PLAYS, PICTURES, PEOPLE

Northern Advocate, 6 February 1926, Page 9

PLAYS, PICTURES, PEOPLE

(By Alphonse.)

It is doubtful if any stage play has ever been shown to more people and in so many parts of the world as “East Lynne.” Mrs Henry Woods’ famous book seems never to be out of date. It does not depend for its approval on the passing fad or fancy of the moment. It is based on intense love interest —on the devotion and self sacrifice of a woman for her ideal, and these elements have a universal and lasting appeal. The tragic note in the story, also, is another of the reasons that has made Mrs Henry Woods’ play live in the hearts of theatregoers through six decades. In the picturised version the leavening of humor is employed to a great extent to make the story of higher entertainment value, for folks these days like to • laugh as well as cry. Miss Mabel Ballin plays the immortal role of Lady Isabel, and, Edward Earle heads a fine supporting company. “East Lynne” has lately been revived by several companies in Australia, as the screen version has caused a new demand for the spoken play.

Hollywood threatens from time to tome to become notorious an account of the many scandals in the lives' of film actors. But f hese scandals die as quickly as they are born, and leave the rest of the world wondering if this latest outburst is not only another bit of publicity to boost a new star or rejuvenate a fading one. Anna Q. Nielson, in her latest picture, “Inez from Hollywood,” portrays the character of “The Wickedest Woman in Hollywood,”'and some very amusing insights into studio life in the movies are given in this photoplay. Five leading men are shown in one scene—Antonio Moreno, Wallace Beery, Lloyd Hughes, Ben Lyon and Ford Sterling—all having lunch with the star, and this intimate glimpse of studio life proves that one cannot judge motion picture personalities by their acting on the screen. Alfred Green, who produced “Potash and Perlmutter in Hollywood,” is responsible for “Inez from Hollywood,” so some amusing situations and hearty laughter are assured throughout the picture.

Nazimova is a dancer of no mean calibre and it was as a dancer that she first became famous. Nazimova, alluring, scintillating, incomparable, dances her way through “The Redeeming Sin * ’ as a “Queen of the Apaches," and this part gives her wonderful opportunities of displaying her great talent as an emotional actress, clever dancerand gifted comedienne. Lon Tellegen plays opposite Nazimova as'the leader of the Apache band, and these two stars reproduce the spirit of the apache as it has never been done before. The Apache is peculiar to Paris and his local habitat is mostly Montmartre, where he is practically ruler of the underworld. In every cafe and music hall he is seen in various guises, for some of the Parisian apaches have become immensely wealthy on their, ill-gotten gains, and of course their first idea is to ape the nobility and thus snare bigger game into the nets they spread for the unwary.

Healthy,-wholesome out-of-doors pictures have a wider appeal than those dealing with sex problems, and producers are realising that the public wants stories of real life and , full blooded men, rather than the impossible "affaires” of anaemic women and their attendant effeminate males. William Desmond can always be depended on to fight his way out of the most difficult situations, and in “The Burning Trail” he has fire, flood, sandstorms and desperate cattle punphers to contend with. "The Burning Trail” is adapted from H. H. Knibbs ’ popular western novel, and is the story of a feud between cattle ranchers and sheepmen on the western ranges, where, some very beautiful scenery was incorporated in the picture. Bill Desmond is fast becoming one of the most popu- ! lar western stars, and he has been ex- * eeedingly fortunate in having such fine verile stories to play in.

"Wings of Youth” is an unusual story of three girls each left with a substantial annuity before they were able to safeguard it—and themselves—from unscrupulous adventurers. Their mother realises whither they are drifting, and decides to give them a lesson that will shock them and show them the error of their ways. The girls suddenly discover that their mother is a really beautiful woman when she likes tq. exercise her charm, and they find their fastest young men rapidly falling for their more sophisticated mother. They are shocked to see their mother jazzing round and doing all-the things that they thought were quite proper for them to do, and they naturally turn to the more reliable young men whom their giddy mother has been unable to "vamp.” Thus the mother accomplishes subtly what she set out to do, and mutual explanations bring a satisfactory finale. The theme is a daring one, but the treatment of it is delicately handled and “Wings of Youth” and how they were clipped give Madge Bellamy, Ethel Clay and a big cast great opportunities for very amusing situations.