PALMERSTON PICTURE PROGRAMMES

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6626, 13 August 1931, Page 8

PALMERSTON PICTURE PROGRAMMES

PALACE THEATRE HERE’S A BRAND NEW KIND OF MOVIE HERO! “College Lovers,',' tho new First National picturo which is current at the Palace Theatro with ‘ ‘ Numbered Men features a hero .wffio represents something new in college heroes on the screen. Jack Whiting, who plays the lead, essays a role that is almost startlingly different from the conventional. The hero of this story is a t yP°. w ®| l ' known ou college campuses. Ho is the college “popular guy,” a fellow who goes out for any and all activities. He is president of tho student body and manager of the collcgo athletic association. He is in everything and knows everybody. Ho is not the great college lover, either. In fact, though ic is popular with tho girls, ho is always interrupted by some call for duty wlieu he tends to become romantic. This role is not far from the one which Whiting enacted during his own college days at tho University of Pennsylvania. Ho was tho big “activities” man on tho campus, produced and acted in t e shows, and played in the orchestra. With Whiting in this college story are Marian Nixon, Guinn Williams, frank McHugh and Russell Ilopton. It was directed by John Adolfi. Prison Picture Gives Inside Story An “inside” story of prison life in both possible meanings of tho phrase forms tho basis for First National s talkie drama, “Numbered Men,” now at the Palace theatre. In this picturo camera’and Vitaphone explore the real, truth, behind prison outbreaks, politics and abuses. Tho ‘ ‘ honour system ’ is also dealt with. Director Mcrvyn Le Roy spent several months inspecting San Quentin, Folsom and other famous prisons before filming this version of Dwight Taylor’s startling stage play. Conrad Nagel, Bernice Claire anu Raymond Hackett are featured in the picture. A fine supporting cast is headed by Ralph luce, Tully Marshall, Maurice Black, William Holden and George Cooper. “Numbered Men” is primarily a tensely dramatic and human love story with a tremendous emotional punch for its denouement, and the realistic prison life is merely its background. “The Prodigal” is New Lawrence Tibbetts Film In “Tho Prodigal,” which will open on Saturday at tho Palace theatre, Lawrence Tibbott abandons his erstwhile swashbuckling lines and gay uniforms to appear for tho first time in a strictly modern role. Information is that Mctro-Goldwyn-Mayer, anxious to got away from typical musical comedy plots, selected an original story which centres about tho question of divorce in an aristocratic Southern family, Ihis in no way deprives music lovers from hearing the Metropolitan Opera favourite sing, for tho circumstances of the plot are such as to contrive various episodes in which Tibbott sings a variety of songs as a natural part of the gripping story. Tibbett will be seen as a prodigal son who has been roaming the country with a band of tramps. He stops off at his homo to see his mother and for the first time becomes acquainted with his brother’s wife, Antonia. Antonia is miserably unhappy with her tyrannical husband and is about to elope with a former lover. In his attempts to picservo the family integrity, Tibbett succumbs to the charms of the bewitching Antonia and finds himself in a compromising position. The unraveling of tho situation makes for an extremely dramatic screen plot. In tho sequences Tibbett sings “Do Glory Road,” a number which he has mado famous on the concert stage, whilo together with a chorus of several hundred voices ho sings “A Child Is Born” and ‘ Chidlins. ” Other songs sung at various points in the story are ‘ ‘ Life is a Dream,” “Without a Song,” and a comic ballad called “Looks Like Pappy.” Much of the charm of this picturo is credited to its picturesque locales, duplicating tho langurous beauty of tho old South American plan-, tation estates and colonial mansions. A colourful, fox-hunting scene is said to bo a particularly artistie photographic achievement.

AT THE REGENT.

