ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19217, 5 January 1926, Page 12

ENTERTAINMENTS.

OPERA HOUSE. •The versatility and novelty that have characterised all the productions of Phil Smith's Musical Comedy Company again formed the feature.of ine new revue "At the Party/' which commenced at the Opera House yesterday. There was no continuity of plot intended for the performance,' the offerings being in the form of complete and individual character sketches or ballet scenas. The revue was conspicuous for the . excellence of the selection of vocal and dance items. A burlesque of an opera singer at the piano by Nat Hanley was accorded well-merited applause. William Greene and the Smiling Six succeeded in a very creditable rendering of "Hello, I've Been Looking for You." A medley of coon songs was presented by Peggy Peate, Robert Raymond, Phyllis Nicholson and Nellie Dean. The first short sketch, a selection entitled "Conjugal Fidelity," was per : formed by William Greene, Peggy Peato, Robert Raymond, Phyllis Nicholson and Phil Smith. The item dealt humorously with the unmasking of a husband and wife. A song and dance scena ."Jealousy," was rendered by Mildred O'Brien and Charles Megan. Nellie Dean' was popular with "Broken-hearted Blues." Some amusing cross-talk constituted tho item, "The' Fireman," in which Nat Hanley, Robert Raymond and William Greene appeared. A pretty ballet assisted Peggy Peate with her song, "An Old-fashioned Garden." Phil Smith sustained his popularity in a song, "The First Forty Yearsare the Hardest," which was liberally interspersed with comment. Charles Megan and Phyllis Nicholson were popular in another sketch, "A Pathetic Playlet." The same two rendered a catchy song "Hold Me in Your Loving Arms." Robert Raymond and Mildred O'Brien introduced a Scottish number. ■ The most popular sketch, a 'burlesque number featuring a thief, a detective, a play author and a woman, gave William Greene, Robert Raymond, Nat Hanley and Peggy Peate an opportunity for some consistent humour. The selection Was enhanced by interruptions from Phil Smith in the role, of an inebriated member of the audience.; A series of popular airs was rendered by Nat Hanley and Charles Megan, the banjo artists. The outstanding feature of the vaudeville was the number presented by the Cavanna Duo. The man of the party, a contortionist of exceptional capabilities, performed some difficult feats on a loose horizontal wire, combining feats of contortion with remarkable equilibrium. His partner was well received with an item on tho harp and dancing selections. The clever young musicians, the Four Little Kellys presented new violin selections. Southwood and Pink Lady were well received in a medley of songs. Bella and Morris submitted a variety of songs, dances and stories, generally characterised by originality. Tho programme will be repeated each evening this week. GUY BATES POST. Guy Bates Post will be seen for the first time in New Zealand in the bril liantly successful drama, " The Green Goddess," at His Majesty's Theatre this evening. In this thrilling offering, which is from tho pen of the noted London critic, the Jate tjWilliam Archer, Guv Bates Post has the role of the Rajah of Rukh, a highly-educated Oriental potentate, whose suave and polished exterior is merely a veneer hiding his natural savagery. Dramatic though the role is, Mr. Post; puts such clever comedy into his characterisation, that thrills and laughs alternate. The production is on the lavish and. artistic scale, for which Mr. Post is noted, and particularly fine atmospheric and scenic effects are secured in the first act, which takes place on a Himalayan mountain pass before the sacred temple .ctf the Green Goddess. " The Green Goddess" will be staged for five nights only, and next Monday Mr. Post will be seen for the first time in a purely comedy role in " The Bad Man." ' RIALTO THEATRE. Those who have watched Pola Negri since her appearance on the screen have not, perhaps, considered that she can play a comedy part, but in "The Charmer," which will lead the new double feature programme at the Rialto Theatre to-day, she demonstrates her great versatility. The story has to do with the career of a beautiful Spanish girl, who is discovered in a Seville dance hall by & prominent theatrical producer. The dancing and beauty appeal to the showman, and he makes her an offer to go to New York. Billed as The Charmer, her success is instantaneous, and Ralph Bayne, scion of wealthy parents, and his chauffeur. Dan Murray, fall violently in'love with the little foreign girl. The rivalry of the men affords scope for interesting developments. At first the girl''does not desire to marry, but she is later forced into a position where she must choose one of the two men. Their efforts to outdo each other are the cause of many amusing scenes, as well as of much real drama. The supporting cast includes Cesare Gravina, Gertrude Astor, Edward Davis, Wallace Mac Donald and Robert Frazer. The other featured film is "Hold Your Breath," an amusing Christie comedy with Dorothy Devore in the leading role. The film is described as a masterpiece of humour' combined with a masterpiece of daring acting. The heroine is a girl' who attempts to "hold down" her brother's job as a newspaper reporter. The resulting action is both thrilling and amusing. STRAND THEATRE. - Irene Rich and Ricardo Cortez have the principal roles in "This Woman," a Warner Brothers production which is now being shown at the Strand Theatre. Tho picture is an adaptation of a novel by Howard Rockey, and tells of a girl who, through the wrecking of the fortunes of her family, is compelled to sing for her living in the streets of New York. One day her voice attracts the attention of the greatest impressario of the day, and an arrangement is made to finance the girl's musical training. The money is provided by a number of wealthy "men who are to receive dividends out of her subsequent earnings. This arrangement forms the background of an unusually interesting plot. The supporting. programme includes an Our Gang comedy. "Back Stage." Mrs. Beryl Nettleton appears in a novelty dance interlude.

