STAGE AND SCREEN

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 2 June 1928, Page 18

STAGE AND SCREEN

PICTURES, PLAYS t AND PEOPLE

OPERA HOUSE. To-night — “The Road to Romance ’’ (Ramon Novarro); M etro - Gold wyn-Mayer Films. June 4 “Won in the Cloud's” (Al. Wilson); Universal Films. June (i/7 — “Hotel Imperial” (Pola Negri); Paramount Films. June 8— “Adam and Evil” (Lew Cody); Afetro-Goldwyn-Ataycr. June 9 “Wolf Fangs” (Thunder the Dog); Fox Films.

GRAND THEATRE To-night — i “Ladies Afus't Dress,” Fox Films. J une 5 “Won in the Clouds” (Al Wilson), Universal Films. t . .Tune <5 and 7 “She’s A Sheik” (Bobo Daniels), Paramount Films. June 9- — “Adam and Evil” (Dew Cody), Af<;fro-Gnld wyn-Aflayer; also show- ■ jug “Whispering Smith Rides.”

COMTIIG ATTRACTIONS

June 13, 14 and 15 — “The Merry Widow” (Metro-Gold wyn-Alayer Super Special), June 20, 21, and 22 — “'.Mother MeChree” (Fox Special). .Tune 27 Fuller ’s Musical ‘Comedy Company. July 4 and 5

“The Rough Riders” - (Paramount •Special). July 7 ~ „ . “The Triumph of the bat (vox Special). June 9, 10, and 11 “On Your Toes” (R<*g. Dennv), Universal Super.

“Ad'am and Evil” is the first of the brilliant comedies AI-'G-M is producing for 1928 with Lew ‘Cody and Alleen Pringle /co-starred. Lew pody .has been forced to the fro nit rank oi ’sophisticated. fun-makers, and is now the acknowledged leader of them all. Alicea Pringle is a lady of amazing versatility; she has beauty, dash and verve. Above all she bias a seiise of humour. “Adam and Evil,” the first co-starring Codv-Pringle vehicle, is a riot of matrimonial 'mix-ups. Tt i's the snappy story of a scrappily married couple, a persistent blonde and a brother from Brazil. _

A truly cosmopolitan cast was assembled 'bv ‘Director Paul Lcni in filming “The ’Chinese Parrot,” the UniversalJewel. England, Austria, Germany, Finland, Japan and the United States are represented 'by the all star assemblage of popular screen players, which includes Marian Nixon, Ho'b'ar.t Bosworth, Edmund Burns, Florence Turner, Capt. -Conti, George Kuwa, Anna May Wong, Etta Lee, Slim Summerville, Dan Mason, Fred Esmelton, and Edgar Kennedy. “The Chinese Parrot” is Paul Leni’s first production since his previous mystery drama “The Cat and the Canary.”

Some of the most unusual war scenes ever filmed are shown in Tola Negri’s current Paramount production “Hotel Imperial,” ■which opens,at. the Opera House on Wednesday next. In this drama of love, War and intrigue, Which gives Pola the finest vehicle of her career, greater oven than “Passion,” an entirely new conception of drama has been combined with the nrost extraordinary camera technique ever used. Having"as its fundamental purpose the portrayal of the reactions of war upon individuals, the. battlefields are suggested rather than pictured. Through the unusual methods employed, Erich Bcmmer, former head of Ufa, has given a swift mental picture of the inferno of conflict, with a sweep of limitless lighting fronts..that leaves an indelible impression—one that -is retained throughout the dynamic drama. As o result, “ Hotel Imperial” is unlike any war picture ever attempted. In the cast supporting. Miss Negri are Janies Hall, Paramount.’s sensational now loading man, George Siegmann, O.tto Fries, Max Davidson. Nicholas Soussanin Michael Vaviteh. Mauriitz Stiller directed.

