Films and the Stage.

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 95, 16 January 1926, Page 17

Films and the Stage.

The much-heralded William Fox masterpiece, "The Iron Horse,” had its premier screening in New Zealand at the Opera House, New Plymouth, on December 30, (or a run of four days. The picture was received with wonderful enthusiasm. From New Plymouth this picture went to the National Theatre, Auckland, where it commenced screening on January 8. Wellington audiences will view this at the De Luxe Theatre on February I'2.

For those who like pictures the stories of which hold one breathlessly interested through every scene to the end, which make one hour seem like five seconds, comes Vidor Seastrom’s Metro-Goldwyn production, “He Who Gets Slapped” to the De Luxe Theatre shortly. It is a picture of intense drama, deepening in parts to tragedy, and in other parts lightening in the glow of a beautiful romance, or to the jolly buffoonerv of a merry company ot circus clowns.

Ou Januarv 2'J there will appear at De Luxe 'Theatre, Wellington, an exciting drama of the turf, ‘‘Kings of the Turf,” the life story of an ill-starred racing filly, "Virginia’s Future,” whose motto of her race was always “run straight and run fast.” As the picture is mainly about horses, this beautiful chestnut filly, with black mane and brown eyes, claims the star part.

The new William de Mille-Paramount production, “Lost—A Wife,” now at the Empress Theatre, is said to contain more appeal and genuine comedy than any two of that director’s previous pictures combined. Adolphe Menjou, Greta Nissen, Paramount’s new Norwegian beauty, and Robert Agnew, arc featured in the picture—a marriagecomedy that offers audiences something a little different ■ along this line of screen entertainment.

Many a fine film play has been made mediocre by poor photography and likewise a few films that carry only a half-hearted story appeal have been saved by their high' pictorial standard. "Love and Glory,” the Rupert Julian-Univcrsal-Jewel production coming next Tuesday to the Artcraft 'Theatre, is a delightful combination of excellent story, pictorial beauty, and dramatic strength, features which mark it as one of the outstanding photoplays of the

The fare offered the picture-going public at the Queen’s Theatre, this week is particularly good. Two Met'oGoldwyn productions are on the bill, namely, “Broken Barriers” and “Proud Flesh.” Eleanor Boardman and Pat O’Malley head the cast of “Proud Flesh,” and James Kirkwood, Norma Shearer, and Adolphe Mcnjou head the list in “Broken Barriers.”

Mr. Walter Fuller, now in England, is booking several acts for the Australian and New Zealand circuit. Amongst some of the recent names noted arc Finlay Dunn, Keith and Joan Dingley, Bella and Morris, and the Huntings.

“Why Women Love,” the first of a series of features which Blanche Sweet has contracted to make for First National Pictures, is to be an early offering. The picture is an adaptation of Willard Robertson’s stage play, “The Sea Woman.”

The screen version of "The Wizard of Oz” is now at the Princess Theatre. The scarecrow, the tin woodman and the little Dorothy are all there, but the Kansas cyclone is the real “wiz” of . the “Wizard of Oz.” It is by all means the most pretensions production Larry Scmon, popular eccentric comedian, has attempted, and he lias the capable support of Bryant Washburn, Charlie Murray, Dorothy Dwan, Virginia Pearson and others, no adverse' criticism could possibly be made about the acting.

"Welcome Stranger,” the Master picture version of the Broadway play by Aaron Hoffman, is a vivid picture of the prejudice of a small town.

During the three months’ season of “The Green Goddess” in Sydney last year, Mr. Guy Bates Post, whose company is due ill Wellington on January 30, received nearly 500 letters asking for his season to be extended to permit of certain plays being presented. One hundred and seventy-two writers urged a revival of "The Masquerader,” and. other plays specially asked for were “The Climax” and "Omar, the Tent-maker” (two of Mr. Post’s big successes abroad), while thirteen correspondents pointed out to the favourite actor the reasons why he should produce “Monsieur Beaucaire.” The writers who selected “The Masquerader” were the lucky ones, for when a return season was arranged by J. C. Williamson, Ltd., for Mr. Post, a fortnight’s revival of “The Masquerader” was announced, but so great was the demand for scats that the season had eventually to be extended for a further five weeks.

Money kept Betty and Richard apart in the first place. The lack of it formed a gulf between them after their marriage. Their boy was the link that finally bound them in happy union. '“School for Wives,” a Master picture, tells the story.

