ENTERTAINMENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18710, 16 May 1924, Page 12

ENTERTAINMENTS

. -.v.i.' ■ ■■ • ."•" r, ....... ■. ■ ■ .' —' —~ ■'. v. - EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. The success of " The .Harbour Bar " at Everybody's Theatre during 'the - past week has induced the management to extend the season for a further six da} s, An adaptation to' th© screen of Peter B. K.yne'B well-known novel of the same name, " The Harbour Bar" is an attractive offering for all who. enjoy lens* melodrama, and likx, most of the author's works, it is a story of the sea, marked with ruggedness and virility. tale deals with a tugboat captain, who lets his kindness of heart get the best of him in helping an unfortunate girl thus furnishing food for scandalmonger, which threatens to wreck his own romance. According to the reviewers, there is abundance of action in the picture, a number of thrilling situations, including an excellent storm at sea, and a great deal of human interest. The film has been adapted from the well-known story by Thompson Buchanan for Associated Authors and the result is an entertainment that is not only thrilling, beautiful •and daring, but intensely human and sincere as welL Often have pictoiregoers seen- screen tales of sea mutinies, brutalities , and sacrifices' but Mr. Buchanan's . play' should give something original and decidedly. more fascinating to the millions' whose knowledge 1 of the sda. does not pass beyond the horizon as seen from the shore. The picture was directed by W. S. Van Dyke, with the melodramatic angle, always foremost, and there are several situations which would furnish a thrilling climax for the average picture of this type. Monte Blue heads the cast, and gives a good characterisation of the manly, but too kind-hearted tug-boat captain. Evelyn Brent is his leading lady, while Joan Lowell, in the pathetic- role of the other woman, gives a ver T ' creditable performance; The remainder of the cast is in capable hands. A good supporting programme is offered, while fhe orchestral accompaniment at the evening sessions adds appreciably to the quality and entertainment of .' the programme,

■ STRAND THEATRE. " The Kshting Blade," a picturesque S'Hma of Old England, will bo shown at the Strand Theatre to-day in conjunction with,a. good supporting programme and a. musical offering by the Lyrio Quartette. " The Fighting Blade is a First National release, featuring Richard Barthelmess, and is classed as a costume drama with many points of interest. Barthelmess appears as a Flemish soldier of fortune in the days of Charles I, when Cromwell was engaged in his bitter struggle against the Court and its supporters. It i 3 a romantic story, set in. roipanlic' and spectacular surroundings, and, according to the reviewers, filled with action. ,It shows how the hero stumbles into .'• a -pretty little romance, becomes the victim of intrigue, villainy, and even torture/before he finally triumphs. Johu Robertson is reported to have directed the production with much skill, con-. structing it on an elaborate scale with large »seta representing streets in old England and . scenes in and around a huge, feudal castle, with tho players in the gorgeous costumes of the period, the leading man's modest garb. being in strik-. ing contrast to the others. ■ From th« standpoint of story interest, direction, and-,, drama, "The Fighting Blade is considered one of Barthelmess,* best pictures. . It should states a reviewer, delight his. followers and increase his appeal among picture audiences, some of whom may not have liked the drab atmosphere of some of his former pictures. His portrayal of the hero is described as excellent, the same being true of Dorothy Mackaill in the opposite role. Then* are many scenes which are not only highly dramatic, but are filled with wellsustained! ■>■ suspense. Prominent among these is.the situation, handled, it is said, with fine discretion so that it should offend no one, in which the heroine saves the young soldier's life by hiding him under the mattress of bed and then feign ing smallpox to frighten the searchers away. The programme will be augmented by an amusing comedy, 'The Rural Cinderella," featuring Chester Conklin and Louise Fazenda, and the usual British topical gazettes. The popular. Lyric Quartette will sing plan lion melodies at the principal sessions.

TIVOLI THEATRE. . A picture that is bound to attract a great deal of interest in Auckland is the adaptation of Charles Dickens' famous novel. " The Cricket on the Hearth," the film version of which will bo shown at the Tivoli Theatre for the first lime this evening. ." The Cricket, on the .Hearth" is said to be an accurate, painstaking picturization of Charles Dickens' glorious story, yet it is a picture that can be fully, enjoyed without havin« read the original. The story concerns three families and some other characters as well. They are the Peerybingles— and Doton whose hearth the cricket chirps as. a . symbol of good luck and .happiness; the old ftoymak(Br, Caleb Plummer, his son and his blind daughter, who helps him in his work. His efforts to spare her the cruel realities of life are among the most touching in . the fncture. f His son Edward loves and is oved by May Fielding,* the belle •of the town, although Josiah Tackleton, th» most influential man in the community, means to have her for his own. ( It is a simple tale but marvellously touching and replete with a hundred ways to coa>* smiles and tears from any audience Josdf Swickard is Caleb' Plummer, play ing the - part made famous on ??the stag* by Joseph Jefferson and greatly enhancing his reputation thereby. Virginia Brown - Faire, always sweet and wholesome, is Dot Peerybingle, the little wire, while Paul Gerson makes his first appear, 'ance, on the screen as John Peerybingle, after years of stage success and establishes himself '■ firmly: in the new 'medium. May Fielding ;is portrayed tby MargareJ Landis, who shows that talent for convincing acting is not confined to hebrother, Cullen. Paul Moore, a** new .juvenile, acquits l himself with credit.'as does Joan Standing 'as the comic Tilly Slowboy. Fritzi. Rilgeway gives another performance, said tp be as remarkable as in The Old Homestead, as the blind girl, while Lorimer Johnston, director of the picture,, throws, himself zestfully into the part of Josiah Tackleton. The whole.-is described -as enchanting. The supporting films, including ) one of . tho famous "Leather Pushers" series, featuring Reginald Denny, are of an entertaining nature, while a fine musical programme -will be submitted by the Tivoli Orchestra. ■,:;-/'''.-'. •••, ,.■..