MAJESTIC THEATRE. "The White Sister," the great Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer production which is being screened at the Majestic Theatre is now almost at the end of its Auckland season. Produced on a magnificent scale, the film is sa|d to be one of the greatest artistic triumphs in the history of the screen. Lillian Gish is claimed to have incomEarably the most outstanding role of er remarkably brilliant career. It is her work combined with the masterly directing of Henry King that is responsible for the picture's triumphant success. There are many scenes of wonderful beauty, including authentic views of old Italian castles and famous buildings, and glimpses of the wide expanse of the desert under the pale light of the moon. Among the spectacular scenes are those showing an eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the bursting of a great reservoir. A strong supporting programme is screened, and I music is provided by the Majestic orches- [ tra. of 19 soloists i . EMPRESS THEATRE. An excellent series of vaudeville trials will be provided at the Empress Theatre this evening in addition to the picture programme. The featured film is "In the Palace of the King," a spectacular First National production, with Blanche Sweet, Hobart Bosworth, Pauline Starke and Edmund Lowe in the principal roles. The picture is adapted on a lavish scale from F. Marion Crawford's popular novel nf the same name. Its beauty and magnificence, its spectacular splendour, and the elaborateness of its appointments make it stand out auove the general average of such costume pictures. The story is an appealing one, telling of the love of the brother of King Philip 11. of Spain for a lady of the court, who is not of Royal birth. The picture contains many elaborate sets, some of which are of remarkable size.

"THE IRON HORSE." < The spectacular William Fox production, "The .Iron Horse," which commences at the ' National" and Lyric Theatres on Thursday, has an interesting history. More than four years a S°> while pursuing the study of the life of Abraham Lincoln, William Fox came upon a fact in Lincoln's career which opened the t gateway of inspiration. He found that' it' was Lincoln who, with far-seeing vision, brought about the accomplishment of the mighty plan to unite the east and the west of the United States by a trans-continental railroad whicn would run over plains and mountain from the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean. It was President Lincoln who made possible that road which broke tha powei of hostile Indians, conquered nature itself'and opened up an incredibly rich empire to. millions of future home-seekers—-the central exploit of a thrilling ana romantic phase of the republic s history. William Fox became more and more impressed with the heroic nature of the exploit. He saw in it limitless material of. rich romance. He sensed the vitality and colour of this epic of courage and toil and" suffering and final triumph. Here was a great episode in the development of America which had been ignored by the makers of screen drama, an episode filled with the American spirit. He determined to produce such a picture romance as would live in the recollection of the people. His aim was to produce the great American picture-play. To direct the production he selected John Ford, a young man from Portland, Maine, who had already shown marked genius in

the direction of motion pictures and whose heart was imbued with the spirit of America. Skilled mind.s were assigned to build the framework of a historical romance. Simultaneously, technical experts in railroad construction were retained. Months were spent in research work in the Congressional Library at Washington, in the New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento and Omaha Public Libraries; in the Smithsonian Institute of Washington, in the American Museum of Natural History and among the faded archives of the Central and Union Pacific railroads. William Fox personally selected the principals of the cast—George O'Brien, with his unforgettable smile, _ who • happens to be the son of the chief' of police of San Francisco; Madge Bellamy, who possessed the sweetmess and womanliness required by the character she was to impersonate; Fred Kohler as Deroux, the renegade and enemy of the road; J. Farrell , Mac Donald as Corporal Casey, one of' "The three musketeers," typical of the adventurous ex-soldiers of the Civil War who hastened in their gray and blue uniforms to become the road builders; and Charles Edward Bull, not an actor, but a judge of the Courts in Reno, Nevada, willing to lend to a great production his singular resemblance to Lincoln the great emancipator. The film will -be presented on a lavish scale with a spectacular prologue _ and lighting effects, and special lighting effects.