Mr. John Fuller, governing director of the Fuller theatrical enterprises, left Sydney on January 11 on a flying visit to New Zealand. Mr. Fuller expects to be in the Dominion about a fortnight, during which time lie will be visiting the Dunedin Exhibition. S>r Benjamin Fuller will also be coming to New Zealand at the end of the present month.

One of the world’s most famous automobile race tracks—the Altoona Speedway — was turned into a motion picture location during the filming of the most stirring scenes in First National’s “The Pace that Thrills,” now showing at the Paramount Theatre, featuring Ben Lyon and Mary Astor.

“The Making of O’Malley” (First National) is an adaptation of n short story by Gerald Beaumont. Milton Sills has the

role of a New York policeman. It will be screened at the Paramount Theatre next Friday.

"Stereoscopiks,” the screen’s newest novelty which is being released throughout the world by Paramount, are now being exhibited in the New Zealand centres; This novelty, which is known as the Third Dimension of the screen, will be shown throughout New Zealand during this year.

The crooked underworld of San Francisco—gateway to the Golden West—is portraved in the Warner Master picture. "On Thin Ice.”

Warner Bros, have assembled a bril- 1 liaut cast for the Master picture, “His | Majesty Bunker Bean.” Dorothy Devore is featured with Matt Moore. The excellent musical accompaniment being provided nightly by Mr. James Haydock, continues to give unbounded delight to all lovers of good music, and his entr'actes have become 'quite an important feature of the cnterL’iinment.

Zane Grey, the eminent Western author, is scheduled to arrive in New Zealand in a few weeks' time from now. The visit of this great man to this country will be very significant

! from many points of view. It is inI foresting to note that one of the big- '. gest pictures to be released this year j is a storv from Zane Grey, “The Vani ishing Race.” When Sir. Grey wrote j this storv he intended that it should be i the culminating effort of his prolific genius. The story far exceeded his exi pectations, and early in the last year Jesse L. Lasky, in charge of Paramount Production, was successful in negotiating with Mr. Grey for the rights to ; produce the story,'and also in arrangi ing and contracting with the author io j write exclusively tor Paramount.

Famed in poetry and prose, the his torical ride of Paul Revere was never before invested with the significance, the thrills and the daring that it is in D. W. Griffith’s “Love and Sacrifice,” a romantic epic of the War of Independence, which will have its premiere at the Tivoli Theatre in Wellington to-day.

Patsy Ruth Miller, star in “Lorraine of the Lions,” has a splendid opportunity to show how she can act. Pictures she has appeared in of late years are “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” “Omar the Tentmaker,” “Camille,” “The Sheik,” and many other popular pictures.

Do you remember Henry B. Walthal’s presentation of the - Little Colonel in >he “Birth of a Nation” ? Do yon remember what a classic he made this character? ' As Roger Beaumont, in “Kings of the Turf,” the William Fox attraction, Mr. Walthal again demonstrates his mastery in this particular field in which - lie takes the part of the old-style gentleman.

The famous scene in “A Man of Iron” a Universal release starring Lionel Barrymore, is authentically correct according to the very strict code of ethics which cover duels.

“The Scarlet West,” an epic of American frontier and Indian fighting days that followed the Civil War, produced in Colorado on a huge scale by Frank J. Carroll with a cast including more than 4000 Indians and soldiers, is announced by First National Pictures as an important screen release shortly.

Irene Rich heads The cast in “My Wife and I,” the'Master picture, from the novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe.

> “Old Home Week,” a new Paraj mount picture now at the Princess ThcI atre, was written by George Ade, famous American humorist, and serves as a starring vehicle for that personable and popular screen idol, Tommy Mcighan. Tom Geraghty, one of the best known scenario writers in the business, wrote the film adaptation, and Victor Heerman performed the d:rcc- ’ tonal honours.

Tom Mix appears in a new guise in his latest release, “The Lucky Horseshoe,” now at the King’s Theatre. Here he drcams he is, Don Juan and secs himself dressed in the velvet and brocade of a Spanish grandee and judge of a beauty contest. However, he loses none of the Mix spirit in the change of character, for he rides through the scenes following the awarding of the beauty prize and performs dare-devil feats in the rescue of the girl that are sure to thrill every Mix fan in the audience.

Lena, the Hippodrome elephant, used in Jolinnv Hine's latest production, “The Live Wire,” to be released bv First National pictures, is 15 years old, lint, like all ladies, she doesn’t show her age.

Constance Talmadge’s pew picture for First National, “Her Sister from Paris,” is a charming story of a wife who taught her husband to love, Constance plays two distinct roles—one the wife and the other a wild masquerade as a madcap Parisian dancer.