HIPPODROME THEATRE. A picture that 'had a great'vogue in England, "Cocaine/,'- will be shown at the Hippodrome for the week commencing to-day. Much .'controversy, has re- ' cently ranged: round the ever-increasing menace of the drug ' traffic. Statistics in England and America show that each year more and" more people fall victims to what is undoubtedly one.of the greatest curses that ever r creep' into a country. Despite tho vigilance of the authorities, the life-destroying drugs are smuggled in. and the' stuff sold to miserable wretches who seek relief, at least temporarily, from their troubles, by putting themselves into oblivion. Many ultimately put themselves' to death. This Jsjndeed a sad state of affairsthat "white people should sink to the level of the heathen races in this respect, but the fact" is there. Of' these drugs the deadly cocaine is well known, and this is the title given to a picture which was produced with a view to exposing certain "drug clubs," and showing the evil existing in England. The story tells how a beautiful girl, - daughter of a wealthy Englishman, finds. herself sinking almost to ; the level of hundreds of others who, having had. one dose of cocaine, crave i for it always. ' The picture is said to • be a most . dramatic one, and teaches i a lesson. that is sordid but unfortunately ' true, * and a warning to others. Hilda 1 Bayley is, in : the leading role. The usual supports- wiU be shc/vm. U-4..V '-,:■ ;i : -y. ' •:■•:'; :'■ •■••; . , '■' ;; ■".'■•'■■';' ' : ■• '. ; S : ?H'3 .■':-.■'■?>■''.*'■

I * NATIONAL THEATRE. I-. Heading the picture programme ; at the National Theatre to-day will- be : , The Spider and the Rose," a B. F. Zeidmun I production, which embodies, it is said, one of the most beautiful love stones ever pictured on the screen. Love in the kind ot (the senoritas, flashing swords and castanets, is brought out in all its fiery passion mi this production. Alice Lake and Gaston Glass are the principal players in i " The Spider and the Rose - and, according to accounts, they both do the best work of their careers. It remained for John McDermott, the director, to give the public a picture of mission life in California 1 correct in every detail. " The Spider and the Rose," as the title implies, concerns the activities of a villainous usurper to gain the hand of Alice Lake as Paula. Paula loves Don Marcello (Gaston Glass), however, so much that she fears for his safety in attending a meeting of patriots who plan to rid the country of the usurper Mendozza, capably played by Robert Mc- , Kim. She puts her faith in Mendozza in a message to his father, the ruler of California. The message never reaches the •Governor, but is used for the selfish motives of Mendozza, who seizes the patriots and has them imprisoned. As the climax of a fast-moving story Don Marcello arranges an escape from prison that brings freedom to his little > band of friends, who later lead an uprising that saves the life of him and his father. The ! usurper Mendozza is dethroned and the ; story is brought to an unusually happy I ending' after a thrilling chase on horsei back ending in the capture of Mendozza, who attempts to escape with Paula. An excellent display of swordsmanship is exhibited by Gaston Glass as Eton Marcello fighting a duel with Mendozza. An excellent cast supports Mr. Glass and Miss .Lake in this production. Notable among fcho celebrities who are entrusted with important roles are Edwin Breese, Edwin tvvens, Joseph J. Dowling (of " Miracle Map " fame), Louize Fazenda, Richard Heavlrick, Alec Francis, Noah Berry, Otis .Harlan, and Harry Northrup.

LYRIC THEATRE. "His Children's Children," which will be shown at the Lyric Theatre this evening, is .said to be one of the' most up-to-date and modern stories of the season. It is presented by Paramount, and is described as a startling revelation of. the modern .daring youth. It is a story of a family from the first generation to the third, of human happiness, of human weakness, and of human strength. Perverting the well-known proverb, the picture shows how "the sins of the forefathers shall be visited, on the children." The idea Qf the story is to illustrate that sometimes the follies of our forefathers are inherited by the children. The cast includes Bebe Daniels, George Fawcett, and Mahlon Hamilton. __ The unfurling of the plot contains as its theme tile; extrication of a notable family from its difficulties and trials but, to cap all, the, son of the family, Rufus Kayne, gar.ables on a loan, and loses practically everything. Not only this, but he is threatened with disgrace from another quarter. The inevitable fqllows, and the Kayne mansion goes under the hanrmw; but in the end, with a joyful family reunion, the trials undoubtedly benefit them all, for with a fresh start, the family is relieved frqm its persistent troubles, and brought to realise that money is not all Kfe has to offer. . The release is said to have been. admirably staged, and in the lead as Diana Kayne is Bebe Daniels. The settings are described as lavish, and this film depicts most admirably the effects of a modern life and a heritage of a none too scrupulous forefather. There will be the usual. interesting supporting films, while the Lyric Orchestra will contribute an appropriate musical accompaniment.