ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 150, 24 March 1928, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE . The sterling double bill being submitted at- the Regent Theatre last evening should please all lovers of quality pictures. Mr, Jas. Cruze is always "a reliable producer, aud his picture, “The City Gone Wild,” featuring Thomas Meiglian, is remarkable for those little touches of realism that mean so much ‘ in assessing tlic box-oifice value of a picture. The storv is of the underworld in a great American city during a crime wave. Gang is fighting gang with automatics, and even machine-guns, when the city officials determine to interfere, and fight both gangs to a finish. Phelan, a criminal lawyer, and Ames, district ; attorney, are friends, and both love Nada Winthrop, the daughter of a capitalist. ’ Nadi favours Phelan. bu e refuses to 1 marry him until he gives up his crim--1 inal practice, as she thinks he is defeat1 ing the ends of justice. A climax is reached when Gallagher, a gunman, is arrested. On his being released on bail by Phelan. Nada announces her engagement to Ames; but a bomb hursts in the mind of the District Attorney when he finds that Nada’s father is the real king of the underworld. Ames confronts Winthrop with the proofs. That night Ames is shot in (he theatre. Phelan is outraged, and starts in to get tlie gunman, and there is a terrific battle. Ames dies, and Phelan, appointed District Attorney, starts in to clean ur> the underworld Phelan, baffled by. Winthrop and Ids gang, is outmanoeuvred, and Nada loses all faith in him when, for the second time. Gallagher, the murderer, is released on bail. Then there ensues another battle. Winthrop shoots himself. Gallagher is shot, and Phelan comes out triumphant. Tim second picture is "The Woman on Trial.” with Pola Negri in the lending role. This is the narrative of Julie, a French girl, who loves pierrp Monton. but marries the wealfhv John Morland in order to get money to care for the starving nnd sufferin'’ Pierre. The orchestra. directed bv Mr. A. G. Frost, is all sufficient. "SHANGHAI BOUND.” Up the Yangtso River from Shanghai, a hundred miles or more, Jim Bucklin, steamer captain, met a party of white people. They didn’t know, hut Bucklin did, that food riots were liable to break out at any minute, that China’s turijioil was slowly spreading southward, that hunger-mad hordes might attack at any time. When he told them, they wore terrified. But there wi:.‘ still time. Bucklin bnd his boat, and he could take them down fo Shanghai, and the safety of the internationally protected areas. He could have, had not Pavson, in terror, shot Scarface, leader of the Chinese mob. From then on it was fight, fight, fight, all the way down to Shanghai. It sounds like a newspaper storv from China, but if is really a sketch of the plot of Richard Dix’s new Paramount 'starring picture, "Shanghai Bound,” which will be seen at the Regent Theatre on Friday next. Dix plays Jim Bucklin, bucko river boat captain. Mary Brian, his leading woman, heads a supporting cast which includes more than 150 Chinese in tho fight scenes. HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE. The final revue production will be staged at His Majesty’s Theatre to-night, or at anyrate, the last for at least three weeks. On Monday next, Sir Benjamin and John Fuller’s London Musical Comedy Company commences a season, and to-night, the Joe Brennan revue combination bid farewell t o Wellington. A grand final programme has been the company's ultimate desire, und request-, have been solicited from patrons who have followed the weekly changes throughout the sea • son. Requests are now all in, and these are numerous and distinct.lv varied. Requests for Joe Brennan items have considerably exceeded all others, and were he t 0 comply with ail. the programme would resolve itself into a oneman entertainment. All should be satisfied, however, with the choice made. Tho .loathful Miss Peggy Sharpe and Dell Barnes have a host of admirers, and the other members of the company might also feel flattered with their pojularity. Tho last nntineo will be given thi s .afternoon, nnd tn-night sees the conclusion of a short bill, popular season. Booking is nnnsu-illy‘heavy for ro-day’s performance, nnd pntvens nre strongly urged to reserve ♦ heir seats. "ARCIIIE.” ‘‘Archie,’ Sir Benjamin and John Fuller’s I ondon musical comedy open s at His Majesty’s Theatre next Monday. < The curtain rises on a scene near lienley. and the audience -“i’s boats being 1 pulled along the Thames. Tho fun begins in a river bungalow, where an Englishman. never worried with brains, ’ is surrounded by interfering relatives ‘ who disapprove of his wife. ~Slie is ye. •' presented to he a "gay ladv,” and everv effn-f is made to induce the “sillv 1 husband to leave her. lie stands on his ' dignity, and defends bis wife. As a r’e- , suit of at last asserting himself, his wife falls in love with him, and the I relatives are permanently ousted. While all this is going on. tho love storv of an- ‘ other vonng oonnle develops. fbnt in i which little "Billie Cob!/’ ,F|sio Prince) is concerned. A two-net nl.iy with three j scones in the second half is "Archie.” ( and the curtain falls on a mn<’nific.onf ! ballroom scene nt the Mn-’cstin Hotel. J "Archie” box plans now open. t

