STAGE and SCREEN

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 6 October 1928, Page 18

STAGE and SCREEN

PICTURES, PLAYS and PEOPLE

OPEKA HOUSE. To-night—-“Whv 'Sailors Go Wrong” and “ Tin l Frontiersman. ’ ! October S—“Stop That Man” and “Southern 'Cross Flight.’' October 10/11 — “The Gaueho.” Douglas Fairbanks. October .1.2/13 ‘‘The 'Latest From Paris,” Norma Shea res.

GRAND THEATRE. To-night — “The Frontiersman, ’’ Tun McCoy (Metro-Gold wv n - Ma ye r). October 9 “ Stop 'That Man" and “Southern Gross Flight.’’ October 10/11 “The Secret Hour,” Polar Negri (Paramount Films). October 13 — “The Gateway o'f the M-oon,” Dolores Del Rio (Fox Films).

COMING ATTRACTIONS.

•October 10/17/IS/10 — j “The King of Kings.’’ October 19/20 — “The I-biehn ristie 'Congress. ’ ’ !

October 29/30/31 “Tlu> Heart of a Xat.icn. ” October 31 and November .1— “The Magic. Flame.”

The Fox production, ‘/.7th -Heaven,” lias been rebooked for local screening for one night only, ’Monday, November 5. Lions, o loacus, elephants, acrobats, ax e throwers, and all the gay panoply of the circus are coming to the Grand Theatre in A 1 'Christie’s tremendous new production of circuses—and wars, “Tillie’s Punctured Romance.” For this is the one circus in the world that would ever think of going to France to entertain. With the ringmaster, W. (’. Fields and the owner, -Chester Conklin, and Tillie herself, Louise Fazenda all the bright and colourful people under the big- top are conveyed across where they get caught in a draft which blows them, int-o the wrong army. Th e first street car that operated in Los Angeles was used in the filming of “Stop That. Alan,” the Universal production. The antique conveyance was borrowed from the -street car company that used it in the late nineties. An old ear barn where the street car used to lie “parked” was also used in some of the scenes. Arthur Lake and Barbara Kent enact the leading roles in this, their first -picture .together. .An added attraction will be the arrival of the Southern Cross at Christchurch.

It is announced that Fox Filins will soon be showing “The Gateway of the Moon ’ ’ with 'Dolores Del Rio. This story deals with white men’s efforts of "building a railroad, through the jungle at a ruthless cost to native life and happiness. Gillespie, the chief engineer. played by Anders Randolf, is a brute hated -and- feared by his white and native workers alike. Toni, bis niece, piayed by Dolores Del Rio, is the only one who doesn’t fear or -hate him. But with the coming of Arthur Wyatt, played by Walter Pidgcon, she begins to recognise her uncle’s evil nature, and is willing to help Wyatt. There is splendid action,.suspense, and v humour in this picture, the humour being mainly provided by Ted McNamara, the comedian -of “What -Price Glorv” and “The 'Gav 'Retreat.”

Dorothy Gish is to make her appearance on- the stage in a play called “ l oung Love,” the author of which is Ramson Raphaclson, who wrote “The Jazz Ringer,” which has .proved one

of the big successes in America on the stage and the screen. James Rennie, who Was married to Dorothy Gish at the same time Constance Talmadge married the Greek Piatoglou, is in the cast of “Young Love.”

