ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 102, 24 January 1930, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS

’IWTIC PARAMOUNT THEATRE. To-day marks Ide opening of the longawaited Warner Bros.’ and Vitaphone operatta, "The JLlesert Song," at the Paramount Theatre, commencing this afternoon at -.o“. screening times are, nightly at b and daily at 2.30 lor wliac will probably be an extended season. “The Desert Song, n arner Bros.’ latest Vltaphoue novelty—a complete screen operetta, with music, songs, choruses, dances, dialogue—is said to prove that "the sound motion picture business has only just started.” ft is a novelty, but an enchanting one, and points the way to still greater triumphs for tue talking and singing pictures —the production of entire grand operas upon the screen. “The Desert Song” retains all the charm, colour, action, romance and tropic love of the stage production, but greatly enhanced by the -motion picture camera’s power of motion. The desert scenes were made in a desert, and not in front of painted backdrops. Warner Bros, were fortunate in being able to select a cast ot such excellent singers, most of whom have had both stage and screen training. John Boles, tenor lead, sang the same role in the stage presentation of “The Desert Song,” and has been a screen leading man for several years. Carlotta King, lyric soprano, is a concert artist of note. Their voices register perfectly on Vltaphoue, are true to tone, and sweet in quality. Marie Wells, Robert E. Guzman also give splendid singing performances. Others in the excellent cast are John Mjljan, Edward Martindel, Myrna Boy, Jack Pratt, Otto Hoffman and Del Elliott. The large chorus is well trained, and possesses fine singing voices. Roy Del Ruth’s direction is splendid, and the photography is magnificent. The story is that of a Frenchman who becomes a sort of Robin Hood of the desert, who rights the white men’s injustices to the natives. Disguised as the Red Shadow, he leads a band of desert tribesmen. His father, commander of the French garrison, seeks to capture him. He loves Margot, his father’s ward, and makes love to her in his own person and as the Red Shadow. In the latter character he kidnaps her and, refusing to fight a duel with his own father for her possession, is deposed by the tribesmen and sent out in the desert to perish. He returns as the heroic vanquisher of the Red Shadow and Margot discovers that her two lovers are the same person. “The Desert Song” is one of the best entertainments the screen has ever offered. Fast action and colourful drama are supplemented with delightful music, and the vocal solos, duos and choruses that helped the stage version to a great success. Box plans are available at Bristol and Theatre, many seats having been reserved to date.

DE LUXE THEATRE. “The Lady Lies,” a brilliant Paramount all-talking production, commences a week’s season in Wellington with this afternoon’s presentation at the De Luxe Theatre, screening thereafter nightly at 8 o’clock and daily at 2.30. It is an artistic, well worked put and thrillingly dramatic story of the sophisticates of the modern age. The dialogue is brilliant and the recording and reproduction is of high standard. Claudette Colbert, one of the most beautiful and most famous of Broadway’s leading ladies during the past four or five years, plays the principal feminine part Other principals are Walter Huston and Charles -Ruggles, who were last seen together in a talking picture in the nowfamous “Gentlemen of the Press.” Both actors have had long and successful careers on Broadway. The director, Hobart Henley, is said to have achieved his greatest success with his direction of this picture. He has made a number of “winners” for Paramount and other companies. Among them are Adolphe Menjou’s starring picture, “His Tiger Lady,” “Sinners in Silk,” “The Flirt” and “A Slave of Fashion.” De luxe supporting sound subjects this week represent both quality and quantity. Some of the most outstanding are the Paramount Sound Newsreel and an hilarious all-dialogue’ comedy. Paul T. Cullen at the Wurlitzer orchestral unit furnishes both the overture and entr’acte. Box plans are available at both Bristol and Aitken’s. Theatre ’phone 23—080 is also open for reservations. .