d EMPRESS THEATRE. Mary Pickford's latest picture, “My Best Girl.” Is shriving for <a second week at the Empress Theatre. Miss Pickford has the role of Maggie Johnson, a shopgirl in the employ of the Merrill stores. She .IB given an assistant one dav. and a friendship between this boy (Joe Grant) and Maggie develops very quickly. On the boys' birthday he persuades Maggie to let him take her to dine at their employer's house, telling her that it is quite customary for those employed in the shop to do so. While they ate there the Merrills return, and sho discovers that Joe Grant ib really the Merrill’s son. and engaged to another girl. She rushes out from the house, and on her way home meets her family, who are going into the police court to beg for the release of their daughter, who has been mixed up m a case with a criminal Maggie defends her sister so well that she is acquitted. Joe. in the meantime has been released from his engagement, as the girl discovers that it is Maggie he really loves, and he leaves to search for her. Ho is told where she is, and arrives in the court in time to thrash the criminal, who insults her. His fight gets into all the newspapers, and his father determines to send him out of the country Joe books a passage for Maggie, too. and goes to her house to persuade her to join him. He finds his father there offering money to Maggie to send his son away alone. The girl pretends that the money is what she wanted but breaks down and confesses that she loves him. Her father has become irritated by the scene, and orders the boy to marry hei. They find then that there aie only a few minutes left before the boat sails, and everyone rushes to help pack Maggie’s clothes and see her off. Dearie,’ starring Irene Rich, is also being shown. The usual supporting comedy and gazette are shown, Crfid appropriate music is rendered by the orchestra. GRAND OPERA HOUSE.

In the presence of a large audience. "Tip Toes,” the successful dancing musical comedy, concluded its season at the Grand Opera House last night. At the close of the performance all the principal characters were loudly applauded for the fine manner in which they had played their parts This afternoon and to-night this popular company present another musical comedy triumph, "Queen High.” which in Sydney and Melbourne is said to have rivalled in popularity "Rose Marie."

“Queen High" will also introduce to-night a popular Australian and London actress. Billie Lockwood, who. as "Coddles," is said to present a remarkably clever and delightfully interesting study. The production is spectacular and there is an attractive show of silk stockings and garters. Garters are the mainstay of two partners’ business. Cecil Kellaway, as the self-satisfied, sarcastic, and nctulant George Nettleton and R. Barret-Lennard as the volatile Boggs Johns, who delights in provoking his partner, act with brilliant resource. The partners quarrel so fast and furiously that they determine to dissolve partnership. But their lawyer does not see why a perfectly sound business should be closed up. so he proposes a hand at poker to decide who shall be master and who the man for a year. The actual band at poker is the big moment of the play. Thelma Burness. Byrl Walkley. Leyland Hodgson, and Roy Russell arc in congenial roles, while the specialty dancing of Miss Josephine. Head. Mdlle. Ramona, and Albert Hugo is a feature of the production.