An entertaining comedy of modern love is “Ground For Divorce,” written for the screen by Violet Clark from Guy Bolton’s adaptation of the play by Ernest Vajda, a Broadway success. “Grounds For Divorce” is announced for early release here by Para-

A Sydney music lover, after hearing Leone Kelly’s playing, wrote: “Not since I left Hungary, the land of wine, women, and fiddlers, have I come face to face with such genuine and truly artistic violinistic talent. It was not a child’s playing, but the song of -a great soul—a soul that seemed to speak of the joys and sorrows that her ancestors had passed down, to her as an heirloom, which she was to express in eloquent terms—sorrows and joys of generations gone by that were to tel! their gripping message through the four quivering strings of this frail little girl’s fiddle.” Leone Kelly is one of the Four Little Kellys, a gifted quartet of instrumentalists appearing in Fuller Vaudeville at His Majesty’s Theatre.

Rin-Tin-Tin, dog wonder of the screen, heads the cast assembled by Warner Brothers for the. Master picture “Below the Line.” June Marlowe and John Harron play the leading human roles.

A picture that offers something new in entertainment is “The Uninvited Guest,” now showing at the Artcraft Theatre. New because it is partly photographed in natural colours by the Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation. It is filmed in the Bahama Islands, famous for their loveliness. The undersea scenes, the colour photography and the exciting story put it in a class by itself. The marvels of undersea photography here show the greatest advance made in years in the motion picture field.

Comedy-drama of a pretty manicure girl, whose love for beautiful things leads her into all sorts of serious and laughable situations—is the keynote of the “Manicure Girl,” another Paramount attraction for showing here at an eariv date.

Robert McKim, one of the screen’s well-known villains, was recently engaged by Universal to play the part of a plotting Spanish bandit leader in “Spook Ranch,” the next Hoot Gibson release. Mr. McKim was born in San Jacinto, California, in 1887, and has played in many successful pictures, including “The Spoilers,” “Monte Cristo,” “All the Brothers Were Valiant.” and “The Mark of Zorro.”

“The Stranger,” the first story of John Galsworthy to find a translation to the screen, is taken from the story “The First and the Last.” It is adrama of the struggle of a girl of the streets for happiness, and when it is almost within her grasp the man she loves becomes a fugitive from justice. Then another takes the blame and the two find happiness through sacrifice. Betty Compson is the girl and Richard. Dix the man. This picture will be screened at the Tivoli Theatre to-dav.

House Peters, who plays the giant role of John Strong in the Universal Jewel production “The Storm Breaker,” has had a most interesting life. When a boy, his father was in the British Consular Service, and Peters was taken into many foreign countries. He has been an explorer, traveller, and mining engineer. His stage career, both in America and elsewhere, was most varied. It was after he was mustered out of the British Army after the Boer War that he began his stage career.

That the. philosophy of life is best illustrated' by the HVer and the myrisid of . changes it undergoes from its source in the mountains and hills to its exodus into the sea is the inspiration for every one to be found in the Master picture, “The Re-Creation of Brian Kent,” from the story by Harold Bell .Wright. The author himself super)* vised the translating of his book into the picture.

New Zealand theatre enthusiasts will be pleased to renew their acquaintance with Eric Maxon, who is a popular member of Guy'Bates Post’s Company, due in Wellington on January 30. Mr. Maxon, it will be remembered, played the title role in “Ben Hur,” when J. C. .Williamson, Ltd., revived that play some years before the Great War. Afterwards, the actor was the juvenile lead with Miss Muriel Starr’s “Within the Law” Company, but on the outbreak of war he enlisted.

A gem theft mystery which would have put a Sherlock Holmes or a Monsieur Le Coq to his wits’ end, is one of the engrossing features of the Master picture, “The Reedeeming Sin,” now screening at the Empress Theatre. In this, production Nazimova makes her debut as a Vitagraph star. “The Redeeming Sin” is a picturisation of L. V. Jefferson’s colourful story of the Paris underworld, “The Pearls of the Madonna.” Lou Tellegeu plays opposite Nazimova.

'Among the many treasured possessions of Jennie Benson, who plays the role of principal boy in the J. C. Williamson “Aladdin” pantomime at His Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne, are three tiny pairs of gloves, which belonged to Wee Georgie Wood, Ivor Vintor, and Daphne I'ollard—the three ■ smallest theatrical artists in London. Both Wee George Wood and Ivor Vintor were in the cast of "Aladdin,” with Jennie Benson as the principal boy, at the Palladium, London, and they as Daphne I’ollard, who is an Australian, one of the famous Pollards, had a competition to see whose' were the smallest gloves. Daphne Pollard won, with a pair of gloves not very much larger than an infant’s.

