ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19320, 6 May 1926, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS.

"THE SEVENTH HEAVEN." SENTIMENT AT HIS MAJESTY'S

Austin Strong's play, "The Seventh Heaven," which commenced a brief season at His Majesty's Theatre last evening, was chiefly notable for the welcomo reappearance of Frank Harvey in an unusual rolo and the introduction of the captivating French actress, Miss Remy Carpen. An additional point of interest was the fact that the play is concluding a New Zealand tour before making its Australian premiere—a rare procedure where J. C. Williamson productions are concerned. As far as the play goes, it has several conspicuous merits, including a certain dramatic potency and a skilful alliance of types. It should not be omitted that there is also a line of religious philosophy. Sentiment has been dabbed on the picture in frankly liberal quantities and would probably prove overwhelming but for a mildly pleasant vein of comedy. A French setting, with two scones of the Paris underworld, lends generous scope for the melodrama that is somehow best associaed with an English author's conception of life in the French capital, but, except for Miss Carpen's impulsiveness, the Gallic touch imparted by the other players is purely of the imitative kind. Opening with a scene reminiscent of "Les Miserables," with its thieves' dens and sewer retreats nestling in the shadow of the cathedral, the play grips the heart at the outset with a striking picture of the pathetic Diane, bruised and beaten by her fiendish sister to a state of fear and submission sensitive to behold. Into her desolate and loveless life comes Chico, the sewer rat, a strange mixture of honesty, courage and conceit. He is an atheist, because the Bon Dieu has failed him in his prayer for an J-'onest oc-mpat' )i. a wife and money enough to keep her, but when the police come to take the brokenhearted girl to the cells his manliness prevails and he adopts the startling subterfuge of claiming her to be his wife. This brings the play to more familiar levels, but everything does not turn out as the audience expects and it is a long time before the fires of love begin to smoulder in his breast. Then a new recognition of a Great Giver brings the dawn of a noble day, In the scenes in the tenement attic, where Diane finds her '"seventh heaven" and hesitatingly tries to break down the barrier of her saviour's reserve, the romance of the play assumes a beautiful form, attaining its climax in the final act upon the return of Chico from the war. Here the spectators may well be forgiven if they find the sentiment and pathos irresistible. Mr. Frank Harvey's portrayal of Chico is done in his usual forceful style. He knows just how to assume that air of extreme vanity that makes the character interesting without giving offence. If there was one fault about him it was that he made too manly and certainly too English a Chico; but perhaps that was because he was associated with an actress who was charmingly French. Miss Carpen has the role of Diane at her fingertips, its pathos, its terror and its beauty. Petite and bewitching in her unpretentious black frocks, she carried the audience completely with her, giving an interpretation to her sentimental passages that was intensely sympathetic and appealing. Last night's audience will not quickly forget the sense of physical tiredness she seemed to breath in every movement and the numbing elation conveyed in the final scene. It was in every sense a complete performance.

Among a group of excellent supporting players first mention should he made of Mr. George Blunt as the fat and jovial taxi-driver, Boul. His was a picture of true Pickwickian benevolence. Miss Gwen Burroughs gave a vigorous portrayal of the human tigress, Nana, and Mr. Alfred Jenkin of the sewer rat. Mr. Mavne Lynton, as Colonel Brissac. cut a pleasant and imposing figure, while Miss Nan eye Stewart gave every satisfaction in the somewhat~ unsatisfactory role of Arlette. Miss Marion Marcus Clarke and Messrs. Vivian Edwards, Gerald HaySou per. Redfre Carey, Herbert Leigh and John Fernside filled other and important parts. Finally, there was the French priest of Mr. John Bedouin, a truly excellent performance. "The Seventh Heaven" will be staged until Monday evening only. On Tuesday it- will give way to Galsworthy's drama", "The Skin Game."

