ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19144, 9 October 1925, Page 13

ENTERTAINMENTS.

PRINCESS THEATRE. The chief attraction on the new programme at the Princess Theatre to-day will be " The Rainbow Trail," the sequel to. " Riders of the Purple Sage." " The Rainbow Trail " was written by Zane Grey, and contains an exceptional cast of popular players, including Tom Mix. " Tony," the wonder horse, has an important part. He carries his master through perilous situations in the beautiful, ruggrd, snow-capped mcurtains of the North-West of the Unite J States. While making the picture Mix performed many rt-jw deeds of daring. The picture is full of startling situations and the story is an engrossing one of a man's hunt for the girl of his dreams. The trail leads him to Surprise Valley, where his uncle, Jim Lassiter, a woman and the girl h£ve been held prisoners for years. An outlaw band tries to thwart his efforts to rescue t iem, but, after overcoming apparently insurmountable obstacles and fighting a desperate battle, he succeeds. Tom Mix is said to give a vivid interpretation of the historic frontier westerner, adding to the fictional qualifications of the story the daring and fearlessness for which he has been long noted. Exterior scenes for " The Rainbow Trail " were made in the beautiful Yosernite Valley. Lynn Reynolds, long associated with the western star as director, acted in a similar capacity in this picture. Anna Cornwall plays the leading role opposite Tom Mix ana Bancroft, Diana Miller, Carol Halloway, Lucien Littlefield, Fred De Silva and Mark Hamilton are cast in strong supporting roles. The second feature will be the UniversalJewel production, " The Price of Pleasure," starring Norman Kerry and Virginia Yalli. It is described as a masterpiece of realism portraying two widely different walks in life. Contrasts are drawn between the luxurious environment of the rich and the tawdry poverty of the shop girl who earns a meagre living in a great city, where she is separated from her family, and has to content herself with the comfort of a boarding house. EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. Alan Croslaml, who has many excellent screen productions to his credit, is said to have added another success to his already imposing list in "Contraband," the Paramount production which will open at Everybody's Theatre today. The story deals with the humorous, romantic and dramatic adventures of a girl who inherits a bankrupt newspaper in a small town. She discovers that the town is being used by a gang of rumrunners as a base of operations. She tries to break up this liquor ring and finds herself confronted by many difficulties. Lois Wilson is the girl and Raymond McKee is the young professor, who forgets his academic training and tendencies long enough to fall in love with the heroine and help her clean up the town. Noah Beery has a role very much to his liking, that of a villainous deputy-sheriff, who is in league with the bootleggers. Raymond Hatton is another of the principal players who gives a good account of himself. He portrays the local photographer,, who is in reality a bootlegger. The supporting character actors, Charles Ogle, Victor Potel, Edwards Davis, Cesare Gravina, are a few who are particularly effective iri their respective delineations- One of the principal thrills in the picture is pro vidad by Raymond McKee, who flirts with death in the path of several large automobile trucks weighted down by heavy cargoes and travelling at 35 miles an hour. While absent-mindedly picking up papers on the roadway he is almost knocked down, only the skill of the picked drivers being responsible for saving his life. One driver, especially selected for the hazardous task, twists his steering-wheel this way and that, just misses his victim by inches and finally crashes into the bank at the side of the road. QUEEN'S THEATRE. A picture made by the popular Australian producer, Beaumont Smith, will be the principal attraction at the Queen's Theatre to-day. "The Digger Earl," as it is, entitled, departs entirely from the familiar back-blocks type, and takes as its principal characters a young English peer and an Australian soldier. "St. Mervyn's," Double Bay, one of Sydney's most picturesque homes, has furnished backgrounds for several scenes; while others have been photographed at tho Rushcutter's Bay studio, Victoria Park racecourse, in the city, and on the harbour. The producer has chosen as his players rttany people who are already well known to picture-goers, and a few who are new to the screen. Arthur Tau chert will play the digger, who masquerades as tho earl, while Gordon Collingridge is tho Englishman. Dunstan Webb, an accomplished screen villain, will have a familiar role. Lotus Thompson and Heather Jones, a, new and promising actress, are the featured feminine players. The picture will show Sydney's social and sporting life as well as providing both drama and fun. Hoot Gibson will appear in a stirring Western picture, "Broadway or Bust," and the usual supporting * programme will be shown.

RIALTO THEATRE. " The picture is faithfully done and is fascinating from beginning to end. To anyone who (loves' Dickens—and who does not?—this picture will give more than two hours of rest and laughs." Tims the critic of the New York Evening Telegram summed up his impressions of " David Copperfie'd," the film version of the great English classic, which will commence at "the Rialto Theatre this evening. " There are the old-fashioned gowns," said the New York Times, " the quiet country roads, the picturesque, quaint, narrow streets, with houses with large knockers on the doors, the coal fires which heated only their section of the room, the heavy furniture and Nottingham lace curtains, and the dear old milkman, without a thought of hygiene—nobody can fail to notice these details. What a relief it is even to see Uriali Heep in all his palm-rubbing, after some of the productions with jazz and triangle complications!" The second feature will be " The Mad Whirl," a Universal picture, featuring May McAvoy. Vocal items will be given by David Campbell, an eleven-year-old boy soprano, who is said to have an exceptionally pleasing voice. HIPPODROME THEATRE. A fascinating story of New York society which centres round a strange mystery is told in " Cordelia the Magnificent," a Metro picture, which will head the new programme at the Hippodrome Theatre to-day. The heroine is Cordelia Marlowe, daughter of a wealthy New York family, who is compelled *to earn her own living when her mother loses her fortune. Realising that, she has no accomplishments that will fit her for the world of business, she finds employment with a lawyer who requires that she should watch developments in a certain fashionable house in New York. She obtains an invitation to stay at the house and is thus introduced to a remarkable mystery. Her efforts finally lead to the solving of the mystery and bring love and happiness to four people. Clara Kimball Young has the leading role, and is supported by a strong cast, including Huntley Gordon, Carol Hallcway and Lloyd Whit lock. The supporting programme will include a Century comedy, a Barton Holmes travelogue and a Paramount news reel. DIXIELAND CABARET. Dixieland Cabaret will occupy its present. premises for only three more nights, and dancing will be held this evening from eight o'clock until midnight. The box plan is at Lewis R. Eady and Son, Limited.

NATIONAL AND LYRIC. "Soui Fire," an Inspiration Pictures production, with Richard Bafcbeimess in tha leading role and Bessie Love opposite hina, and "The Desert Flower," a First National picture, featuring Colleen Moore and Lloyd Hughes, are the main items in the programme now screening at the National and Lyric Theatres. Two numbers of the "G&umont Graphic" news series are also included. "Soul Fire" i* the tale of the making of a musical genius. The picture opens with a scene of the rendering by an orchestra of the sonata in D Minor which brought him fame. His parents, smugly self-satisfied, are shown in one of the boxes of the theatre, while in the nest box are two i men, one who knows the life of the composer, Eric Fane, and the other the most influential music critic in New York. To I him his companion explains that in the sonata will he found both an ap logy and an explanation of the peculiar life ; Fane has led. And so it proves; glimpses | of the voung musician's progress to the I point where he writes immortal music are 1 interleaved with scenes in the theatre, | showing the growing enthusiasm of the great critic- The tale runs smoothly and enthrallingiy to its climax, and Mr. Barthelmess' acting is most convincing. "The Desert Flower" is a picture most of the attraction of which lies in the irresistible acting of Colleen Moore, who, in a typical "flapper" part, evokes a great deal of genuine humour. As the ne'er-do-well who becomes a hero, Lloyd Hughes gives a fine portrayal