THE KING’S THEfATKiE. “The Climax,” the Universal all-talking and singing production based on the famous stage play by Edward Locke, will be screened at the King’s Theatre to-day, with matinees daily. The story is beautifully blended with intense, soulgripping drama, interwoven with maglilflcent music, and tells of a young Italian maiden, Adela, who is gifted with the voice of her pjima donna mother. In the course of her training she falls in love with her tutor’s son, who accompanies her singing. Subsequent events prove that to obtain a perfect voice she must have a slight operation, which Is successful, but the ultimate treatment is placed in the hands of a young doctor, who falls in love with his patient. When the critical moment arrives for Adela to test her voice, the doctor, realising that her success will render his suit hopeless, sprays her throat with a preparation that impairs her voice. In the highly emotional scenes that follow her lover’s admission that he loved her voice and not her, her impending marriage to the doctor and how her voice was dramatically returned to her, the characters reach to great heights of dramatic, porgiving to the screen a play that is said to be even more beautiful than when played on the legitimate stage. The principal characters are Jean Hersholt, :who plays Luigi the tutor, Kathryn Crawford, portraying Adela: John Reinhardt, in the role of Pietro, her lover; and Le Roy Mason, as Dr. Gardoni, the unscrupulous physician. The sound short subject section of the King’s entertainment is excellent. Box plans are available at the Bristol, price scale being 1/- to 2/9. • THE QUEEN’S THEATRE. Hoot Gibson comes to the Queen s Theatre to-night in “The Long, Long Trail,” a Universal picture. All the ingredients that ’ go to make up the best action picture are in this production. Hoot is seen at his best in a hard-riding, hardlighting role, with plenty of humour interspersed to keep the balance even. Hoot plays the part of a crackerjack cowboy who gets into all sorts ot complications through his love for a girl, and his desire to win a rodeo sweepstake race for his ranch. Gibson and the entire company travelled hundreds of miles to the liig’rodeo at Salinas, Cal., and remained there for a week, to insure getting plenty of real rodeo atmosphere. Charming and petite Sally Eilors plays opposite Gibson in “The Long, Long Trail.’ The cast includes Kathryn McGuire, James Mason, Archie Ricks, W alter Brennan, and Howard Truesdell. The second feature, “The Wonderful Lie,” is a story of military lives, loves and intrigues. An outstanding all-star cast brilliantly interprets the leading roles.

KILBIRNIE KINEMA. What happens to a young Princess when she decides to run away from the boredom of Court life and formalities and nets lost, incognito, in the heart of Dondon? That is the interesting theme upon which “The Runaway Princess” is based, the picture which is at present entertaining audiences at the Kilbirnie Kinema. The Princess’s resolve to sink her Royal Identity leads to complications when she finds herself in the centre of a dramatic vortex, and when it becomes advisable to conceal her real rank although her liberty is endangered. This thrilling situation comes through her being victimised by forgers, who use her beauty and innocence as a foil for the circulation of iaked notes. As the runaway Princess, Mady Christians. though a newcomer to the screen, will charm all who see her; while Paul Cavanagh, the Crown Prince, is as « trl kr ingly handsome as he is talented. H. Beeribohm, as the dull detective, is Mso responsible for much of th e «“’«y“ en U“ this hlchlv entertaining picture. lac second feature, “Wild Geese,” .starring Belle Bennett and Anita Stewart, is a very novel attraction. Reserve at theatre, ’phone 14-—202.

REGENT THEATRE, Starring Gary Cooper, “The Virginian,” Paramount’s all-talking screen version of Owen Westen’s famous novel is the feature to commence screening at the Regent Theatre to-day. “The Virginian,” a novel of the ’eighties, gained quick fame as the greatest American novel ever published, and to this day it is one of the great classics in literature. It brought universal renown to its author, Owen Wister. A few years later Wister and Kirk La Shelle transcribed the book into a play of the same name. The play became as famous as the novel. Dustin Earnum created the role of the Virginian on the stage and since that time other actors have achieved correspondingly wide-spread fame in the same role. The handsome Gary Cooper, with his winning drawl and tall, rangy physique, is admirably cast as the hero. “Ef you wanta say that—smile!” You hear the thrilling lines and see the gripping action. There has been written countless stories of the Wild West, but none in any way comparable to this. When this wonderfully enthralling novel was written it was read, in manuscript, to a number of cowboys, and they all with one accord acclaimed it as being absolutely true to life. To them it was very real. Nothing was overstrained. There was no stirring after effect. The good men were not without their little faults, and thfe bad men were bad each after his kind.. The conditions in which a man’s life was his only so long as he could be first to the draw and more accurate •with his heavy Colt revolver were set out as in actuality. The novel, Wister was careful to point our, was based on fact. The love suory and the fight within himself of the Virginian, and the toleration of the kindly Bishop; the attempt to intimidate the Virginian and so drive him from the town; the fight in the street, with revolvers spitting fire in a personal duel—all this actually occurred. All this, too, and much more has been reproduced for the screen, and one may see the central figures move to their destiny and hear, them speak. Gary Cooper, Mary Brian, Richard Arlen, and Walter Huston play the leading roles. This picture, appropriately enough, has been called the ‘Covered Wagon’ of the talking screen.” As directed by v ictor Fleming, and played by a talented cast, “The Virginian” emerges as a refreshing and vigorously entertaining picture —a picture in which romance and adventure are gloriously transcribed to the audible screen. In addition, there is a continuous flow of pleasant humour that is sure to delight audiences o'f all ages and tastes. Giry Cooper plays the title role of the Virginian. As can easily be imagined, this role of the care-free, reckless, hardriding cowboy suits him admirably. Audiences who remember his superb performances in “The Shopworn Angel and “Wolf Song” will be interested to know that his work in “The Virginian has been called the finest o£ his career. Mary Brian is thoroughly charming as the little Last ern school teacher with whom the Vir glnian falls in love. Richard Arlen, as the Virginian’s friend wll<> becomes a cattle •’rustler, and Walter Huston as a notorious gambler and outlaw, are bot excellently cast. Others whose performT r H Se Cai:erT S aral actual spots described in the greatest novel of cowboy life..

