PARAMOUNT AND ARTCRAFT.

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 142, 16 June 1923, Page 9

PARAMOUNT AND ARTCRAFT.

Tho new programme screening at the Paramount and Ajtcraft Theatres to-day is made notable by a delightful tale, "The Delicious Little Devil," a Universal jewel production, in which Mac Murray and' Rodolph Valentino play; the leading xolea. Miss Murray takes the part of Mary M'Guire, a girl who is the sole support of her mother and a lazy uncle whose idea, of pleasure is eating and sleeping. Her father, after an absence of five years, hears that Mary is working, and decides to come home. On the some day Mary loses her position because she has been caught dancing when she should have been working. She commences a frantic search for fresh employment. She finally secures an engagement as a dancer at a roadhouse cabaret, and from that time on the story is very dramatic. The drama"Conn'dence," featuring Herbert Rawlinson, is followed ivith absorbing interest, and as the plot develops the appreciation of the audi • ence- ia shown with no uncertain sound. Besides the two big- pictures, several good Bupports are shown. Delightful features at both theatres are the orchestras, which, add considerably to the enjoyment by their finished contributions. "MONTE CRISTO." The pen of Alexandre Dumas has again supplied a screen producer with a marvellous scenario. .From Dumas's widelyread story, "The Count of Monte CWsto," William Fox has produced a screen drama worthy of the once:popular stage play adapted from the story, and! a production which would have pleased the Trench immortal himself. In addition to being colourful and romantic, the screen version has the advantage of a splendid group of capable players to enact the difficult character roles. It may easily be termed an all-star cast, with the highly-capable young actor, John Gilbert, in the role of the famous fiction character. The cast, selected by Emmett J. Flynn, the director of the production, includes such familiar namesas Robert M'Kim, the polished screen villain; William Mong, the famous charactor actor; another veteran character actor, Spottiswoode Aitken; George Seigmann, Estelle Taylor, Virginia Faire, Maude George, and a group of others almost as well known. The story, which tells of the romantic adveritures of a young French sailor, who is falsely imprisoned and who ■ later becomes the -world's richest man, is one which has teen read by millions. It is said that it is one of the three most widely-read stories ever written. It is on© of the popular books of every public library. The clever manner in which Dumas relates the adventures and experiences of his characters has not only made the story popular, but permits of much splendid pantomime for the screen. "Monte Cristo" has been made in a lavish manner by William Fox, and will be seen at the Paramount and Artcraft Theatres next Friday. Beautiful sets furnish the background for the adventures of the 'wealthy character. The other scenes, such as those of the prison and the scenes in the French village of Marseilles, are especially interesting as well as truly realistic. Many of the scenes were made from rare prints furnished the director by French societies in America. The picture has had a splendid reception in a number of large cities, where it was enthusiastically received, and with the aid of a speciallyselected musical programme, suitable to the character of the film being shown, should receive an equally enthusiastic screening in Wellington.