ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 52, 25 November 1929, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS

DE LUXE THEATRE. A reproduction of the Battle of Trafalgar is seen in "The Divine Lady,” Corinne Grillitli’s latest starring vehicle, which Is now being .screened at the De Luxe Theatre. Despite the magnitude ot the maritime scenes of "The Divine Lady,” this sequence by no means dominates the picture, which deals with naval battles only as incidents in tlie great love story of Lady Hamilton ami Lord Nelson. Miss Griffith, as the lady of many affairs and one splendid. ideal romance, worked in the picture steadily for over more than six months, while another six months was devoted to preparations for filming the story. Four ships were uspd as "principals” in the sea episodes, and from eight to fourteen others for distant atmosphere, no action being shown on the deeks of the latter. In this way the whole English and French fleets were reproduced. The cast supporting Miss Griffith in "The Divine Lady” is a notable one, and includes Victor Varconi as Lord Nelson, H. B. Warner as Lord Hamilton, lan Keith. Montagu Love. William Conklin.- Marie Dressier, Dorothy Cummings, Michael Vaviteli, and others. Frank Lloyd, always to be remembered for his “Sea Hawk.” directed. Good supports are also screened, while tlie music by the orchestra, under Mr. L. D. Austin, is an added attraction. REGENT THEATRE. In "Nothing But the Truth." now showing at the Regent Theatre, the handsome and popular young star, Richard Dix, presents his first talkie, and it is one of the best talkies yet presented in Wellington. The film is not one in which the talking takes second place to danciug, singing, and spectacular scenes, but it depends on dialogue throughout. It Is a screen presentation of a stage success containing clever, first-class comedy, and its success on Saturday night was immediate. The story concerns a young business man who enters into a wager that he can tell the truth for 24 hours. His stake is money placed in his charge by his fiancee.. for whom he is supposed to make an investment. Three-other men are parties to the bet, one of them being Richard’s employer. Richard hopes to double his fiancee’s money by wining the wager, and lie sticks to his guns although very sorely tried. From the start he nearly ruins his employer’s business by telling the truth, and he is placed in embarrassing situations because of his refusal to tell even a white lie. Events follow each other perfectly naturally, and in no part of the story is the audience impressed with any artificiality. Some of the situations arc. laughterprovoking to the point ot uproar, so cleverly are they handled. The other three men scheme deeply to cause Richard to lie, and lose his money, but he can’t afford to do that, because the money is not his, and even when his employer becomes involved with two chorus girls who have slept all night in the garage. Richard still tells the truth to the irate wife. Richard’s most awkward moment conies when his fiancee demands to know what he has done with her money. Silence on that point is part ot the wager, and if he tells a lie about it he loses the money. All patrons who fire wise enough to see “Nothing But the Truth” will vote it splendid entertainment. The supporting features arc of high quality. and include a picturised version of the old song. “After the Ball,” which, composed in 1892, charmed the heart of the world. The composer, now an old man, sings his composition, and he evoked enthusiastic applause seldom accorded such a picture. PARAMOUNT THEATRE. Now in its second week at the Paramount Theatre is “The Terror,” Warner Brothers’ all-talking screen version of the popular Edgar Wallace play. “The Terror” ran for over three years in London, where Rs author, Edgar Wallace, has three successes running simultaneously. Harvey Gates did the screen adaptation, and an all-star cast appears, including May McAvoy, Louise Fazenda, Edward Everett Horton, Alee. B. Francis, John Mlljan, Holmes Herbert, Mathew Betz, Otto Hoffman. Joseph W. Girard, and Frank Austin. Roj’ Del Ruth directed. The locale is a dilapidated and unearthly manor house in rural England, occupied by an aged doctor, who has converted it into a rest home. His daughter Olga lives with him—and his later guests make up a helter-skelter of humanity scarcely ever seen outside the walls of a mad-house. Rumour has it that the vast loot secured by a bank robbery is secreted in the house, and that the thief is also hidden there. Pandemonium breaks loose when crook?., cops, hysterical ladies, and tlie rest are hounded by a fearful cloaked monster, known a£ “The Terror.” The creepy, laughable, inexplicable happenings keep the audience spellbound. Good