ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19513, 17 December 1926, Page 17

ENTERTAINMENTS.

MAJESTIC THEATRE. r A brilliant comedy romance describes | "Don't," starring Sally O'Neil, to show f for tho first time at the Majestic Theatre i: to-day. Adapted from the entertaining; r story by Rupert Hughes, the picture is told with a refreshing lightness and many , novel and hilarious situations are intro- t duced. In the story, Sally Moffat wins a * basketball game for her college through j her happy combination of skill and a little j cheating, and is made the hero of the ( hour. Among those who are captivated A by her charms is Tom Carewe, brother of ; the richest girl in the school. He obtains E an introduction and they immediately fall j in. love with each other. - One of Sally's foolish pranks forces her to leave til© ; school. At home she finds that she is ] .kept within very close limits. Her uncle j is the only member of her family who j sympathises with her. On one occasion j when the family all go to a holiday resort ! he manages to arrange matters so that the j young people spend a happy afternoon by j themselves. When Sally arrives home at < night her father says that she will marry j Abel Totem, his idea of a dutiful son-in- t law. Rather than do this Sally decides to run a,way. She wakes up Tom at his . house and tells him that she will marry ( him immediately. .Nothing loth, Tom • dresses, and the two set off in a car , to a minister's house. Running out of j petrol they accept a lift from a stranger, , who turns out to be a lunatic. The car ( is driven wildly round narrow mountain roads' and time and the occupants , escape death by a fraction. * Sallv's uncle | comes to the rescue in his car. To reach , them he hires an aeroplane, only to (lis- • cover that it is driven by another mad- , man, and escapes by parachute after a ( period of hair-raismg experiences at the , hands of the lunatic aviator. In the j meantime, Tom and Sally have retaken the car and the uncle drops from the air into the back seat. They are all thus united and everything ends happily. The sup- , porting programme consists of the Majestic News, a comedy ancl a New Zealand 1 scenic firm. "A Toy Shop Phantasy will he given bv Miss Beryl Nettleton s Juvenile Ballet. The musical programme j includes orchestral items, xylophone selections by Ngaire and Tointon and a violin . solo by" Vincent Aspey, , STRAND THEATRE. A fashion show, in which the most expensive sable furs are paraded before Claire Windsor, who plays one of the lead- j ing roles, is one of the features of the j Tiffany Production, "Souls for Sables," ] now showing at the Strancl Theatre. A dozen professional models wore employed for this one scene, and practically every furrier in Los Angeles was called on to contribute his sable furs for the display. To ensure the safety of this fortune in furs, a dozen men from a private detective agency were stationed in and a,bout the Tiffany studios and no one was permitted on the set unless they were actually engaged in the scene or attached to the production department. As Fred Garlan, Eugene O'Brien plays the part of a young business man and is said to give one of his best characterisations. Claire Windsor isi seen as a young and beautiful wife whose husband is unable to provide her with the luxuries to which she has been accustomed. Anders Randolf plays the part of the rich man who nearly wrecks the young couple's happiness. Claire Adams, as the secretary to the suffering husband, Eileen Percy, as the petted society woman, and George Fawcett, jiis the rich factory owner, have other important roles. In addition _ there is a comedy, a Pictorial Review and the Strand Magazine. Song and dance items will be given by Miss. Beryl-Nettleton's Juvenile Ballet. The Strand Symphony Orchestra will render the overture, " Merry Widow," and the orchestral novelty, " Village Orchestra." PRINCESS AND TIVOLI. The mock pageantry of tiie law and the struggle between right and wrong form an interesting and powerful theme for " The Blind Goddess, " a Victor Fleming production now showing at the Princess and Tivoli Theatres. The story, adapted from, Arthur Train's exciting novel of contemporary New York life, portrays the thrilling romance of a young prosecuting attorney, who is forced to sacrifice tho girl he loves to adlhete to his ideal of duty. The action is laid in a background that ranges from the grim routine of the criminal courts to the smart social atmosphere of-Fifth Avenue's exclusive homes. The story involves four principal characters; a young prosecuting attorney, played by Jack Holt; a New York politician, portrayed by Ernest Torrence; iliist daughter and Holt's fiancee, charmingly personified by Esther Ralston; and the mysterywoman,, impersonated by Louise Dresser. When a powerful New York politician is Ifound murdered, and the police arrest the woman last seen with him, the lawyerlover finds himself torn between love and duty. His fiancee naturally demands that he prosecute the murderer of her father; his high ideals of duty, urge him fco resign his position and defend tho accused woman, of whose innocence he becomes convinced. He decides on the latter course. The exciting developments that follow lead up to liho sensational trial, arid the courtroom scene shows the grim outline of the criminal law and its effort to convict on purely circumstanial evidence. The unexpected discovery of the actual murderer and real identity of the woman precede the final joyous reconciliation. Art Acord, famous rider of the ranges and one-time champion of many round-ups, has the I leading role iri Sky High Corral," the Universal Western production which forms the second attraction. A cord's two famous pets, Raven and Rex, his horse and dog; are also in the picture and add many amusing touches. RIALTO AND REGENT. An interesting story of vaudeville life in New York isi told in "The Song and Dance Man," now showing at the Rial to and Regent Theatres. "Happy" Farrell and Fred Carroll an; "song and dance men," who on returning from the war find that they have lost their onetime popularity. Carroll dies and Farrell, though almost destitute, endeavours to carry on and to help Miss Lane, a dancer. They are given financial aid by Joseph Murdoch, a rich artist, and both finally i find happiness, though in different ways. Tom Moore is the song-and-dance man, , with a comic, blustering virtue and con- . summate conceit. Bessie Love gives a very human, sincere and natural perform- ' anee as the diminutive actress, Miss ' Lane, who wins fame and fortune as a s musical comedy star, and Harrison lord I acquits himself with distinction as the > wealthy artist for whom Miss Lanfe eveni tually gives up her career. _ The second • picture on the programme is "Ibe Setup," a Universal production with Art • Acord in the leading role. This popular [ actor is assisted by his horse Raven, which displays almost human intelligence, and [ his dog Rex. j 'GRAND THEATRE. 5 The story-of Mrs. Wallace Reid's latest t production. " Brofcv.ii Laws, now £iowt! ing at the Grand Theatre, concerns j. •„ , Allen and Patsy Heath both jr t j eighteen, who attend a wild p-jrty . ~ * . Purple Mill. There is much dm k J , and dancing and hilarity and in the 0» - i of it Bobby's another and I atsy » fa' unexpectedly appear in search ot tnc., children- Patsy is bustled off home and I Booov, pursuing her father's car in ms> i ow.ii speedy roadster, crashes into a veritable waggon, killing an aged woman. ; Some of the most dramatic scenes ol tile ; plav follow, arid the roadhwise forms an ' ideal setting for the prelude. Mrs. WalI lace Reid is seen as the mother ol Bobbv; . Arthur Rankin plays the boy, and \nrrjnii Lee Corbin the; girl,- whose lather ' fs ptaved bv Percv Marmont. Iwo of the cleverest child actor? on the screen today, Pat Moore and Jane VI ray, appear in. " Broken Laws." Jacqueline Saunders, ; Ramsay Wallace and Joan Standing are also among flu featured players. ■