“KISMET” FAMOUS STAGE PLAY, ON SCREEN WITH NOTED CAST

“Greatest east" is a familiar phrase in connection with, film offerings, but the term seems to fit the aggregation found in “Kismet,” now current at the Regent theatre. Of course the cast roster begins with the glamorous name of Otis Skinner, playing the role ho has made famous on stage and screen throughout the world, Hajj, the beggar. Loretta Young enacts the daughter role, and David Manners that of the Caliph. Both the young stars paused in their own programme of films to appear together in the romantic leads of this particularly important screen play. Sidney Blackmcr is Mansur in this Vitaphonc version of “Kismet,” and Mary Duncan the role of his wife. Theodore von Eltz is Nazir, the guide, and Edmund Brecse of stage fame, Jawan. The settings, representing Bagdad, most colourful and exotic of cities of a time when it was the crossroads of the world of caravan routes, arc extraordinary in art and lavishness. “East Lynne” Opens Saturday. Hollywood, possibly the most critical of all screen audiences, has placed its stamp of approval on “East Lynne,” which will be shown at the Regent theatre on Saturday, hailing it as one of tho finest contributions to the art of motion pictures. Ann Harding, Clive Brook, Conrad Nagel, Cecilia Loftus, Beryl Mercer, David Torrence —all these artists have been accorded deep and sincere praise for their part in the making of this romantic screen story. In reviewing the picture’s world premiere at the Carthay Circle theatre in Los Angeles, the various critics said: “A marvel of transcription. . . . England, with its cultural Mayfair and its somnolent green countryside, the dock at Dover, with tho Calais boat gleaming through tho fog; Vienna, gay and riotous, with its cafes; Bohemian Paris, rumbling to tho march of German artillery through the night, and Versailles, scene of historic peaco treaties.” “Reduced many a first nighter to tears.” —“It would be harder to imagine a better performance than that of Ann Harding.’ ’ Tho British stage is prominently represented in the brilliant all-star cast appearing in “East Lynne.” Only two of the featured players, Ann Harding and Conrad Nagel, first' attracted attention on the American stage. Clive Brook, Cecilia Loftus, 0. P. Heggie, David Torrance, and Beryl Mercer all gained fame on the London stage before invading Hollywood. Ann Harding, of course, is outstanding, making as. one .critic said so

enthusiastically, “Lady Isabel a warm and glowing lovely creature.” Clive Brook in his interpretation of tho part of Captain Levisson gives a restrained, completely artistic, and understanding performance. Conrad Nagel as the stern husband never did a better piece ot work in his life, and Cecilia Loftus won unanimous praise for the perfect manner in which she played the meddling Cornelia. 0. P. Hcggie and David Torrance arc splendid, and Beryl Mercer has again given one of those powerfully significant performances as the old nurse which makes a small part outstanding. «hc more than duplicates her unqualified success as the mother in “Common Clay.” Plans open this morning.

KOSY THEATRE “SANTA EE TRAIL” ENTERTAINING PROGRAMME The two child actresses play the leading feminine roles in “Tho Santa he Trail,” filmed in dialogue by Paramount from Hal G. Evarts’ novel, “Spanish Acres,” and now the feature at the Kosy theatre. However, one of the misses places an “ex” before her title “child actress.” The players arc Rosita Moreno, appearing opposite Richard Arlen, and Mitzi Green, who carries the iuvenilo interest of tho picture with Junior Durkin. Mitzi is still a child actress. At nine, she is enjoying the popularity on tho screen that Rosita held on the dancing stage at the same age. Being an interpreter of the difficult Castilian dances, Rosita’s debut as a child favourite was delayed a couple of years past that of Mitzi. However, their careers are parallel. Rosita learned to dance almost as soon as she could walk; Mitzi was mimicking grown-ups before she could talk. Both were born into stage families. Rosita and Mitzi have lived behind the stage scenes all their lives. Both made their debuts at tho ago of three. Rosita won a cnildren’s dancing contest in Mexico City at that age, while at three Mitzi first, stepped on the stage as a mimic, mutating Sadie Burt, who happened to be on the samo bill with Mitzi's parents. Mitzi’s professional stage debut was at six when she was signed for a vaudeville engagement after a scout had heard her do an imitation of Moran and Mack at a benefit performance. For two years, Mitzi was a vaudevillo headliner with her imitations ana at eight she entered motion pictures, where sho has since been at work. Rosita’s actual professional stage debut came when sho was eight. Her parents wore dancing in Buenos Aires and her father brought her on to the stage one night to do a dance. The manager of tho theatre was so impressed by her dancing that he secured her services as a featured dancer at another theatre which he also managed. From then until her fourteenth birthday, Rosita was a favourito dancer throughout South America. Sho went to the United States when 15 and for tho past five years has been a vaudeville headliner and a featured dancer in musical comedies in that country.