ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 27, 31 December 1925, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

KOSY. “WIZARD OF OZ” AND “THE BURNING TRAIL.” Chadwick Pictures Corporation screen version of the famous fantastic spectacle, L. Frank Baum’s “Wizard of Oz,” is showing at tho Kosy Theatre tio-night. The screen’s greatest eccentric comedian, Larry Semon, portrays the role of the “Scarecrow,” and it is said that Mr Semon’s characterisation is ono of the most rcmarkablo portrayals ever given in motion pictures. The star, however, dioes not carry all tho honours of tho production, 'a steallar cast, including tho names of such sterling screen favourites as Bryant Washburn, Charlie Murray, Virginia Pearson, Dorothy Dwan, Mary Carr. A genial, itinerant tramp, wandering from ranch to ranch, working hero and there, and happy always, suddenly found himself in tho midst of a bitter war between sheep ar.jl cattle ranchers, with the war affecting the courtship of the girl he loved. That is tho beginning of William Desmond’s latest starring Blue Streak Western, “Tho Burning Trail.”

PALACE THEATRE “THREE~WEEIvS.” A new motion picturo which should rank right at the top, with tho best that tho industry affords, is Goldwyn’s screen version of Elinor Glyn’s sensational novel, “Three Weeks,” whicli will be seen tonight at tho Palace Theatre. Mi’s Glyn has given the public her word that she is entirely satisfied with tho picturo and, judging from the impression it mado upon tho audiences at tho Wellington theatres, tho public at largo is going to be thoroughly satisfied with it, too. The story of “Three Weeks” recounts the lovo romance that came to the Queen of Sardalia and the young Englishman, Paul Verdaync. Tho Queen dies at tho hands of her dissoluto husband, but Paul, her lover, through his deep and enduring- aifection for her, mado of his lifo a monu--ment to her character and her influence. Tho story is told in tho photoplay with a wealth of detail and a vividness of acting which will insure tho screen version a wido popularity.

A REMARKABLE PICTURE. “THE WHITE SISTER.” Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s electric motion picturo success, “Tho White Sister,” which opened the new Majestic Theatre at Auckland, and is still screening to crowded houses duily and nightly, and which will bo the big special New Year attraction at the Do Luxe Theatre, Wellington, will begin its Palmerston North season at tho Palace Theatre on Monday next at the matinee af 2 . o’clock. During tho three weeks’ run of this picture at Christchurch tho Lyttelton Times wrote: “To-day the vogue of realism dominates all tilings; and not the least of these is acting. Yet there are still some among the great and the near-great, who believe in idealistic portrayals. However, the superb acting in the wonderful Mctro-Coldwyn classic, “The White Sister,” featuring Lilian Gish, America’s greatest screen actress, and Roland Coleman, tho dashing, handsomo young Englishman, who threatens tio outstrip the popular Rudolph Valentino, literally carried away the hundreds who saw it at the Liberty Theatre, when it was screened in Christchurch for tho first time. Artistically, and in every other, way, ‘The White Sister” is, without exception, the finest picture of its kind ever screend in this city'. It is an epic of tho screen; it fills eleven reels. Directed by the master-direc-tor, Henry King, “The White Sister” has been adapted to tho screen from the wide-ly-read and famous novel of the same name by F. Marion Crawford, and it glorifies and magnifies the unquestionable charm and art of tho demure Lilian Gish. She is the only ono who could have carried the noble traditions of the greatest personalities of the speaking stage to the silver sheet as she does in “The White Sister.” Alone, she literally made “The Birth of a Nation,” “Orphans of the Storm,” and “Way Down East”—never-to-be-forgotten masterpieces all. Briefly, it is a love romance, beautifully sad. It possesses a striking spiritual quality, which not only lends to the picture a pronounced and obvious distinction, but which also proves to be very effective in that it leaves sweet memories.

OPERA HOUSE. CROWDED HOUSES SEE “THE GOLD RUSH.” Tho Alaska of tho days of the Klondike gold rush; the lone prospectior; miners, Dig and little and old and young; dancehulls and dance-hall girls and hangers-on; mining camp types of all softs; assayers; ships’ officers und crews; incoming and outgoing passengers; newspaper correspondents and photographers—this is the locale and these are the people pictured in Charlie Chaplin’s new motion-picture comedy, “The Gold Rush,” which is admitted by everyone to be the greatest of all Chaplin’s comedies. “The Gold Rush,” a United Artists’ special attraction, has been shown for tho last four nights at tho Opera House to crowded attendances and will be shiown to-night and to-morrow night with a special holiday matineo tomorrow at 2.30, when Miss Hancock’s orchestra will be in attendance. The picture is in nine reels, and photoplay experts declare the ninth has more laughs in it than tho first, and that the first is better than uny previous Chaplin laugh producer.

PARAMOUNT, ' ' “A KISS IN THE DARK.” Tho story of “A Kiss in the Dark,” the current attraction at the Paramount, shows that Walter Grenharn (Adolphe Menjiou) of Havana and New York, is anxious to put his past behind him and take up the future with the one lady cf his heurt, Janet Livingstone chides him about the affection which Betty, wife of Johnny King, showers upon him. However, she agrees to accept his attentions as serious and propnres to sail from Havana to New York with the Kings. Betty misses the beat but is not displeased with this turn of events, anticipating a pleasant evening with Grenharn. Here she is with Grenham just after the engaging young man had advised her husband to shoot the next man ho catches making love to her. A Cuban moon, soft music and the beautiful Betty annihilate Gronham’s will power and he succumbs to “a kiss in the dark.” The rest of the story shows how everything works out satisfactorily. Grenham and Janet aro free to seal their betrothal in the acccpteil fashion.