ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19143, 8 October 1925, Page 15

ENTERTAINMENTS.

CAPPY RICKS. The dramatised version of Peter B. Kyne's novel "Gappy Ricka" continues to draw large audiences to Ilia Majesty's Theatre. The J. C. Williamson Company make the most of a splendid comedy. Ward Lyons gives a fine portrayal of the role of the irascible old shipping merchant and his performances since the opening of the season have been enthusiastically received. Matt Peasley, played by Herbert Stallard, has also been very popular, while Mary McGregor continues u> give every satisfaction in the part of Florence Ricks. The season will end on Saturday night and the box plan for the remaining performances is open at Lewis U. Eady and Son, Ltd. STRAND AND TIVOLL With the news that Douglas Fairbanks in his latest screen success, " Don Q, Son of Zorro," will appear at the Strand and Tivoli Theatres to-morrow comes the added announcement that this famous star has, for the time being, stepped out of his role of the historic character—suofa as " Robin Hcod"—or the fantastic —such as " The Thief of Bagdad"—and will be seen tn his new photoplay as the romantic adventurer, winning hearts and plaudits with his inimitable athletic prowess. This new film, " Don Q, Son of Zorro," is not a screen version of the Cervantes classic, " Don Quixote," but has been adapted by Jack Cunningham from the novel, " Don Q's Love Story," by K. and Hesketh Prichard. Don Q, the son of Zorro, is sent from Cailfornia to Spain to complete his education. There he wins high favour at the Spanish court, only to be accused of murder. To escape disgrace he pretends suicide and becomes an outlaw. Of course, there is a most romantic love story, and Don Q's quest for the heart and hand of a beautiful senorita eventually meets with sutcess though beset by many tribulations. Never in all Fairbank's career, it is said by critics, did he have - a photoplay vehicle that gave him such splendid opportunities for athletic stunts—the type of film portrayal which brought him his earlier successes, and in " Don Q, Son of Zorro," there are fefcis of nimbleness and dating that are said to be far in excess of anything the redoubtable " Doug." has ever presented. One of the unusual things in this new Fairbanks United Artists Corporation release is the exceptional skill shown by the star in manipulating the menacing and snake-like bul.i-whip. This weapon—for such it really is in the hands of a skilful person—-is a very long, very slender and very sinuous lasli, fastened to a short butt-like handle, and tapering from an inch or so in thickness to little more than a small cord in its fifty or sixty feet of length. It was used by cattlemen in the early ranch days of Southern California. An excellent prologue will be presented at the Strand, and the supporting programme will include an Aesop fable cartoon, and a Pathe review. At the Tivoli a second attraction, entitled " The Painted Flapper," featuring James Kirkwood, will be shown. Owing to the length of the programme screening will commence at 7.30 p.m. and the mam picture will commence an hour later. A special musical scars will be played at both theatres. NATIONAL AND LYRIC. Colleen Moore plays opposite Lloyd Hughes in "Desert Flower, ' her latest First National Picture, which heads the excellent double-feature programme commencing at the National and Lyric Theatres to-day. Richard Barthelroess and Bessie Love have the leading roles in "Soul Fire," another First National picture, which is the- second attraction. "Desert Flower" tells of the adventures nf Margaret Fortune, who, with her little step sister Gwen. is left motherless in a railroad construction camp in the desert. The girl is brutally attacked by her step father, when she befriends a good-looking young tramp who arrives at the camp. Margaret leaves the camp, and meets the young tramp, whom she attempts to reform. She meets with exciting adven tures in a gold-rush town, and finally a happy ending is reached. Colleen Moore is said to have one of the finest rcles of her career in this picture. There is an excellent supporting cast. In "Soul Fire" Richard Barthelmess has a tragic role, far different from his recent Amusing part in "New Toys." He appears as Eric Fane, a young American musical genius, whose quest for his great symphony leads him from Italy to Paris and Port Said, and finally to the beautiful isles of the South Seas. The young man's pilgrimage carries him to the pinnacle of success as a writer of jazz music in the Latin quarter of Paris, and to the depths of despair as a derelict, in Port Said, "the wickedest city in the world." It is amid the simplicity of nature in the lonely and' lovely isles of the South Seas that his genius finally strikes fire, and there comes the great symphony that makes him world-famous. EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. A newspaper story with a real newspaper flavour is the description applied to " Contraband," a Paramount picturisation of the novel by Clarence Budington Kelland produced by Alan Crosland with Lois Wilson, Noah Beery, Raymond Hatton and Raymond McKee featured in the principal roles. The picture will commence at Everybody's Theatre to-mor-row. The story centres round a smalltown "newspaper inherited by a young college girl. A real newspaper office was erected for scenes in the picture at Paramount's West Coast studio with a press of a capacity ov 1500 copies an hour and stock of type sufficient for the needs of any rural paper. With the aid of two journeymen printers an edition of the Gideon Free Press was printed right before the all-seeing eyes of the camera. All the men connected with the filming of " Contraband," including Jack Cunning* ham, who adapted the story to the screen, Crosland, the director, and others have had newspaper experience. Lois Wilson is the girl editor in the picture who combines the activities of a detective with her newspaper work and stirs up much excitement for herself. Beery has the role of a dishonest deputy sheriff. Hatton furnishes much of the comedy in the production and McKee is cast as an absent-minded and self-centred professor hired to obtain stories and wn e editorials for the Free Press. Charles Ctele, Victor Pntel, of comedy fame Luke Losgrove, little Johnny Fox, Lillian Leigh Ln Edwards Davis and Others appear m the'strong cast playing in support An excellent supporting programme will also be shown