MAJESTIC THEATRE. An item of more than ordinary interest will be included in the new programme opening at the Majestic Theatre tomorrow. It will be an entertainment byMiss Bathie Stuart, exponent of Maori folk songs and dances, assisted by four Maori girls, one of whom, Tina, will be remembered as the attractive heroine of "Rewa's Last Stand." The entertainment will include a wide variety of Maori songs, and also hakas and "war dances. The Maori love song, "Hoki Tonu Mai,." the famous chant, "Aotea Canoe Incantation," and the stirring "Watch Chant of Te ltauparaha's Ngati-Toa Warriors" will be among the items given. The featured film will be "So This is Marriage," a Metro-Goldwyn production, starring Eleanor Boardman and Conrad Nagel. It is a story of modern marriage, but one of the principal scenes goes back to the court of King David u> illustrate the O'd Testament story of Bath-Sheba's treachery to her husband, Uriah. This sequence is said to be the most beautiful ever filmed, having been done in natural colour to bring out the lavishness of the background. Seventy-five girl dancers appear in what is described as one of the most startling dances yet seen in a picture. The dancers' bodies are covered with a silver paint, so that every movement is caught in the glint of the sun. The court itself is a careful reconstruction, according to its description in the Bible and other historical data concerning Jerusalem. A Telephone Girl comedy, "Money to Burn," and a scenic picture, "Rambles Round Rotorua," will also be screened. The orchestra will play a special musical item entitled "Evolution of Dixie," and Suppe's "Jolly Robbers."

GRAND THEATRE. Harold Lloyd's latest comedy, " Hot Water," which has been received with much enthusiasm at the Strand Theatre, will be transferred to the Grand Theatre for a season commencing to-morrow. The film is declared to be Lloyd's greatest, comedy to date. Thero is practically no plot, but the film is composed of a quick succession of clover and extremely amusing "gags" strung together on a slender story just strong enough to givo a semblance of cohesion and continuity to the whole. Lloyd has long been noted for his originality, and this production should add still further to his reputation in this respect. Practically all the comic incidents in the film are entirely new and quite different from anything offered to theatre-goers in the past. The story concerns a young man- who has sworn never to fall in love, but who, while hurrying to act as best man at. his friend's wedding, bumps into a girl so charming that his resolutions are forgotten in a moment. All goes well until the hero and the girl become engaged and are finally married. Then there appear upon the scene the bridegroom's mother-in-law and two brothers-in-law, whose intervention in the affairs of the newly-married pair lead to disastrous consequences. One of the most amusing sequences in the film occurs when the horo takes his wife and her family for a drive in his new motor-car. Every conceivable mishap, together with quite a number never before # dreamt of, falls to the lot _of the new car before the end of the journey is reached.

HIPPODROME THEATRE. Snowy Baker, the famous Australian, who is claimed to be the world s greatest all-round athlete, plays thei leading role in " The Sword of Valour," which will be the principal attraction at the Hippodrome Theatre to-day. The film relates the story of the love of three men, Captain Grant Lee Brooke, military attache to the American Legation in Madrid, Ismid Matrouli, a Levantine for-tune-hunter, and Roderigo, a Gipsy youth for Ynez, a daughter of a proud, but now poverty-stricken, old Spanish family. Matrouli arranges for Brooke to be killed in a duel with Henri di .Laon, a professional duellist, who is admitted to_be the best swordsman in Europe. But Roderigo arrives while the duel is m progress, and, inflamed with jealousy, fires at Brooke. The bullet rriisscs mark, and strikes di Laon, killing him. Amazed by this unexpected and tragic ending of the duel, all rush to di Laon. Then from the hacienda comes ft scream. Roderigo, driven by his passion from one crime to another, has carried \ riez away. Brooke reaches the hacienda first, mounts his horse, and gives chase. Riding to the Gipsy camp, Roderigo orders: his men to let no one follow until night comes and lie can make good his escape with Ynez. Then he carries her to a favourite retreat of pursued smugglers—a tall cliff, accessible only by a narrow, winding path. Brooke dashes into the Gipsy camp soon after Roderigo's departure. Treacherously attacked by five of the mountaineers, he succeeds in shaking them off, makes a flying leap to his horse and again finds the trail. Ynez's screams lead him to the cliff. Behind him the Gipsies i&ount their own horses and ride after him. Brooke starts up the cliff path. The Gipsies swarm after him with drawn knives. He just saves himself from a great boulder rolled down by his enemy above. Following, Ynez's father meets the mountain police, who are looking for a stagecoach robber. He tells them of Ynez's abduction by Roderigo. At the Gipsy camp they force the truth from an old woman, and arrive at the cliff just as Brooke, who has scaled the sheer side of the cliff, comes to grips with Roderigo. Their carbines speak as he hurls the Gipsy from the height, and Roderigo's men fall with their leader.