Cecil B. do Malle’s great picturisation of tlie life and works of Jesus of Nazareth. “ The King of Kings,” commences a four-night season at the Opera He,use, Tuesday, October 16. Probably no other motion picture production has attracted the attention of the clergy, the press and the public to the extent that this film has done'. In the words of a New York reviewer: ‘‘Only the 1 genius of Mr cle Mi Me lias made this infinitely beautiful spectacle possible l . To me it seems a triumphant achievement, a most satisfactory -treatment c.f a subject colossal in content, ; and to the average spectator baffling in contemplation. Dp Mi lie has lent to the camera one of its most brilliant chapters. The works and mission of Christ are as not revealed by word or hand of man ‘before. The beauty of dramatic movement is amazing. Masterpieces are quickened into life. For beauty of photography ‘The King -of Kings ’ is superb. As a visual study of the life of Christ it is accurate andean offend no one. It is one of the few'monuments on the highroad to the citadel of motion picture art.” The producer has spared no effort or expense to make the technical side -of the picture, worthy of the august nature of the theme, and in “The King of Kings” are to be seen some of his best achievements. The views of the temple and its festival crowds, for instance, are calculated to give to everyone a new conception of the -splendour of that glorious edifice. With a right feeling that will generally commend itself tin 1 actors in this great production are all remaining anonymous. ‘One I who is outstandingly successful filllsj the part of the crafty Vuiaphas, and with l-ar-e skill invests it with the arrogance, (he cunning- and the venomous hatred , that, is traditionally associated with the name. The portrayal of Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor, w-.. 0 just failed to achieve greatness in place of everlasting infamy, is another piece of characterisation that will live in the memory. A most interestiuo- film arrived in Xew Zealand by th ( > TJlimaroa recently, li is the official motion picture of the 29th International Eucharistic, 'Congress at, Sydney. Three thousand feet in length, the film illustrates thy history of ‘St. 'Mary’s Cathedral. Other items of interest are illustrations of Archbishop Kelly, Host of the congress. harbour reception to the Papal Legate, Cardinal .Bona venture Cerretti, the opening of the cathedral, procession, children’s and women’s mass, garden party at ‘St. John’s College, solemn P-ontiffcia-1 High Mass at St. Patrick’s College, Manly. the scenes of the procession leaving Manly and on the harbour, the pageant of splendour in the city, solemn benediction at the cathedral and views of splendour in the interior of the great cathedral are recorded by this, the only official motion picture record of the four days’ Eucharistic Congress. This] film will be shown locally October 19 and 20.

The promised production in New Zealand of Somerset Maughan’s famous comedy “Caroline,” by the members of the V-anbrugh-Boucicault Company has caused general satisfaction. “Caroline” bubbles over with high spirit, and is generously furnished with witty lines. In the hahds of Irene Vanbrugh, Dion Boucicault, Norman McKinnel and. the talented members of -the company, it is described as a. “sheer joy.” Cairoline Ashby is one of Irene Vanbrugh’s most notable roles. She played it with great success after her return from Australia and New Zealand, and her splendid acting was acclaimed by the London Press. One critic said that Mis-s Vanbrugh seemed to pounce on a situation with the speed of a racehorse. The variety of her expressions is remarkable. She can do more with a turn of the eyes it-han multitudes of actresses can do with their entire bodies.

The name of Douglas Fairbanks has now come to ho associated with thrilling adventure and -stirring feats of arms', and in “The Gaudio,” his latest production, which will commence its season at the Opera House, Wednesday ni?xt, he has anoitlher role of pile type which has brought him wide popularity, that of- an adventurous bandit chief in the Andes. At the head of his band of “gaucho*.” or .ureters of the pampas, he is said to give the most outstanding characterisation of his career. At the opening of the picture tit© riders ctoss the mountains and occupy a stately shrine city whose wealth is the prey of the cruel usurper of the country. A madcap mountain .’.ass, thrilled by the notoriety of the gaaioho chief, dins him ■' , ii route. News of the outlaw’s piesencc reaches the usurper, who- i nis a price upon his head.

A. hear/, if id gi.nl of the shrine, whose healing as a child brought fame to the place .stirs the heart of the out law: the jealous mountain girt betrays him to the coniimaiuiante, who has p aced his garrison in the city by the usurper’s orders. A treacherous gaucho lieutenant dismisses the band on a false message, and the mit’aw is captured. Witnessing his 011,119. -at the shrine from, the touch of a plague-stricken beggar, the mountain girl understands “the girl of tbe miracle” for the first time, and too late tries to prevent the arrest. She "‘•des off to bring the gaucho band to the rescue. From that point onward the story proceeds through a- series of highly-ex citing situations to a. -satisfactory ending. The part of the mountain girl i® played by Lupe Virtez who is said to give a remarkable portrayal.