ENTERTAINMENTS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 2 August 1928, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS.

OPERA HOUSE.

SORRELL AND SON.

A SCREEN CLASSIC.

The Opera House was crowded last night when the second screening of Warwick Deeping’s famous novel, ‘‘Sorrell and Son,” met with enthusiastic applause. When the book was written it was acclaimed a masterpiece and the writer’s most popular story. The film adaptation is no less a success. Powerful in theme, and with picturesque English settings, the .picture has been handled in a masterly fashion by the producer, Mr. Herbert Brenon. The story is based on wonderful father love and son devotion, a story of England during the post-war period, when heroes came homo to find their jobs taken, and were faced with the necessity of accepting the most menial tasks to support themselves and their families. Captain Stephen Sorrell was one of these heroes; not only was his billet gone, but his wife had deserted him for a wealthy profiteer. _ Sorrell grasps at a chance of a position with an antique dealer in an English village. He arrives. with his son, only to find the- dealer dead. Sorrell contemplates giving up altogether, but the thought of the boy and his unbounded faith in him nerves Sorrell to take a job as a man of all work in a shabby hotel. Here he endures terrible tortures. A gleam of promise oomes when Thomas Boland, an hotel prospector, engages him as second porter at a new place he has just opened. Here, again, he suffers from the brutal bullying of the head porter. Later, Sorrell is appointed as head porter. Mr. Roland gets Kit into one of the best English schools, but his father’s position becomes known arid he is forced to leave. Following this cruel blow, Sorrell is appointed as manager of the hotel. Kit studies medicine, and under the tutoring of an eminent doctor he becomes a no'fed surgeon. Kit’s lifelong friendship with Roland’s daughter, Molly, develops into love, and Sorrell’s declining days are made happy by. their marriage. Sorrell is stricken with a deadly illness, and Kit returns home in time to ease- his father’s suffering. The older man dies, blessed in the thought that his life’s struggle was worth while. H. B. Warner, who plays the part of the father, gives a wonderful portrayal. The supporting caste is splendid, and an equal share of credit is due to Anna Q. Nilsson Alice Joyce, Carmel Myers, Nil's Asth’er, Norman Trevor, and Micky Mcßan The latter, who plays, the part of Eat in his boyhood days, gives a talented exhibition of acting. The programme will be repeated again this evening and to-morrow night.

GRAND THEATRE, TO-NIGHT. FINAL SCREENING OF “TWO FLAMING YOUTHS. Two old boys with young ideais! Thait’s the ideal of “Two Flaming Youths,” the first vehicle. Paramount selected for its new comedy team —W. C. Fields and Chester Conklin —which opened at the Grand Theatre last evening. Fields is seen as the owner of a fast-failing sideshow which staggers into the little Kansas town, of Arbosa, where Conklin is s lie riff. Conklin has for iseveral yoars considered himself engaged to *,lie town’s most attractive “old girl,” the widow Madge SMalarkey, played by Cissy Fitz-Gerald. But Fields gets the idea of marrying the widow, and, ’he two youths flame ambitiously in front of the window in ths fend for her hand. M-ary Bran and Jack Luden carry the romantic loads, the former as Field’s daughter, and the latter as Cnklin’s son. John Waters -directed.

Thene is an excellent ,supporting programme, which includes- News Reel, Bray Cartoon, scenic and comedy. The programme will be finally screcijed this evening.

“LEAGUE OF REVUE

GREAT MODERN ATTRACTION

There is a perfect balance of edy and music in the “League of Notions” to be presented at the Opera House oh Tuesday next by John Fuller and Sons, Ltd., headed by. Mike Connors, Queenie. Paul, and Syd Beck, who will set the. feet a-tapping. Some of the most popular songs already thoroughly well known to. us will bring a new significance, after hearing them sung by the artistic duo, Queenie Paul , and Mike Connors, who have an entirely .different way of rendering the favourite tunes. This is said to be easily the best revue company we have had for manyy ears. Syd Beck, the Australian comedian, who is making his New Zealand debut, has jumped instantaneously into popular favour. His facial expressions are so telling that it is unnecessary for him to speak or sing, to have the audience in roars of laughter. One of the chief attrac- ' tions of the new company is Linn Smith’s Jazz Band, which, besides contributing jazz specialties and blending popular harmonies, will accompany several of the singers. The Exquisite Six is a most talented ballet, and several ensembles are features of this wonderful company. With sketch s, dancing .specialties, and incidental humorous items, the whole presentation should prove a very diverting one.