The announcement that Wirth Bros.’ combination of circus and menagerie will open in Wellington on Monday, January 18, should gladden the hearts of young and old. A seal act that reveals marvels in animal training heads the bill, while another “out of the bag” is Torelli’s Miniature Circus of performing ponies, dogs, monkeys and mules. There arc also the Honey Sisters, Human Butterflys, and Dential Performances, Miss Eileen May, lady elephant trainer, also Captain Mooney. 'The circus zoo will open from 4 to 5 p.m. each day, when the animals will be fed.

Dvrothv Fane, the beautiful young English actress, who appears us Myrtle Davis with Renee Kelly at the King’s Theatre, Melbourne, in “Polly with a Past,” is well known in the movies in England. Her favoutite screen role was Gwen Harleth in “Daniel Deronda"—the film version of George Eliliot’s famous novel. Several scenes of this play were to be “shot” in Venice, nnd Miss Fane had to travel through Italy during a particularly violent railway strike to get there. Whilst travelling through Turin an episode occured that nearly put an end to Miss Fane’s

Florence Gilbert, the “Van Bibber Girl,” has deserted the pretty fluffy dresses for the plainer ginghams and large white apron of a cook in the “Cupid a la Carte,” the latest Fox O. Henry comedy.

For William S. Hart’s production foi United Artists, "Tumbleweeds,” an adaptation by C. Gardiner Sullivan from Hal. G. Evarts’s novel, which ran serially in the “Saturday Evening Post” and afterwards had a large sale in the book market, one of. the most effective streets ever constructed is being built. This will, represent. Caldwell, Kansas', as it was in 1899 when the Cherokee Strip was opened to homesteaders. Much of the action of the picture centres about this location. Another important locale for exterior scenes will be that showing the cattle

career. One of the strikers threw a stone weighing several pounds into her carriage. It hit ' Miss Fane on the shoulder,, breaking her collarbone “Had it been aimed a little higher,” said. Miss Fane, describing the incident, “I would not have been here.”

The first production in Melbourne of "Lilac Time,’ .the delightful light opera, or, as it is officially described, “ft play witli music by Franz Schubert,” was given at the Theatre Royal last Saturday night. A feature of the performance was the first appearance in Australia of Harriet Bennet, the new leaning lady of the Royal Comic Opera Company. The cast in association with Miss Bennet included Claude Fleming, John Ralston, Herbert Browne, _ Noel Allan, Leslie Holland, Arthur Stigant, Mollie Tyrell, Mascottc Ralston, Mabel Gibson, Beryl Walklcy, Herbert Walton, Eileen Pollard, William Perryman, and Linda Foy. Vienna is the picturesque setting of the play, which was originally produced in London and in Sydney by Mr. Dion Boucicault.

country. Two of the biggest ranches on the Texas Range will be utilised for the purpose. “Tumbleweeds” is largely an outdoor picture and will involve the use of large crowds of people, big herds of cattle, thousands of wagons and so on.

Described as “an uncommonly capable musical comedy organisation,” the J. C. Williamson New Musical Comedy Company will be seen at the Opera House on Wednesday next with the latest light opera success, "Leave it to Jane.” Miss Dorothy Lena, an English comedienne, will make her first appearance. Other newcomers will be Mona Barlee, Elma Gibbs, and Leyland Hodgson, leading man and tenor. Old favourites include Jack Cannot, Hugh Steyne, Rcita Nugent, and Percy le Frc. The play has a novel plot dealing with rivalry between two men’s colleges, and is set off with several picturesque backgrounds.

Since she arrived in Melbourne, where she is playing “Polly with a i-.- t" at the King’s Theatre, Renee ku.lv has received hundreds of letters and postcards from all parts of Australia asking her whether she intends to play "Daddy Longlegs” during her visit. Miss Kellv, as is well known, was the original Judy in this phenomenally popular stage play. It is possible that Miss Kelly will be seen as Judy before she returns to England, but there are other plays in her repertoire which will interest Ml classes of audiences, including “The Last of Mrs. Cheney,” “Brown Sugar,” “'flic Mask .and the Face.” “The Naughty Wife,” "Windows,” and "A Doll’s House.” The last-mentioned is Ibsen’s famous play, and indicates the wide range and versatility of Miss Kcllv’s ability.