TIVOLI AND PRINCESS. " From Cape to the Bluff," a film depicting a journey by Reo motor-truck trom Kaitaia to Blulf and back again, will head the new programme which opens at both the Tivoli and Princess Theatres to-day. The film is said to be t, remarkably beautiful scenic picture, showing the wonderful beauty of New Zealand's bush scenery in many parts of both North and South Islands, as well as the rugged picturesquencss of mountain, hill, valley and river in many other districts. The journey was accomplished in a little over 17 days and the trip itself was noli without amusing incidents, which serve to enliven the story and prevent any suggestion of the monotony which is sometimes apt to mar a pyrely scenic picture. The programme at each theatre will also include a Paramount domestic comedy, " The Trouble With Wives," with Florence \idor, Torn Moore, Esther Ralston and Ford Sterling in the principal roles.. "As spicy as a French domestic farce and yet as clean as a hound's tooth, 'The Trouble With Wives' is a fine combination of smart story, good acting and intelligent direction," says a reviewer. " The lack of any one of these three essentials probably would have spoiled the idea, but there is nothing lacking, and it stands a delightful farce comedy that will please the sophisticated, amuse the less intelligent and probably not even fail with the dense. 'The Trouble With Wives' should prove one of the most popular pictures of the season." The story tells of the difficulties of a newly-married couple who quarrel soon after their honeymoon. The trouble is largely due to a well-meaning but blundering friend, who, in relating the past adventures of the young husband, causes the wife to become jealous of a girl named Dagmar. Later he makes the position worse by placing a false construction on the actions of the husband, aDd finally brings matters to a climax by his clumsy attempts to sympathise with the wife. Husband and wife are each jealous of the other when all difficulties are suddenly swept away by the announcement of the marriage of the well-meaning friend and Dagmar. The picture was directed by Malcolm St. Clair.

NATIONAL AND LYRIC. , Dorothy" Mackaill appears in an outdoor role in her latest production, " The Mine With the Iron Door," adapted by Principal Pictures Coropration from the famous novel by Harold Bell Wright, which will be presented at the National end Lyric Theatres for the first time today. The talented young actress plays the part of a young woman who has no knowledge of her parentage, and who, having been kidnapped as a child, is then stolen from her kidnappers by bandits, to be rescued, adopted and reared bv two old, rough, but big-hearted gckl "prospectors in the Canada del Oro (Canyon of Gold) near the City of Tucson, Arizona. The two old mining prospectors, self-appointed guardians of the heroine, are as quaint and picturesque as any of the characters ever drawn by Bret Harte, and there 5s many a chuckle and many a good laugh through their humorous actions as they vie with each other in their devotion to the girl, and strive ineffectively to hide their jealousy of each other. An Apache Indian also plays an important part He is far above the average of his race in intelligence and his silent and taciturn demeanour constitutes one of the most striking features of the novel, which already has sold to the extent of more than two million copies. This Indian role, however, is not that of a villain or aboriginal " bad man." On the contrary, despite the element of mystery that surrounds the character, he comes to bo a most loyal and devoted friend and protector of the young hero. Pat O'Malley. Creighton Hale and Mary Carr head the supporting cast. The second featured film is a First National production, " Little Old New York," starring Marion Davies, who first won fame throueh her work in " When Knighthood Was in Flower," and who was seen recently in " Yolanda." In her latest production she appears as Patricia O'Dav, who masquerades as her dead! brother in order to inherit a fortune left by an uncle in New York. STRAND THEATRE. Excellent entertainment will be afforded in "The Dark Swan," a Master picture, which will be presented at the Strand Theatre to-morrow evening. It is a story of a girl, Cornelia, whose plainness of face robs her of romance until one day there comes a man, Lewis Dike, who shows a deep regard for her. Cornelia's happiness is short-lived, however, for Lewis meets her sister Eve and is attracted by her beauty. Marriage follows and Cornelia goes abroad, determined not to cive into a feeling of depression which appears likely to overwhelm her. After a year in England she returns and is drawn into the lives of Eve and Lewis, whose marriage has proved a failure. How Cornelia eventually gains happiness and the only man who ever evinced, an interest in her, provides an intensely absorbing climax. The cast is an excellent one, being headed by Monte Bine. Marie Prevost, Ilelene Chadwick and Arthur Rankin, The supporting programmo will include a comedy, "Daily Dozens." an Aesop Fable cartoon, "An. Ideal Farm." and topical pictures. Another attraction will be Dancing Dan and the StrandMajestic Follies. The orchestra will play "Ballet Music." from "Faust," and Suppe's "Light Cavalry."

