ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 173, 23 June 1926, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

Paramount. ELAINE HAMMERSTEIN THRILLER. “Drums of Jeopardy,” the outstanding picturiaation of Harold MacGrath’3 popular novel, concludes its local soason at the Paramount Thoatro to-night. The “drums of jeopardy” are in reality tho two finest emeralds in tho world and get their name from tho fact that they are set as drum-heads in two drums which are hold between tho knees of two squatting Hindu figures. Tlioro is a legend that these two emeralds, when hold to the oars, will echo tho rumpity-tump-tump of a beaton drurn t and that then always something tragio will happen. Tho story opens in tho atmosphere of a Russian castle where the jewels are recovered by thoir rightful owner —tho young prince of a Rus. sian house. He is tracked to the now world, to .Now York, whero his adventures are entwined with' a beautiful American girl, the daughter of the great banker, in whoso care ho has placed tho jewels. Through a series of thrilling episodes, the romanco weaves its way to final love triumphant—but not until a mysterious murder, and two strango disappearances are solved. The dainty and winsomo Elaine Hammerstein is the star and is supported by _ players who are. in reality stars in their own right—Wallace Beery, Jack Mulhall, David Torrence and Eric Mayne, THOMAS MEIGI-lAN PICTURE TO-MORROW. “Meighan’s back in town” is about all need be said to assure picture fans that there’s something really worth while in the line of screen entertainment at the Paramount Theatre to-morrow. “The Man Who Found Himself,” Meighan’s latest, ri an original for tho screen by Booth Tarkington—a pleasing romanticdrama against a prison background. Alfred E. Green, who mado “Rack Homo and Broko” and “Tho Bachelor Daddy,” directed. Virginia V'alli is tho leading woman. As Tom Macauley, son of the president of a small town bank Tom has his own idoas of doing business. His fathor, and so does everyone else, behoves he’s only wasting his time stepping around with tho “high hat” society crowd. In reality, Tom has brought some big ac-. counts to tho bank through this association. One day a shortage is discovered, and Lon Morris, Tom’s business and social rival, makes a report to tho bank examiners. The result is that Tom is sent to Sing Sing for two years just because his younger brother, who borrowed the money to cover up some losses in Wall street, will not come out and confess. KOSY. A BRIGHT PROGRAMME. Tho management of tho Kosy Theatre hae provided bright movie fare for its patrons. “Stepping Lively,” a Master picture, taps tho vein of drama entirely now in tho history of detective stories on the screen, and provides its athletic young star with one of the best opportunities of his career, of which Mr Talmadge takes full advantage. Mildred Harris and a largo cast of capable players support tho star. Comedy as well as romance and mystery has been interjected into the story, through the medium of a "fat-headed” detective, who leavens tho drama with plenty of laughs. “Zander the Great,” tho famous success which has been adapted to tho screen by Frances Marion, and which stars Marion Davies in a modern role, is also at the Kosy. Seldom has Miss Davies been so admirably cast as in the role of tho whimsical yet humorous Irish heroine of “Zander the Great.” Tho quick-moving story keeps pace with tho daring doings of_ mysterious ranchers, bandits and moonshiners who clash in the sweeping spaces of the Mojave Desert, Arizona. With Harrison Ford. Holbrook Blinn, HobartBosworth, Harry Myers and others in tho cast, “Zander the Great” is carriod along dramatically with many humorous touches to relieve its intensity. PALACE. “THE MAN ON THE BOX.” If laughter is a sign of joy, Palmerston North must surely bo the most joyous community in tho Dominion, for tho sounds of hilarity coming from the massed audience at the Palace Theatre last evening were almost incredible. Ninety minutes of pure and unalloyed fun and frolic, with a spice of adventure and some romance thrown in for good measure. This was tho nature of tho fare provided by the management of the popular theatre, and the size and enthusiasm of the audience were the best indication of tho quality of the picture. Sydney Chaplin is nothing if not entertaining—he cannot attempt anything at all without raising a hearty I laugh amongst the folks whb are watching his mo3t extraordinary tactics. When he takes tho part of a ladies’ maid 110 is in tho place where ho can bring to bear all tho best and wittiest of his many laugh bringers, so that patrons of the Palace may rely on getting their money’s worth and more. The supporting programme is of high quality, and tho music is up to the high Palace standard as usual. OPERA HOUSE. “ALIMONY.” A picture with a startling story and a wonderfully dramatic climax makes its appearance at the Opera House to-night. It is entitled “Alimony,” and reveals something of the callousness of parties to modern matrimony in America when the accumulation of wealth becomes their chief desire in' life. In this case a devoted husband suddenly becomes wealthy through his discovory of a process for refining crude oils and the promoters of the controlling company bring him into a new world, where he meets many attractive women. He wanders through a maze of extravagant entertainments which almost bewilder him, and tho care-free sot ho is associated with brings domestic trouble which is far reaching. He divorces his faithful wife and pursues his whirlwind existence until a crash comes. Tho film affords many glimpses of life as it is lived in the great American cities to-day and includes jazz parties, bathing excursions and yachting parties on a magnificent scale. Warner Baxter and Grace Darmond appear to advantage in an all star cast. A comedy and topical will bo shown in support-, with the Opera House orchestra to play the incidental music. DON COSSACK CHOIR. TREMENDOUS SUCCESS. The box plan for tho one concert to be given by tho historic Don Cossack Choir in tho Palmorston North Opera House on Friday next, under tho direction of Mr E. J. Carroll, is on view at tho Opera House booking offico, and it behoves all those who are desirous of hearing this wonderful Russian choir to make early applications for seats. At Sydney and Melbourne huge crowds thronged the booking offices daily and tho accommodation was usually booked out beforo evening. Wo quote an excerpt from a leading Melbourne journal: “The songs of the stanitzas and hamlets of the native habitat of the singers called up the bracing winds of tho great Russian plain, where the swans, golden in the sunset, fly over the rusty-red reeds to the Mother of Cities (Kiev) —the Sarmatia of Herodotus, lit by the sun of Maurus Jokai, ‘glimmering like a medal on a ragged soldier’s cloak.’ Immemorial tintings, primitive, Greek and Eastern, seem to be inherent in tho wild and plaintive tones of the Don Cossacks. In Naprawnik’s fantasia, ‘The Joke,’ the flying notes, so short, and sped with such impact that they seemed to leap visibly through the air, were mingled with lyrical episodes that were not always so limpidly intelligible. A passago for a single tenor, sung with peculiar inflections that strained the intonation to the note’s edge for the sake of tone colour, was succeeded by an ineffably lovely alto solo, so cunningly interwoven with throbs and windings in tho other voices that it fairly brought down the house.”