ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 57, 4 February 1927, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

PALACE. REX BEACH’S “THE BARRIER.” A stirring:, virile story of tho far north of Alaska, rational in treatment and with an undercurrent of delicious humour as a fitting foil to its tense dramatic nature, will be shown for tho last time to-night at the Palace Theatre in tho Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picturisation of Rex Beach’s widely-read novel, “The Barrier.” It was directed by George Hill, with a distinguished cast including Lionel Barrymore, Norman Kerry, H. B. Walthall and Marcelino Day. The brilliant character studies of this quartette aro drawn with artistic insight. The theme of Rex Beach’s novel is well known. A young army officer is transferred to an Arctic outpost and thero falls in love with a beautiful girl, whom he supposes to be the daughter of the village factor. His discovery that she is a half-casto Indian, and the,arrival of her father, a villainous seaman, after an abse.nco of twenty years, loads tho story to its terrific climax, when tho girl’s sweetheart fights a tremendous battle with tho enraged skipper on his ship, while it is slowly crushed between toworing mountains of ice. This scene is one of the most remarkable in screen history. Added to the, enthralling nature of tho story are spectacular photographic scenos > and "hairraising incidents that aro a ’ tribute to Gcorgo Hill’s masterly direction. Included in the supporting programme is the Amundsen polar flight. Seats may be reserved at Martin’s or by theatre ’phono 5328....

“RED HOT TYRES” ON SATURDAY. This fast moving and laughable comedydrama opens at the matinee on Saturday. It is a picture that wifi keep the audience in a state of excitement from start to finish.

KOSY. “THE SPORTING LOVER” AND "TPIE PRAIRIE WIFE.” Conway Tearle, that most popular of screen lovers, scores a most palpable personal triumph in “The Sporting Lover” at the Kosy Theatre. Barbara Bedford, who plays opposite iiim, shows stellar qualities in her delineation of a most difficult role. Tearle is seen in the rolo of Captain Terence Connaughton an Irish officer home from the front. When ho returns to the trenches he is wounded after a number of other occurrences and taken to a field hospital, whero he meets Lady Gwendolyn Havens. A romance develops, but is suddenly halted when an air attack demolishes the hospital and separates the lovers. After the war they are brought together again, with an army officer who has defrauded Connaughton, having succeeded Connaughton in the lady’s affections. What happens after that is too good to divulge in advance, hence our advice to tlioso who appreciate thorough entertainment is to see "'the Sporting Lover” for themselves. The inevitable hardships of pioneering in new country and the innumerable difficulties in the way of settlers fill the background of Ihe Prairie Wife,” a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture. Dorothy Devore and Herbert Rawlinson are the most prominent figures of the story. The former brings tho force of her dainty beauty and winsome personality, and the latter his sincerity and proven brilliance into the portrayals of their roles. Also in tho cast is Gibson Gowlasd.

DE LUXE. “MARRIAGE LICENSE?” One of the scenes in “Marriage License?” at tho De Luxe Theatre shows a father who meets a lovable young chap for fhe first time, caguciy recognising him as being liko. someono he has known, but never realising that it is his own son whom he has never seen. Alma Rubens IS featured in the loading femir , r ° lo >. that of the lovely Wanda Heriot, whose divorce and subsequent disowning of her child forces her to take refuge m France. She is about to marry another man when fato brings about circumstances that make it. necessary for her to choose between her son and ner lover. Her choice forms the big climax of the picture keeping the suspense of the audience aroused until tho linal fade-out. Her decision will bring about many arguments as to whether she puisued the right course. In nddition to Miss Rubens, thero is a notable cast in this special production, with Walter McGrail and V alter Pidgeon in the inasculne leads. Others are Richard Walling Emily b itzroy, Charles Lane, Georgo Cowl, Eanghorno Burton, Lon Poff, Edgar Norton, Billio Latimer, Patsy O'Byrne, Eric Mayne and Arthur Rankin.

OPERA HOUSE. “IS ZAT SO?” I fie J. C. Williamson Comedy Company will play for one night only in Palmerston North next Thursday evening. Richard labor and James Gleason wrote their comedy, Is Zal So?” when they were "disengaged.” They acted each scene with their wives, also "disengaged,” and satisfied themselves that they had a “winner.” Mary Ellen Hanley (Mrs Taber) suggested so many of the love episodes to the authors that they called tho heroine Hanley and let her play it in New York, she will also play it here. It was Mrs J.a.ier who changed the spelling of "Is I hat So?” to “Is Zat So?” Written at a trying time, financially for her husband a,nd herself, she admits that she was a idtlo superstitious. “Is Zat So?” has seven letters she says, the same number f® fortune.” As in the instance of Y\ into Cargo, “Is Zat So V* was hawked Irom manager to manager, who turned it down cold. "White Cargo” was saved by a young man named Earle Carroll who invested Ins scant savings and put the play and himself on the theatrical map. “Is Eat ho? got its chance through Earle Booth, who has received astonishing dividends and the satisfaction of his name on programmes all over the world