ORPHEUS MUSICAL SOCIETY’. On Saturday. March 31, in the Concert Chamber, the Orpheus Musical (Society will open the 1928 season. "The Crusaders,’’ by

Noils W. Gude, has not been heard in Wellington for over thirty years. This work is particularly appropriate for the Holy season, dealing as it does with the pilgrimage of the Crusaders to Jerusalem. The soloists will be Miss Rita Arnold ami Messrs. Oscar Dyer (tenor), and Eric Parsons (baritone), both young singers making their first appearance. Stanford's “Songs of the Fleet" will be sung by Mr. Lcn Barnes and the choir, under Mr. 11. E. Brusfey. the deputy conductor. The well known Orpheus Quartet (Mrs. Alice Harris. Miss Lily Mackie, and Messrs; Arthur Coe and Len Barnes), will present the song cycle, “The Mountebanks.” Mr. Len Barnes is conductor, and Misses Hazel Howe and Mary Lennie the pianists. The plan opens at the Bristol on Monday next. QUEEN’S THEATRE. An unusually fine picture. “The City,” Fox Films’ version of Clyde Fitch's great drama, had its first showing at the Queen’s Theatre yesterday. This is the story of a small town family who move to the city thinking to conquer in it. And while fame and fortune come to the head cf the family. George Rand. Jur., as ably portrayed by Robert Frazer, the price exacted by the city is so devastating that t ie cup of success becomes bitter with regret. His mother, Lillian Elliott, simple country woman, goes' in for the latest, extremes in ciotnes und facial lins. ms sister Cicely succumbs to tiie lures ol au unscrupulous ex-eouvict and lortupe hauler, und is saved only in time from a Hie worse tnau deatn. while Land himseir faces ruiu- iu tue end. Vv alter aicGraii gives a splendid performance uie menace, Jim rsamiock, dope fiend and tc.-eouvict, while May Allison interprets ine character ol a sophisticated city gin with line realism. Tile second leature is “silver Vaiiey,' a spleuaid western comeay-draiuu, showing loin Mix at ins best. Good supports aud excellent musical items by the queen s urcnestra complete tue bill. DE LUXE THEATRE. That clever comedian, Reginald Denny, is al hk> best in tb e brilliant Universal comedy, “Thai's My Daddy,” which headed the new piograiumo presented at the De Luxe Theatre last evening. Denny is iiappilv cast as Jimmy Norton, a youthful millionaire, who is about to be ensnared by .Mrs, Van Tassel and her masterful daughter, Sylvia, when a lucky stroke of fortune emancipates him from the fortune hunters. Speeding to the Van Tassel home, Jimmy is overhauled by a speed patrolman, and puts forward the lame excuse that lie was hastening to the hospital to see his infant daughier. Tho kindly traffic policeman, who has seven children of his own.- becomes immediately sympathetic, jind escorts the hapless hero to tho hospital. Here is found a four-year-old lairy who has been dreaming all her young life about >t ! mythical daddy, and when Jimmy Norton appears, she gaily cries, "That’s my daddy 1” Thus H >s ‘but the day before his wedding, Jimmy finds himself a lather. Tho complications which ensue are highly amusing, und (he fun is kept/ going merrily until the Van Tassels take themselves off tn disgust, and Jimmy marries pretty Nora Moran, the nurse. Reginald Denny does splendid work in ; this film, and Barbara Kent is delightful as the nursemaid. Wonderful acting is also done by little Jane La Varne as the baby girl, and Lillian Gish is statuesque in a society role. The picture is unparalleled in rich humour, and had a largo house laughing merrily last night. 4 highly-interesting nows reel and a bright farce also figured on the new proel am me. The orchestra was heard in a sclec* ion from "Tip Toes,” played as an overture, nnd as an entr’acte placed the dainty "Baby’s Feet Go Pitter-Pat-ter.” Mr. Emanuel Aaron’s selections on the WurlVzer organ included "Chcerie-Peerio-Be” and "All on My Ownsome.” There will be a matinee screening at 2.?0 this aHernoon.

