STAGE AND SCREEN.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 13 February 1926, Page 7

STAGE AND SCREEN.

••One of the fastest moving pictures ever screened,” is the general consensus of opinion regarding William S. Hart’s new feature, “Tumbleweeds, his first production for United Artists Corporation, and a vividly realistic romance of the greatest land rush in history—the famous Cherokee land strip stampede for homestead sites.

••White Cargo" will be seen in Melbourne at the end oi February. This powerful play has had a sensational success in New York and Jxnidon, and has heeli translated in half a dozen different languages for production on the Continent. Leon Cordon, the author, wil appear in the Australian production. Later the company will come on to New Zealand. \\ hite Cargo" has been running for over two years in Ivondon.

It is said that one of the most famous supporting easts of any current motion picture appears in ‘ Peacock Feathers.” Besides Jacqueline Logan and Cullen Landis, the players are George Fawcett, Ward Crane. .Edwin ,1 Brady. Prince Youcca Troubet.zkov. and others.

Buck Jones, hero of many Western pictures, is contracted for eight productions for the current season. They include "Lazybones," in which he appears with Madge Bellamy, "The Desert's Price." "A Man lout Square," "The Cowboy and the Countess," "The Gentle Cyclone. and ‘‘The Fighting Buckaroo.”

“Ethel Osborn, the talented Sydney soprano, is to be given a great chance in London by Dame Clara Butt and Mr. Kennerloy Rumford. She will sing at a concert to be given by the two famous singers.

'Studio authority predicts that "The R,ag Man," Jackie Ooogan’s next picture, will' be a great success-. In it Jackie plays the most appealing role ot 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 Oitv. 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 m the home of a collector of old clothes. Thus rag man 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 rag man to collect old, clothes, calls, in the course of liis rounds, at the home of tlie broker/ who has grown rich on the rag man’s inventions, and is inadvertently, given an old suit containing letters which incriminate the broker and establish the legal rights of the ruined inventor. The film, ends happily-

A tribute to the quality of stage productions offered to the public in .Australia and New Zealand is paid by Mr. Walter Fuller, late of Wellington. "The longer I a,nr here," he states, "the more I am convinced that the Australian and New Zealand playgoers are wonderfully served by their theatrical entrepreneurs. With very few exceptions, the shows seen in our part of the world are better than the average show seen here. This may be a sweeping statement to make, but- I am on the spot here, and I am also pretty conversant with what is done in New Zealand. I should be competent to speak with some authority.

Ruth Clifford plays one of the two feminine leads in ‘‘The Storm Breaker,” which is to be screened here shortly. Miss Clifford, who is rapidly becoming one of the screen’s most popular actresses, won the role after film tests of more than 50 players had been made. House Peters is the male lead, and others in the cast are Nina Romano, Ray Hallor. Emmett. King, Lionel Belmore, and Gertrude Claire. New Zealand has far better picture theatres than Australia, according to Mr. K. L. (Snowy) Baker, the wellknown Australian athlete and cinema actor. In a contribution to a Sydney theatrical journal lie says: ‘‘While New' Zealanders are more British than the English, many of their business methods arp Americanised. It is apparent, too, that the New Zealander admires the American. But it is the theatres which ihipressed me so much —impressed ine because, having just come from Australia, 1 found the Dominion houses of entertainment ever so much brighter and better.”

Riding a bucking broncho is simple for Tom Mix, but Tiding a bucking motor-cycle is different. In “My Own Pill.” which the modern Buffalo Bill is now filming on Fox Film’s lot in Hollywood, he appears as a mounted policeman. Part of the time he rides Tony, but. in one scene Tom mounted a motorcycle and dashed in pursuit of a criminal. He came along the road toward the cameras at breakneck speed. When he tried to stop, the throttle stuck, the motor-cycle skidded and crashed into the big oak at the side of the road. Aside from minor bruises, Tom escaped uninjured —but oue motor-cycle went into the discard. Tom would sooner ride Tony!

“Niougii,” a new film shown recently in London, is entirely out. of the ordinary. It is a drama enacted by African natives. The stars of Nionga were rehearsed and directed by two Jesuit missionaries in the Tanganyika Territory, and the simple story the film tells is well in keeping with the primitive life df the actors. Quite unlike travel films, in which natives are always merely natives, the negro actors in “Nionga” are revealed to us, rather alarmingly, as men and women with feelings very like, and behaviour rather unlike our own. The picture is easily the most sensational revelation of iife in a strange corner since “Nanook of the North.”

Carl Laemmle, president of Universal Pictures Corporation, is enthusiastic over “The Still Alarm,” which he ordered booked for an early release. “The Still Alarm” is a screen adaptation of the famous old stage play of the same name. Beginning in the days of the horse-drawn fire-lighting apparatus, it gradually becomes modernised and finishes with the present motorised fire department. “It is without a doubt the greatest fire picture I have ever seen,” was Laemmle’s comment after viewing the spectacular production. “It is the only fire picture with two smashing fire scenes in it.. It has everything about a big fire that thrills —galloping horses, roaring motors, excellent comedy.” “The Still Alarm” crumbling buildings and heroic rescues. Through it all runs tender romance and was directed by Edward Laemmle.

PEOPLE, PLAYS AND PICTURES

George Gee and Josie Melville havo been appearing in open-air shows in youth Australia. The musical comedy stage in Australia seems a bit crowded at present.

