in season at His Majesty’s, is tho excellent ballet, under Dorrie Tointon —all New Zealand girls, too, good-looking and smiling. Daisy Kennedy, of whom the London “Morning Post” said: “Of her sex, she is tho foremost living violinist,” will shortly be leaving London for another tour of Australia, under the J. and N. Tait management. To thoroughly appreciate a great portion of the music usually (submitted at public performances, one has to bo in some sense a. musician, but any person with but half an ear for music can revel in the. performances of Mr. Edward Branscombe’s Westminster Glee Singers, who fly not in the classical altitudes, but remain dowii on earth and sing the melodies which are in the good old songs of the Old Country, which, in the days gone by, made even the blood of our forefathers tingle. Mr. Branscombe’s singers leave London at the end of November, and should arrive in tho Dominion at the beginning of the New Year. Motion picture, enthusiasts will be interested in the appearance throughout Now Zealand of the romantic star, Louis Benuison, who plays the lead in “Johnny Get Your Gun,” the latest J. C. "Williamson farco comedy. Mr. Louis Bennison is as well known on the screen as on the stage in America, and prior to leaving for Australasia he completed a senes of seven pictures for Goldwyn, in which he played tho leading role. These included “Tho Road Called Straight,” “The Misfit Earl,” “Oh, Johnny,” and “Sandy Butte of the A Bar U.” The North Island dates of the tour are as follow: —Auckland, November 8 to 18; Taihape, November 20; Hawera, November 21; Eltham, November 22; Wanganui, November 23 and 24; Palmerston .North, November. 25 and '27; Hastings, November 28 and 29; Napier, November 30 and December 1; Dannevirko, December 2; Masterton, December 4; Wellington, ■ December 5 to 18. Two concert grand pianos are on tho way to Melbourne for the Moisieivitsch recitals. They are magnificent instruments, specially adapted for the Australian concert tour of the famous pianist, and aro worth £lOOO each. (Strange to say, though his Prelude in C sharp, minor has made him worldfamous, Rachmaninofi, who is coming to Australia, to appear under the J. and N. Tait mamgement, 1 does not oven admire it. “It is hot my favourite,” he said, “and its success has for years made me wonder. It has also made me 'wonder whether the publit are, not better judges of a composer’s work than the composer himself. ’ OMAR KHAYYAM ON THE SCREEN.' A select gathering at tho Paramount and Artcraft Theatre in Wellington attended a private view of' a very fine film adaptation of the famous “Rubaiyat,” of Omar Khayyam, Persian poet and philosopher. The Rubaiyat is Life, as the Persian sees it—and as everyone knows, the story of life is the greatest romance on earth. That is what tho Selected Super Films Company of Australasia has presented on tho screen —a great romance, with life’s high comedy, its loves and hates, its warring and intrigue faithfully and arrestingly depicted. The story has been exceedingly well adapted by we film director, who has achieved a remarkable success with his delineation of the character of Omar himself —introduced into the story for the purpose of striking the note for each phase. There are some really beautiful garden scenes and glimpses of a typical l ersian city. Omar’s quaint philosophy provokes a smile at times, and at others impresses by its irresistible profundity of truth. In the especially striking series of scenes the dlsfin . l ' bodied spirit of the philosopher in search of Truth is seen wandering about the star-lit heavens; here and there a star falls, a meteor describes a blazing parabola It is all ,'ery beautiful, and even if the spirit appears to have a little to much. [n it, one reflects that there. would be obvious practical difficulties in following the adventures of a properly etherealised one. LOCAL FILM PROGRAMMES ALTERED The film releases at the Wellington picture theatres for this week have been revised. “Kissing Clip s B-ac® will be screened at the Kings, Ao Defence” at the Empress, while at Everybody’s Theatre the doubm-fea-turo programme will include Iniidei and “Shadows of the Sea.”