“Thunder.” who through one picture achieved an enviable place for himself in the canine screen world, sets aiiotho record in “Wolf Fangs,’ - the Fox. Films production which will be shewn at the Opera House on Saturday next. Thunder through his almost Humanly intelligent reactions 'helped materially to place “Wings of the Storm ” his first starring picture at the top pf the list of pictures selected by the American Federation of Women’s Clubs last year. According to advance reports “Wolf Pangs” will add another success t'o His .credit. Lew Seiler directed (be production, the exteriors of which were filmed in the almost unbelievable beauties of :Mt. Baker National Park an Oregon. Charles Morton, James Gordon, Caryl Lincoln, and Frank llice enacted the human stiory which parallels the dog story in the pic. lure.

Bcbe Daniels next makes her bow before the world in sheik’s garb. Travis Baiiiton, head fashion designer for Paramount ’s .Hollywood Studio, planned the costumes the versatile star wears in her new picture ‘ “She’s a Sheik. ’’■ The male sheiks of (the desert who have caused so many feminine hearts to flutter can’t compare with Be.be, B'anton states. She has an advantage in -that she wears 'both 'feminine and male attire. In other words she is not only a sheik, but also a sheikess. The feminine garments are exotic ‘and entrancing. The sheik’s outfit is said to .live up to the best traditions of the desert screen hc-ro.

Gleen Tryon, 'with Patsy Ruth Miller is starred in the Universal production “A Hero for a Night,” and is fast becoming known as one of the screen’s greatest comedians. He -was first in musical comedy and (then >in one-reel comedies before he was signed by Universal for feature productions. He scared a big success with his last supercomedy “Painting the- Town.” “The Rawhide Kid,” one of Hoot Gibstm’s latest and best Universal films, is a distinct departure from the stereotyped, ride’m - end gun’m .melodrama, tho comic side of the land as cactus, cattle and cowboys being interspersed in a wholesome Western istory. The rib-

tickling comedy relief is furnished by Harry Todd, with Frank Ftagney in the heavy role pursuing his reluctant lady love in the charming person of Georgia Hale. Others in the oast are William H. Strauss and Tom Lingham. The picture was directed by Del Andrews.

Lovers of stirring, colourful romance have a. treat- in store' when “The Road, to Romance,” Ramon Novarro’s next picture to “Ben Hur,” will be screened. Based on the. famous story, “Romance,” by Joseph Conrad and' Ford Maddox Heuffer, the picture version is faultless a—picturesque, thrilling, and romantic piece of entertainment. The happy combination of Conrad and Nova no affords much opportunity for Metro-Goldwvn-Mayer’s modern standards of production, and an absorbing story is presented with unforgettable realism. The many who will want to see the hero of “Ben Hur” again will see him at his very best-, sunnorted by many brilliant artists. Roy D‘Arey i.s a -particularly suave villain, and Marceline Day -is ideal as the heroine. Mare McDermott and Jules Cowles also anpear to o-ood effect. John- S. Rolwtson, the. director of “The Rond to Romance.” deserves much praise for a memorable picture. One of the most delightful comedy romances of the present season is 'the Fox Film’s production “Ladies Must Dress,’"’ screening at the Grand -tonight. The story centres about the affairs o'f five people in a ‘big department store and ineidentnlv of a girl who won her sweetheart with her economical ways and nearly lost, him by her dowdy drossing. “Ladies .Must Dress” is said to ho a delgilitful and entertaining picture and is beat described ns a lesson in laughs. Miss Virginia Valli as a stenographer acquits herself most cvcditablv in a very difficult role. Gir Benjamin and John Fuller’s Lon. den Musical Comedy 'Company opened n three weeks’ session at His Majesty’s Theatre. Dunedin, on May 19. Capacity business' has almost continuously followed the company so far, and there is every reason to expect the same results will obtain throughout the whole period of the New Zealand tour. A conpmy with the “goods” and -the artists sorely can .meet with nothing but success. The Tlhwora season commences on. June 27.