The story of a girl bandit leader and the love she (discovers for one of her prospective victims, makes a story of unusual appeal in ‘‘The Outlaw’s Daughter,” a jjinvcrsal Western attraction to be seen shortly. Josie Sedgwick plays the lead.

Something altogether new in motion pictures, and tremendously gripping, is “The Last Laugh,” produced by “U.F.A.,” and to be released by Master Pictures. Among “The Last Laugh’s” unique distinctions are that it has no sub-titles, and that it is perhaps the first important picture ever made that required .no cutting.

Yitagraph's adaptation of James Oliver Curwood’s “Baree, Son of Kazan,” brings back Anita Stewart to the screen again.

Dorothy Canfield is acknowledged as one of the most successful domestic writers of the day. Her greatest story, “The Home Maker,” has been adapted fur the screen under the same title, and produced by Universal. It is announced for early release in New Zealand.

A notin'!- forthcoming .T. C. Williamson attraction will bo the first appearance iir. Australia of the American star, Rene Carpen. in “The Seventh Heaven,” by Tustin Strong. This is a play the action of which, takes place in Paris. The characters are typically Parisian, and the story is vivid, emotional, ami realistic. A special company will support the star, who has been playing the leading role for the past twelve months.

“The Only Way” (First National), in an ambitious British production in which Sir Martin Harvey brings to the screen the play in which he has satisfied and thrilled London audiences for sf> many years. It is, of course, the “Tale of Two Cities,” but its freshness and novelty of treatment make it a stepping-stone to more great successes by English producers.

A unique musical pact was concluded in London last month. After seven years of continuous association the members of the well-known Lener String Quartet, a party of four Hungarian musicians, have entered into a written agreement never to perform separately either on the concert platform, for the gramophone, or at private functions as long as they live. “The pact is not just a romantic whim,” said Mr Lener, the leader, “but a serious attempt to advance the cause of the finest music. Chamber music demands more perfect unity in its players than any other, and this can he achieved only by the devotion and combined study of a lifetime. Hence we hare decided never to part or to diffuse our energies in any way whatever.”

Miss Marie Nev, the New Zealand actress, was at latest_ playing in the revival of Mr Granville-Barker’s fine four-act, comedy, ‘‘The Madras House,” at the Ambassador’s _ Theatre. Miss Ney lately appeared in a little-known 18th century play by Reynolds, “The Dramatists,” which was put on at the London College Theatre. She is becoming known, too, as a- successful producer, one of her experiences in this country being the production of a oneact nlny for the Pioneer Club Dramatic Circle in celebration of Founder’s Day. She has also undertaken to produce a Ben Johnson play for the Graystoke ex-Students’ Club, so her time is fairly fully occupied.

In a recent issue the London Times, referring to the departure of Pavlova for a season in South Africa prior to her appearance with her complete company in Australia, said that it was something of n revelation to find that in a country like Russia, where the civilised arts and sciences are supposed to make slow headway, the art of the dancer has reached its apotheosis. It is surprising to learn that to Russia, more than to any other country, the theatre owes the preservation of the Italian school of dancing—the “classical” school—in its original purity. "While there are such exponents of the art as Anna Pavlova, said the Times, the classical school will still hold its own in stage displays. Pavlova is co r 'tainly the greatest dancer in the world. London has never seen anything more dainty and graceful than the pas de deux, which she danced with her partner, and the miniature, ballet, in which all the coryphees were first dancers from the Russian Imperial Theatre, was a revelation in spectacular dance displays. Pavlova and her company will make their first appearance in Australia at His Majesty’s Theatre. Melbourne, early this year. The season will he a brief one.

One of the sensations of the J. C. Williamson “Aladdin” pantomime at His Maieistv’s Theatre. Melbourne, is the gymnastic specialty performed by the Twelve Wonderful Williamson Girls. This is done on what is described as the webbing, up which the girls climb arid disport themselves in various graceful ncees and agile feats to the delight and amazement of the audience. Wnhne Shuska. the Indian princess. who nnpeared as solo dancer in the T C. Williamson production of “Kid Roots.” trained the girls. Jennie Ren son .the English nrincinal hoy of “Maddin.” said the other day that if these 12 girls were to nresent this snccialfv in London. Paris or New York, they would create an absolute sensation. The specialty is performed without netting underneath. and at times the girls swing out over the audience.

Peri’s “Euridice” (16001 is generally considered the first of all operas, hut “Orfen” is the first really important one. How did the music of this revolutionary Monteverde. this Father of Discord, strike ns° Tt sounded curiously fresh and vivid. It was more like Purcell (ban anything else English audiences know. We were held hv the true and telling accents of the recitatives : hv the fresh tunefulness of the choruses; and liy the surprisingly pictnresdne interpretation of the or-chest’-a. The recitatives in particular proved Monteverde to he still a living master nf music. The Oxford enthusiasts deserve high credit for rediscovering his surprising genius. Oxford had faced the resnonsibih’ties of the revival with proper thoroughness. Dissatisfied with modern German. French and Italian editions of the old masterniece, Mr T. A. Westrnpp I'Balliol) and Dr. W. TT. Harris (New College) nrenared a new “realisation” of the score for +he occasion, with a translation hv Mr R. L. .Stuart.