Athol Tier as Bub Hicks in “Leave it to Jane” is said to be a scream. His novel comedy is delightfully refreshing. Writes a Sydney critic: “An elongated piece of humanity, he seemed to have been designed by Nature to play the part allotted to him. When he made his awkward appearance his sartorial outfit almost sent the house into convulsions, the little straw hat, with, its cxravagant band looking like a decorated cork on a church dome, and the flapping red tie resembling the insignia of a Soviet delegate.

Dorothy Lena, a recent arrival from England, who is to play Flora in “Leave it to Jane,” for two and a half years played in vaudeville in America, and then joined Wylie and Tait in their production of "Yes, Wc’rc Here.” She then played the lead with George

lune Elvidge, who is playing the role of the Princess in the J. C. Williamson, Ltd., pantomime “Aladdin” at His 'Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne, has not acted exclusively for the screen. She commenced her theatrical career as a show girl in revue at the Winter Garden Theatre, New York. “A show girl,” explained Miss Elvidge, "is a sort’ of glorified chorus girl, who speaks a few lines and imagines she is carrying the show on her bare shoulders. Also, she wears gorgeous clothes—or very little clothing, usually the latter.” At the Winter Garden Theatre Miss Elvidge was understudying Josie Collins, and on several occasions had to play her part. Miss Elvidge then went on the screen for three years, and returned to the stage to play the leading role in Victor Herbert’s light opera, “The Spotlight Girl.” All this time Miss Elvidge was studying singing, and later gave concerts and recitals in New Yorlc Finally, however, she gave up her musical career in favour of the movies. Miss Elvidge says she is delighted to have an opportunity of using her voice again in her present role. -

Graves for eighteen months. Miss Lena’s next appearance was in London in “Love and Kisses,” a romantic musical comedy. A short season at the London Alhambra followed, and then she sailed for Australia.

Although she was born in England, Mona Barice, who appears as Jane, of “Leave it to Jane,” considers herself an Australian. She came here when very young, and lias grown up with the typical Australian love of outdoor life. Miss Barlee, who has had several years of training in the J. C. Williamson chorus, is the exceptionally clever daughter of comedian Phil Smith.

Work on exteriors for the MetroGoldwvu version of Rex Beach’s novel "The Barrier” has been delayed owing to heavy falls of snow. Norman Kerry, Marecelinc Dav, Lionel Barrymore and Henry 8.. Walthall head the cast.

Metro-Goldwyn announces the successful closing of negotiations with the family of Jules Verne, famous French author, for the motion picture rights of “The Mysterious Island.” The rights were' purchased from Michael Jules Verne, son of the author, whose signature to the contract was obtained a few days prior to the former’s death in a little village just outside the French capital.

Harriet Bennet, the new piima donna of the J. C. Williamson Royal Comic Opera Company, who made her first Australian appearance in “Lilac Time” at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, on January 9, had the distinction of being painted for the Royal Academy by one of England’s most noted artists. Miss Bennet is unusually beautiful. She has the remarkable combination of a fair complexion, black hair, and blue eyes. One night, Howard Robinson, the painter whose portraits of the Royal Family are so well known, saw her at a dinner party in London. She was wearing a white lace dress w'ith a rich Spanish shawl. Standing against a white wall she made such a striking picture that Mr. Robinson immediately asked Miss Benlict if he might paint her portrait. The picture took a month to complete, and is larger than life size. It was finished just before Miss Bennet left London for Australia, and will be exhibited in the next Roval Academy. It shows her tinging, playing a guitar, while as a background there is a rich, colourful Spanish setting.

Studio gossip predicts that “The Rag Man,” Jackie Coogan’s next pictore, will play to enormous business in Australia, those having glimpsed the film in the cutting room describing it as nothing less than an equal to “The Kid.” In it Jackie plays the most appealing role of his career. The film restores him to the locale of his first picture, "The Kid,” as exteriors for this photo play were taken on the East Side of New York City, just prior to Jackie’s sailing abroad. In “The Rag Man” young Coogan plays the part of a boy who escapes from an orphanage when it catches on fire and who takes refuge in the home of a collector of old clothes. This ragman has formerly been an inventor, but was swindled of his profits on an improved sewing-machine shuttle by an unscrupulous broker. Jackie Coogan, who helps the ragman to collectold clothes, calls, in the course of his rounds, at the home of the broker, and from this incident develops the climax of the story.