AUCKLAND CHORAL SOCIETY. An interpretation of Coleridge Taylor's " Hiawatha "■ will be presented by the Auckland Choral Society in the "Town Hall on Thursday, May 13. " The Messiah," " Elijah " and " Hiawatha " are considered to be the only works that can draw packed houses to the Royal Albert Hall, London, to-day. Past successes have well qualified -the choir to undertake this difficult work, and another excellent production can confidently be expected.

" THAT ROYLE GIRL." " Inaugurating a series of productions, • which he is making for Paramount/' says a critic, "D, W. Griffith's latest picture, 'That Royle Girl,' is a gripping underworld melodrama with fine characterisation and human appeal, and exceptionally tense drama and suspense, which works up to a tremendously thrilling action and emotional climax in a remarkable reproduction of a cyclone." 'Tho picture is to be .screened in Auckland for the first time to-day. " 'That Royle Girl,' " continues the critic, "is Daisy Royle, a product of the slums, daughter of a lazy, drunken, morally weuk confidence man, and a sickly mother who eases her sufferings with drugs. A frail, delicate type, she is forced to look out for herself and grows up ir)to a mixture of hoydenish tomboyishness and wilfulness innocent of the world's evils, and finding inspiration and solace in confiding her sorrows to the statue of her ideal, Lincoln. After many hard knocks she becomes a mannequin and joins a fast, jazzy set, and falls in love with Ketler, an orchestra leader who is separated from his wife. Mrs. Ketler is murdered, Ketler is convicted on circumstantial evidence, and Daisy is involved. Clarke, the district attorney, who looks down on girls of Daisy's type, is strangely attracted to her, and although she does not love Ketler she determines to save him as she knows i that he was with her at the time of the murder. She is imprisoned by a rival gang, but a storm which develops into a cyclone wrecks the building, and Clarke finds her. Once the story gets under- way the interest is held in a vice-like grip. At the beginning the story seems some- [ what sketchy, and the connection between some of the situations is at times vague, but it transpires that these scenes are but backgrounds for the action that is to follow and that each has its niche in the story. The murder occurs early in the development and from this point on the dramatic interest and suspense continue 1 to mount higher and higher."

QUEEN'S THEATRE. In "The Pony Express," which will head to-morrow's new programme at the Queen's Theatres. James Cruze has produced another historic masterpiece which throbs with the romance, drama and adventure of the West. 'Betty Compson, Hicardo Cortez, Ernest Torrance and Wallace Beery are the more prominent players featured in the picture. Betty Compson has the leading feminine role t as "Mollie Jones." Ricardo Cortez appears as the hero of the story, a pony express rider. Ernest Torrence, as Ascension Jones, is a blacksmith and religious, fanatic, while Wallace, Beery has a part which scintillates with humour throughout. The production was written for the screen by Walter Woods from the story i by himself and Henry James Forman. A considerable degree of realism has been achieved film by obtaining original coaches and old Western drivers. A band of more than a thousand Sioux Indians was brought to Cheyenne, Wyoming, -from their reservation at Pine Ridge, North Dakota* for the purposes of this great picture. Here they fought again the greatest battle in which their tribe was ever engaged Tha-scale of the fighting was such that the film representation cannot but bo impressive. The second attraction will be "Tracked in the Snow Country." in which Rin-Tin-Tin, known as the wonder dog of the screen, plays a prominent part,