ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19511, 15 December 1926, Page 10

ENTERTAINMENTS.

PRINCESS AND TIVOIA Based upon tho law that every man ia innocent until proven guilty, " The Blind Goddess," a Paramount picture, opening at the Princess and Tivoli Theatres tomorrow, brings to the screen a heart-grip-ping human-interest drama, in which love and duty, romance and murder mystery arc some of the complex elements. The story seems to possess all the thrilling episodes of a plot conceived by Phillip 1 Oppenheim or Sax Rohmcr. When Moira Devens, only child of " Big Bill " Devens, powerful New York politician, falls in love with Hugh Dillon, a brilliant young; lawyer, her father has his future son-in- ' law appointed to an important post in the district attorney's office. At home, one ; night, Moira sees the butler admit a feminine visitor. Although the girl is not : awara of it the woman —known as Mrs. Clayton—is her own mother, who had deserted her father 20 years before for another man. Mrs, Clayton begs Devens to take her back, and when he rejects her ; pleas, attempts to shoot herself. Devens i wrests the gun from her hand and curtly dismisses her. After she leaves Devens' 1 partner, Kelling, arrives, and confesses he has been mixed up in several crooked deals i in which he has also implicated Devens. t The latter denounces his partner. Kelling, , in a sudden rage, secures the gun Mrs. Clayton had left and shoots Devens. The 1 police arrest Mrs. Clayton. Every shred ; of circumstantial evidence points to her as ; the murderess. Dillon is given charge of the case, and' to him Mrs. Clayton dis- ' closes confidentially her real identity. Con- ' vinced of her innocence, Dillon refuses to i prosecute her, thus incurring the anger , and suspicion of Moira, and leading to his discharge from the district attorney's office. At the trial he presents himself as i the attorney for the defence. To all appearances Mrs. Clayton faces certain con- , viction. In the hope of finding some new evidence Dillon visits Moira's home, and, ' in the room where the murder had been • committed, discovers a dictaphone record on which Devens had delivered his dying message, " Kelling killed me." Mrs. Clayton is, of course, acquitted; mother ' and daughter are reunited; and Dillon receives his reward when Moira marries him. The leading roles arc interpreted by Jack Holt, Esther Ralston, Ernest Torrence and ' Louise Dresser. The film was produced i by Victor Fleming, who directed- the screen masterpiece, " Lord Jim." Art , Acord is the star player in " Sky High Corral," the supporting feature, NATIONAL AND LYRIC, i The principal attraction at the National and Lyric Theatres to-morrow will be . " Pals First," a First National production, with a very attractive story. No sooner i had Richard Castleman, master of Winnecrest Hall, in Louisiana, left on the sea voyage that had been recommended for his health by his cousin and physician, Harry Chilton, than the villainous doctor began 1 using his cousin's money and making love , to the sick man's fiancee, Jeanne Lamont. Finally, word arrives that Castleman had died at sea, and the doctor prepares to usurp the fortune and sweetheart of the deceased man. But Danny Rowland forger, who had been picked up and nursed to health from a wound by two wandering law breakers, " Dominie " and "The Squirrel," opportunely arrives at the Castleman home, seeking food and a night's rest, and is welcomed as the master of the domain on account of his remarkable resemblance to Dick Castleman. He introduces " Dominie " as a cleric of the Church of England, and " The Squirrel " as an Italian count. The countryside welcomes them, and. they become entrenched at the hall as the master and two intimate friends. Danny falls in love with Jeanne, arid Jeanne loves him, believing him to be Dick,'her fiance. Chilton, however, suspects the trio, finding several flaws in their actions during the time of the masquerade, and finally unmasks them, calling in the sheriff to take them into custody. The sheriff intends to identify Danny Rowland by means of a tattoo mark on his forearm. The mark, however, is missing. Then it was that Rowland, in reality Dick Castleman, told of having been attacked by the real Danny Rowland, who had exchanged clothes with him, and of having been befriended by the two criminals. Dick and Jeanne are wed at last, and the two tramps, given financial aid by Dick, leave them to their happiness. GRAND THEATRE. Mrs. Wallace Reid's latest