supports are also screened. GRAND OPERA HOUSE. Featuring Charles Rogers; Mary Brian, Wallaeo Beery and June Collyer, “The River of Romance,” an all-talking Paramount production, is the picture now being screened at the Grand Opera House. Adapted from “Magnolia” by Booth Tarkington, the story, one ot chivalry in the .Southern States of America in the early day's, revolves round Tom Rumford. Returning home after a long absence in Philadelphia, young Rumford falls in love with his father’s ward, pretty Elvira Jeffers, whilst her sister Lucy falls in love with him. At the engagement party, Major Patterson, an old lover of Elvira’s, turns up to assert his claim to her hand, and challenges Toni to a duel, but the latter, not knowing the ways of the South, laughs it off as a joke, and in consequence is branded a eoward. He leaves the place and goes to Natchey, where he falls in with a very tough saloon-keeper, General Orlando Jackson, and, in a tight in a saloon, has the good luck to knock out Captain Blaekie, considered to be the worst “bad man” of the district. Tom then assumes the name of Colonel Blake, to which Jackson adds “notorious.” Later Jackson and Blake return to look for the man who has robbed Tom’s father of his fortune, and in his new role he makes the fiery Patterson eat out., of his hand, and wins tlie hand and heart of Lucy, who soon recognises him, so all ends well. In support, are “Hot Lemonade,” an hilarious comedy starring Louise Fazenda, and Pathe and Movietone Gazettes. “ABIE’S IRISH ROSE” COMING TO GRAND OPERA HOUSE. “Abie’s Irish Rose” Is now a movie. The world’s most successful play, the play which ran on Broadway, New York, for more than five years, has been translated to the screen, and is scheduled to open at the Grand Opera House next Friday night with quality sound synelironis.ilion. Tlie story ot’ “Abie’s Irish Rose” tells of the love of a Jewish lad for an Irish girl, and how they overcome the intolerance of their orthodox parents.. “Abie’s Irish Rose” is not a farce comedy, nor Is it a heavy drama. Paramount is responsible for the translation of “Abie” from the stage to the silver sheet, as well as equipping it. with Quality Sound. A beautiful musical score was written for the picture by J. S. Znuiecnik, who has won worldwide fame as a composer. .Mr ) Zameenik’s composition, entitled ■ “Rosemary,” is tlie theme song of “Abie.” In four of tlie important sequences the picture is featured with its talking scenes, The unusual east that was assembled for the various roles includes Jean Hersholt, as Solomon Levy; Charles Rogers, of “Wings” fame, as Abie, ills son: Nancy Carroll as Rosemary: J. Farrell MacDonald, as the Irish father; Bernard Goreey and Ida Kramer as the Cohens: Camillus Pretal as the rabbi; Nick Cogley, as the Irish priest, and Rosa Rosanova as Sarah, the deaf housekeeper in the Levy home. ■ KING’S THEATRE. Maurice Clmviilier, the idol of Paris, and destined to become the idol of millions of screen lovers, is the star of “Innocents of Paris,” the all-talking Paramount production, which is now playing a return season to crowded houses at the King's Theatre. The story, one of Paris, tells of Hie rise of a second-hand dealer to be a brilliant stage star, but it is not the story that counts so much as the vivid and compelling personality .of Maurice Chevalier, whose popularity is assured from the moment lie appears on lhe screen. Another member of tlie cast who has a great future before him is liftle David Durand, whose voice and acting as Hie little orphan boy could npt be improved upon. Others in the east are Sylvia Beecher, George Fawcett and Margaret Livingston. A wellvaried supporting programme is also screened. QUEEN’S THEATRE. “Chasing Through Europe,” which heads the programme now screening at tlie Queen's Theatre, is a Cook's tour de luxe, interwoven with a delightful and thrilling romance, and features Nick Stuart and Sue Carol. During tlie unfolding of Hie plot, one is taken to London. England: Paris. France: Lille, Belgium: Rome. Italy: and to Mount Vesuvius. Tlie story lias to do wilh 11 pretty young heiress whose guardian attempts to marry her to his dissolute nephew in order to save himself from the consequences of having stolen a part of her Inheritance. “Parisiennes.” featuring Miles Manlier, is the second feature. ORGAN RECITAL. Mr. Bernard F. Page (city organist) gave ills weekly organ reeilal at the Town Hull, last evening. The programme comprised:—Pastorale (Oil. 19). by Cesar Franck; Cantablle (Op. 37, No. 1), by .Tongen; Two Choral-Improvisations (Op. (IT), by Karg-Elert; Concert Overture in I' (Op 32 No. -1). bv Mendelssohn; Psychological Poem (for orchestra). “Le Gemo ct la Mort,” Op. H (No.” fl), by Rebtkoff ; Prelude (to act 3), by yjigngL.

