ENTERTAINMENTS.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 2715, 7 August 1923, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS.

PALACE.

A SCREEN CLASSIC. “Lorna Doone,” now showing - at the Palace, is one of the best pictures ever shown in Palmerston North. Madg-e Bellamy, as Lorna, is the sweetest personality we’ve ever seen on the screen. The story: The Doones of Bagworthy Forest, under the leadership of an exiled nobleman, Sir Ensor Doone, have terrorized the surrounding countryside, for years, robbing and murdering and carrying off the women into captivity. Captured in childhood, Lady Lorna Dugal a ward of the King has been carefully reared by Sir Ensor, who hopes to gam possession of her estates. The girl is so beautiful that Sir Ensor grows to love her as a daughter. On his deathbed he secretly sends word of Lorna’s wh.i-.rea bouts to the King. Carver Doone the greatest villain of the outlaws, tries to force Lorna into marriage with him but is foiled by John Ridd, the “strong man of Exmoor” who rescues her. From John’s home Lorna goes to London at the command of the King, and realises he is not her equal in birth. He returns home where Lorna follows him and they plight their troth. A few days later as they stand before the altar, Carver Doone shoots Lorna from a nave window. John overtakes the fleeing assassin and throws him into a quagmire where he meets a horrible death. In the meantime, the countryside, roused to revolt by the dastardly deed, attacks the Doone village which has been considered impregnable by toe peaceful peasantry. The village is destroyed. John returning home is met by the news that Lorna will recover and that “love has over death.” A good Harold Lloyd comedy and snapshots are also shown. Everyone should see this programme. ROSY.

"THE LAND OF HOPE.”

The crucible of nations is depicted in "The Land of Hope,” now showing I a,t the Kosy. Seething in its depths, representatives of every land are fashioned into one great people. Here the dreams of perhaps a lifetime are exchanged for stern reality, when in a new world and under strange conditions the newcomer begins life on a fresh basis. Two among the steady stream of immigrants- were Sascha Rabinoff, and the girl, Marya. Nisko, who, in a few short weeks had come to mean everything to the young Pole. Each experiences the crueller moods of the city before they are brought together by a man of mystery, arid their story is a sequence or incident and interest. Alice Brady, whose work has been much appreciated in this country, is seen in a new role and amply justifies her selection. A good Torchy comedy, a Travelogue and a Gazette make up the full complement, “FASCINATION” AT EVERYBODY’S. It was the same Yankee “pep" that Mae Murray exhibits in her latest Metro release, “Fascination,” presented by Robert Z. Leonard and now being shown at Everybody’s Theatre, that gave the popular blonde star her start on the stage. It is because Miss Murray wouldn’t take "no” for an answer when what she wanted to hear was “yes,” that she owes, to a great extent, her great success on the screen. It all happened this way. Back in the summer of 1908, Miss Murray, having reached the advanced ago of fifteen, decided that she could not permit the w'orld to miss the privilege of seeing her dance. Accordingly she made her way to the stage door of the New Amsterdam Theatre, where the Ziegfeld Follies of 1908 were rehearsing. Julian Mitchell was putting on the chorus numbers for the production, and vas in the midst of an Important number when his attention w'as diverted to a slim, blonde-haired miss who was tugging persistently at his sleeve. Now, Mr Mitchell’s voice has, like some automobiles, only two speeds he either whispers almost inaudibly or talks very gruffly. He turned to the object of the disturbance, and asked—in a tone of voice which was not a whisper—what the aforesaid object wanted. “Please, Mr Mitchell, let me ho the Nell Brinkley girl, shouted the shrill voice into the not acute car Of the director. Miss Murray had learned that one of the scenes in the production showed girls who represented the ideals of various famous illustrators, such as Christy, Gibson, Fisher, and Gilbert. The Nell Brinkley girl was not represented, and to Mac Murray’s opinion there was no reason why she shouldn t have been, especially since Miss Murray herself wanted the role. She, donned a curly wig which she bought with £5 that she had borrowed and turned to Mr Mitchell appealingly. But the director remained, obdurate. Her appeal fell on deaf ears —speaking not entirely literally. He couldn’t be convinced that day, so Miss Murray left the theatre, wig and all. But she came back, and In a few r days was the “Nell Brinkley” girl in the Follies of 1908. And her career as a dancer had begun. The same “pep” that got her the job in the face of obstacles Is portrayed in her role of Dolores De Lisa, in her latest picture, "Fascination.” As the daughter of an American mother and a Spanish father, Dolores goes through experiences that a less persistent person would find overwhelming. “CAIRO” THE MAGNIFICENT. OSCAR ASCHE’S TRIUMPH.

At the Opera House on Monday next ■will be seen Mr Oscar Asche, supported by his London company, in conjunction with J. C. Williamson, Ltd., in the famous and wonderful production, "Cairo.” According to a prominend Australian critic. "Cairo,” the

magnificent Oscar Asche Oriental dramatic spectacle, is a bewildering kaleidoscopic achievement of great skill and magnitude. Of the glittering production, this critic writes: —For sheer arranging of stage crowds it would bo impossible to conceive of anything better done than the Bacchanalian orgy which occurs in the ruined Egyptian Palace. Here, among gaunt grey columns, where a few minutes previously a jackal had sniffed for food ; and a half-starved rat had scurried across the line of vision, the evil Prince holds court. He bids all to make merry, and line after line of dancers, with half-naked bodies, swaying emotionally to the music, descend the long expanse of stairs to the front. Wine is poured out profusely. The curtain descends on a drink-maddened crowd of men and women, lost to all sense but the pleasure of the night, and ascends again in the grey dawn, with a huddled mass of humanity thrown together, seemingly without any regard to order, and exhausted to sleep after the wild orgy of the preceding hours. Not one detail in colour or grouping is overlooked, and the contrast between night and morning marks the scene as a triumph of stagedraft. . No note of criticism can be sounded where tho cast is concerned, Mr Aschc as “Ali Shar,’ a boasting, swearing, scheming, lying wrestler, who guarantees to throw any rival, and will stoop to any deed for money. Withal he is a humorist, and it is this saving attribute that prevents his being the most hateful character in the play. Physically, and by his great sense of showmanship he fills the stage all the time ho is on it. Harold Franklin speaks clearly and acts superbly as the Sultan, and George Ide plays the villainous Prince with fine skill, Doris Champion as Sharazad, tho wife of a former Sultan, whose son has been murdered by her brother, the Prince, drew a striking picture of wronged motherhood, and Bene Gold in the lighter role of Ali Shar’s daughter, with whom tho Sultan falls in love af first sight, plays gracefully and sings charmingly. Prom a host of other characters Mason Wood and Jessie Page, as a weird Chinese spy and his wife, deserve recognition. Altogether it takes over 200 people to interpret this amazing play. The season is for one night’, and the box plans will be opened at Oates’ Music Store to-mor-row morning.