picture, "Broken Laws," will be shown for a week at the Grand Theatre, commencing on Friday. This absorbing play, which sets forth the effect of broken. laws in the home upon children and young people is the beist one Mrs. Reid has written, both from the standpoint of individual acting and the entire production. " I have made the picture for the world to see," said Mrs. Reid. "It is not simply a dry preachment, but it is an entertaining drama, full of life and action, and I hope that it will not only amuse and entertain, but that the world will bo a little better because of it." The picture contains many dramatic scenes, but none of them exceeds in interest the court-room scenes. Here Mrs. Reid pleads for the life of her boy,, who has killed a woman in a motor accident. The tense, dramatic incidents here recall some of the most famous Court scenes in dramatic history. Some of the finest players in picture supported Mrs. Reid in this, her greatest picture. Percy Marmont does some of the best work of his career as the husband of the " jazz " wife. Jackie Saunders is splendid in the latter role. Arthur Rankin, Ramsey Wallace, Virginia Lee Corbin, Lincoln Stedman, Jane Wray and Pat Moore are among the supporting cast. EDUCATIONAL FILM. Motorists should find considerable interest in a film entitled " The Story of a Spark Plug," which will be screened in the Universal Motor Companv's showroom, Symonds Street, this evening. The picture is being produced under the auspices of the Internal Affairs Department of the United States to aid the conservation of petrol. It is described as being very interesting and instructive, and in one scene the internal workings of a motor-car engine are shown in slow motion. Accompanying " The Story of a Spark Plug " will 'be a thrilling race film recording various motor races at the European Grand Prix.. Admission will be free. "KATJA." Miss Marie Burke and the brilliant company which appeared in Auckland so successfully in "Wildflower" 18 months ago_, will make their reappearance at His .Majesty's Theatre on Monday afternoon, December 27 s in a production of the I London comic opera triumph "Katja," which proved a record-breaking attraction in Sydney and Melbourne recently. The reappearance of Miss Burke in Melbourne after her terrible experience when the train in which the company was travelling was wrecked, was the signal for an unprecedented outburst of enthusiasm. Miss Burke, although badly injured herself, insisted upon helping the others concerned in the accident. Afterwards it was discovered that a piece of jaggfed glass, 3in. long, had embedded itself in her body, and she had to undergo a serious operation to have it removed. The initial presentation of "Katja" will wit- | ness the first appearance here of the brilliant London light comedian, R. BarrettLennard, and Miss Babette Odeal, a dainty English soubrette and dancer. The cast of "Katja" will also include Mr. Cecil Kellaway, the very clever character comedian, Mr. Herbert Browne, the young Australian lyric tenor, Miss Thelma Burness and other favourites. It is said that Marie \ Burke is even better in "Ivatja" tha'n she was in "Wildflower." "Katja" is a comic opera of unusual appeal and attractiveness. It has a romantic story which should hold the interest to the end. The music is described as delightful, and the comedy infectious. The staging and dressing are said to be the last word in the producer's art, and the sparkle and brilliancy of the whole performance should be maintained from - the rise to the fall of the curtain. During the season-, "Wildflower" will be revived. Details of booking arrangements are advertised. \ j

MUNICIPAL CAROL CONCERT. The old-fashioned Christmas carols Should be heard to perfection at the conto be given in the Town Hall next Saturday evening by the Municipal Band and New Zealand Eight. "Christians, Awake," "Hark, the Herald Angels Sins," "0, Coma All Ye Faithful," and "Wfiile Shepherds Watch'd Their Flocks" will be rendered by eight bright voices to special band accompaniment, with charming bell effects. Miss Mina Caldow will sing several items suitable to the occasion, and Mr. Roy Dormer will sing, "Thou Shalt Break Them" ("Messiah"). Instrumental solos will be played by Messrs. Purchase, and Bowes. The New Zealand Four will provide some of their most popular songs. The band numbers will be: Overture, "Poet and Peasant"; a grand thanksgiving scena; "Maritana" selection, and the "Hallelujah" chorus. Booking arrangements are advertised.