grand theatre. Unstinted praise has been given by critics to "The Merry-Go-Hound, the Universal-Jewel production in which Mary Philbin has achieved outstanding success The picture will be the principal attraction on the now programme at the Grand Theatre to-morrow. the picture met with remarkable success when hrst shown in New York, where it had a long run. It Irflla » story of the love ol an Austrian count for a little organplayer at a Vienna merry-go-round. The piciu re was nino months in the making, and more titan 1000 peopl® took part m it. The cost of building the elaborate sets to duplicate the Prater, which was Vienna s Coney Island, the Emperors castle, and other historic spots, was enormous, but the expenditure is considered to have been more than justified by the final excellence. Mary Philbin is said to give » very human portrayal of the principal role, and to win the sympathy of the audience. MUNICIPAL ORGAN RECITAL. The city organist, Mr. Maughan Burnett, will give a recital at the Town Hall next Sunday evening at half-past eight.

PRINCESS THEATBE.

Tha chief attraction at the Princess Theatre to-morrow will be " The Rambow Trail," a Fox picture, starring Tom Mix. It is the sequel to " Riders of the Purple Sage," which was screened a short time ago. The story tells in graphic maimer of the search of John Shefford for his uncle, Lassiter, who had shut himself up in the hidden valley, with Jane Withersteen and their adopted child, Fay Lark in, to escape a lawless band. Shefford rescues Bern Venters and his wife from a perilous situation, at risk of his own life, and learns from Venters, a former friend of Lassiter, the whereabouts of the valley. Alone he goes to Stony rock, a lawless town, and there befriends a gk'l whom he does not know, but who is really Fay Larkin, abducted from the valley by the owner of the Green Light, a notorious den. Together with Joe Lake, mulepacker and fighter, and a big Indian with whom he had made friends, Shef ford leaves the town,* and the girl, intent on his search for the valley. The Indian brings news that the girl at the village was Fay Larkin, and Shefford re turns, and succeeds, amid a number ot exciting situations, in taking her frpm under the noses of her captors and mat ing for the valley. There the outlaws gain possession of the winch by which Fay had been stolen from the valley, hut in ain exciting finish Shefford and his companions win the day. As usual, the horse "Tony" plays a prominent part in the production. The second fea ture will be " The Price of Pleasure," a Universal-Jewel production, starring Virginia Valii and Norman Kerry. The story tells of a girl who succeeds in her ambition of having one week of pleasure., but afterwards finds herself in a worse position than before.