GRAND OPERA HOUSE. Richard Dix is said to have siu ! Weal role in “The Dove Doctor,” the all-talkin & 1 ara to commence screening at the Grand Opera House to-night. Dr. Gerald Sumner (Richard Dix), known to everyone •w Terrv. spends most of his tune at ten nis and y golf, and waits patiently for a patient Despite the inducements of Ms friends, he stays in the living in hope. One day Lucy (Gale Hen ry) breaks in on his study of golf w th the news that his first P has «rrn ■ cd Hastilv the room is converted mck to’a surgery, and when Virginia Moore (June Collyer) enters, the young doctor is deep in work. He asks particulars, and to his P amazement, finds that she a “ ts “ job. Her beauty. appeals to him, and she is en-aged in the hope that patients vvill turn up? Mrs. Woddbridge (Winifred Harris) cannot imagine what is wrOhg with her son Bud (Morgan Farley). matter of fact, be is in love with Grace Tyler (Miriam Seegar), but she won t gl»e him a definite.answer, and prefers to fl'rt awhile. Bud is surprised to see her at the doctor’s where he is waiting -for his mother to finish her interview with Jerry. The latter is joyful over the first prospect, and decides to make the most of it. When Bud comes to the surgery the doctor knows that there is nothing physically wrong with him, and with the assistance of Virginia, makes great pretence of an examination. At the casual mention of Grace Tyler’s name he notices a change in Bud, and hits the nail right on the head. He teßs Bud that he has a cure and sends him away for a couple of weeks with the new nurse to look after him. She has lallen in love with Jerry, and while away with Bud practises some of Jerry's suggestions to Bud on Jerry himself. Soon Jerry finds himself going to' the Woodbridge home every week-end, not so much to see Bud, but Virginia. Grace is perturbed at the visits of Jerry, and learns that Virginia is looking after Bud, and wonders what it is all about. She finally decides to see Bud herself, but makes another excuse. At the home she finds Jerry and Virginia making love. She tells Jerry that she has a cold, and when he Is in her room, his presence is misunderstood by Bud,’who takes things in his own hands and decides to announce the engagement of Grace and Jerry. Bud is upset, and so is Virginia, but Jerry manages to put Grace off by saying hp has accepted a post at a lunatic asylum, and finally things are straightened out.

MAJESTIC THEATRE. ’ Harold Lloyd, who is recognised all over the world as a past master at putting thrills on the screen, outdoes himself in his first all-talking Paramount release, “Welcome Danger,” which will commence screening at the Majestic Theatre to-day. Underground Chinatown in San Francisco provides the setting for the happenings which, it is stated, are guaranteed to send chills racing through the blood of even the most anaemic picture fan. When “Welcome Danger” was first pre-viewed as a 100 per cent, sound and dialogue picture, 'in a small town outside Los Angeles, the audience virtually yelled its response to the thrilling action. Not since Lloyd’s memorable climb up the face of a twelvestory building in “Safety Last,” has an audience visibly reacted to one of Ihb pictures as it did to the preview of “Welcome Danger.” The circulatory system increases its speed every time Lloyd moves in the underground Chinatown scenes, and the heart responds frequently to the number of classic romance scenes between the bespectacled comedian and his new leading lady, Barbara Kent, in other portions of the picture. Lloyd has the habit of making his gags appear plausible, and in “Welcome Danger,” he has his audience fighting with him through every foot of the smashing finish, so sincere is the -action and setting. A well-varied supporting programme is also promised.

“ARCHIE.” Now In their fourth week at His Majesty’s Theatre, the Freddie Forbes Musical Comedy Company are presenting that old favourite “Archie.” Billie Cobb drifts into reckless extravagance through the weakness of her harmless husband Archie, and Sir Michael, who supplies the pair with the cash they so recklessly squander, decrees that Archie must divorce Billie or work for his living. As work is the last thing that he is prepared to do. Archie agrees to divorce Billie, but at the last moment decides that leisure without her is even worse than work wiJi her. Sir Michael relents and ail ends well. Catherine Stewart -makes Billie an aPPe al ' ing and humorous figure, while Freddie Forbes makes Archie harmlessly Idiotic.