MAJESTIC THEATRE. Richard Barthclmess, First National star, registers another definite hit in “Drag,” his second all-talking production, which is now being screened at the Majestic Theatre. The sincerity and understanding with which the star delineated the leading character makes it one ot the best Bartlielmess features to date. “Drag” is about people all know. The characters are sympathetically and intelligently drawn. The story is built up and around the young man so that his burdens and struggles and aspirations grip one’s attention until the end. “Drag” is a story of domestic strife. A young man marries a girl and finds himself the “goat,” supporting her entire family. How they drag him down and torture his ambitions until he decided upon a dqspcrate measure forms an absorbing subject. Bartlielmess has never been better. Frank Lloyd, with his subtle ami human direction, again displays the intelligence that was evident in “Weary River." Lila Lee is ideal as Dot. and Alice Day seems authentic as Allie, whose family is the millstone around the hero s neck. The balance of the east, including Katherine Ward, Lucien Littlefield, ..lorn Dugan, and Margaret Fielding, give excellent performances. A well-varied supporting programme is also screened.

The screen’s first musical comedy, “Words and Music,” said to be more tantalisingly tuneful than anything yet screened in Wellington, is a big feature to be screened at the Majestic Theatre in the near future. There are eight song hits —the kind that haunt one and set the feet to patting. There are more than 100 beautiful girls in the chorus and ballet, all of them charming singers and dancers. "Words and Music” is a show within a show. One is introduced at the outset to a crowd of cheerful students vicing with each other in the production of what is evidently the American equivalent of a capping concert. A prize of £3OO is offered for the best ensemble number. Interest centres on two rival “producers”—the college bully and the son of the local music store owner. There is rich comedy in the student capers that precede the opening of the competition scenes, but the. character of the story remains until the moment conies for the presentation of the rival numbers. Then ■‘‘Words and Music” becomes a musical comedy indeed —with tuneful melodies, gorgeous frocking, excellent dancing, and perfect ensembles of several kinds. Lois Moran is indeed a versatile artist. A year ago she was seen in the cream'of silent pictures; when talkies opened, she made one minor appearance in a short comedy. Now she is a perfect musical comedy star. Her previous stage training, both as regards singing and dancing, has stood her well, febe dances with the grace of Pavlova, anti reveals a delightful soprano voice. Miss Moran sings two delightfully snappy little numbers— "Beauty” and "Yours Biucerely. David Percy, the magnificent baritone who delighted everyone with bis singing la “The Black Watch." plays opposite Miss Moran, and sings with equal power and effect. The remainder of the cast mellides a number of excellent comedians and dancers, together witli 11 clever and beautiful ballet. HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE. Now iii tlieir fourth week at His Majesty’s Theatre. Nat Phillips and his Wliirli-. gigs Company have grown very popular with Wellington audiences, and their, cur.rent presentation is likely to enhance their reputation for bright and breezy entertainment. The first half is a pot ponrri of music, song, and dance, while the second half of the programme takes the form of a revue entitled “Meet Mabel.” As nsual, ample mirth is supplied by Hector St, Clair. Jack Kelluwa.v, Nat Phillips, and Al Mack, while’Bessie Blake, Irene Shamrock, Stella I.amond. arid Sylvia Gardner are all that could be desired in the form of feminine grace, beauty, anti charm. KILBIRNIE KINEMA. Dramatic situations anti rioloiirful and luxurious settings feature "The Midnight Sun,” a Universal Super-Jewel commencing to-night at tlie Kinema. The picture, a thrilling story of Russia just before the 'Worhl War. has been given an all-star east, and was directed by Dimitri Buciiowetzki. noted Russian director. Heading the players are such favourites ns Laura La Plante. Pat O’Malley, Raymond Keane, and George Siegmann. “Tlie. Price of Fear,” starring William Cody and Duane Thompson, is a sensational underworld story with action every minute, and a spectacular climax that will give anyone the. greatest thrill of their lives! Reserves are obtainable at theatre. 'Phone 14—202.