KING'S THEATRE. Full of the pathos of mother love 'and sacrifice, and. embodying all the tender appeal of the song from which it draws its inspiration, "Mother Mschree.” the Fox euner-attraction screened at the King’s Theatre last night, was a poignant drama which went right to the heart of the audience. When the dread news t’eat her husband had been drowned at sea reaches pretty Ellen McHugh, stricken with grief, she decides to leave the picturesque little Irish fishing village, and. taking her son Brian with her. sets forth for the United States, which she fondly imagines to lie a land of plenty. Disillusions nt soon follows, and some of the most powerful acting in the picture takes place when Belle Bennett portrays "Mother Machree’s renunciation of her son for th.i sake of his career. Infinitely pathetic are the scenes where Mother Machree, bound never to reveal her true relationship, watches her son grow to manhood. Thanks, however to the noble character of both mother and son. all ends happily v. ten Brian McHugh asd brawny Terence O’Dowd, the "Giant of Kilkenny. ’’ return from the war. and the latter receives the due reward of his unswerving loyalty. Mother Machree is splendidly depicted by Miss Bennett, while Victor McLaglen, the 6ft. 3in. South African, is capital as Terence O’Dowd. Constance Howard plays the heroine, and Rodney Hildebrande is most successful as Brian McHugh. Au ideal atmosphere for the master production, which was to follow, was created by Mr. 11. F. Wood, the popular tenor, who sang the exquisitely sad bars of “Mother Machree’’ as a prelude, while during the piece appealing Irish melodies were rendered by the King’s select orchestra, under Mr. A. 11. Jerome. Excellent supports included a comedy, a Fox gazette, and an interesting film showing the receptions accorjed Hinkler, the Australian long-distance flyer, in Bundaberg and Brisbane. PARA MOUNT THEATRE. Trovers of subtle comedy will enjoy the star film attraction, “Three’s a Crowd,” which commenced screening nt the Paramount Theatre Inst night. The lending role is taken by Harry langdon, mid as a tenement boy living nlone. Jie feels the effect of bis environment. The story is a human one. dealing with the adventures of a youth who is lonely and unhanpy in the midst of millions of rronlc. Harry admires a girl he sees through a telescope, nnd he send her a note by pigeon, which falls intn the wrong hands, an.l nreeinilates cornedv sequences. The girl marries another man. nnd becomes noverfv stricken ( binding her oxhansfod in the snow, he takes her to his -hack. where she has a baby. Everybody con graro Infos Tlnwy. nnd ho works like n «ta v e onriii" for the woman nnd tier child. Afonnwhilo the husband, looking for bis wjfn finds bar nt (bo shnok an C'l'r'sf»n:is V T(I when vfnrrv is nre r ' nr in<r nlav ft>o n-iri cf Pln-.c rp, '« sitnnllnn flip*- fnUow hrina a multitude of Immbs. while nt times Hmm is n tomb of nnfl'os m-o.vrnmme was provided. including ■ (ho Infect rmyuHo. ilo. pietinir events of world-wide interest, a good comedy, an another of that en-

tertaining humorous series, "The Colle gians.” Tlie Paramount orchestra, under the direction of Mr. 11. Caulton, presented an entertaining programme of music, the overture being iron! “The Gondoliers.” “JOY NIGHT.” - To-night's “Joy Night” in ti n Town Hall should be one of the most popular ever held iu Wellingtoa, for, iu addition to the attraction of the uunciug there will be the announceme it of the names of the t-en rowers to bu nominated to represent New Zealand at the Olympic Games at Amsterdam, and the presentation of the cup to the eight which wins to-day's big race. The music, catering, and decorations are all in capable hands, and late buses have been arranged. With 10(1 or so visiting oarsmen to mid partners for, the committee will particularly welcome parties which consist qf more lauies than gentlemen. NEW PRINCESS THEATRE. Chester Conklin and George Bancroft prove a first-rate comedy team in “leu it to Sweeney," a Paramount production, which heads >'ie programme now screening at the hew Princess 'Theatre, supporting the stars are Dons Hill and Jack Laden. Tne story tells of tue rivalry between Luke Beamish, driver of an ancient locomotive, aud Cannoueall Casey, unver of the line s crack engine. Beamish has a pretty uuugmer, witn wnom botn Casey and uack Sweeney, soi. of the president of the line, are in 10-. i. How young bwceiiey niutlly wins her makes au entertaining picture. The second feature is "Alias the Deacon," starring Jean liersholt, suucorted by June Marlowe and Ralph Graves. Ttersuoit's remarkable talents as an actor have enabled him to portray every conceivable type of rcle irom light comedy to tne most villainous character possible. Iu this picture he portrays the roie of a lovable, imdtileagcil itinerant, who represents himself as a benign deacon in order to cover his real profession of gambling. Good supports are also shown