NATIONAL AND LYRIC. The southern portion of the United States, which has furnished so romances, is the locale of "Pals first, the First National production, shown afi the National and Lyric Theatres for the first time yessterday. Against the background of the stately Georgian mansion of a wealthy cotton-planter,, a comedy-drama,, full of humour, _is _ developed. An exciting is inter-, woven so that, the interest ;s itmuutained throughout. The . plot centres round the lost heir who returns to claim the ancestral estates, and originality is introduced by presenting him as one of three tramps. The unkempt, appearance of these vagrants as the old negro servant. examines them through the bars of the gate gives an air of mystery which is increased by the fact that they are astonished when Uncle Alex claims the youngest as "Young Massa RichardThe comic actions of the two pals, obliged to pose, one as an Italian count and the other as an English clergyman, provoke continuous merriment, and show Alec B. Francis and George Cooper to be finished character actors. Lloyd Hughes gives a perfect portrayal of Richard Castleman, the supposedly dead, heir, and the naturalness of Dolores del Rio as Jeanne Lamont, who refuses to believe her lover will not return, is ft feature of the production. This beautiful Spanish actress, who is a comparative ■ new-oomer to the screen, suits admirably the old-world atmosphere ol the settings and is especially charming in the Victorian costume .which she wears in the ballroom scene. The secwi feature of the programme is "The Wise Virgin." a soeietv drama in which Patsy Ruth Miller and Matt Moore have the leading roles. .As an ultra-modern \onng woman. Miss Miller provokes the an get of her austere grandmother and provides many humorous _ situat ions. The acting of 'the supporting cast is of a high order, and the plot develops with smoothness to an exciting climax. aLitt Moore has a serious part, as the _ ranch manager who marries and finds his wife does not really love him. Also showing are a Gauiriont Graphic, and a particularly clever Felix cartoon. EV ERYBODY'S THEATRE; Lefty Fly mi, star in four previous Western pictures, steps out into the class of the late Wallace Reid in " Spued Wild," a melodrama with a comedy tinge now showing at Everybody's Theatre._ Ho plays the role of a wealthy young who becomes a traffic policeman to help his friend the polios commissioner, and immediately becomes embroiled with a gang of smugglers who are running Chinese girls into tlio United States;. As a relief policeman on patrol ha has to chase a car full of members of the gang. He is catching them up along a cliff road when the driver of the car swerves so that Lefty Flynn has to ride through the fence and plunge into the ocean below. It is only one of the thrilling moments in the picture. The story was written for the star by H. H. Van Loan. Harry Garson produced and directed the picture. Also showing it. " The Unwanted," a British picture produced by G. R. Samuelson. It is a dramatic story of a woman's folly and the price she paid, sot against a background of some of the most beautiful, and world-famous scenery of England, Switzerland and Venice, Lilian Hall Davis, who has appeared in many British productions, and Aubrey Smith have the leading roles and they are well supported by Mary Dibley, Walter Saunders, Nora Swinbourne and Francis Lister. MUNICIPAL CAROL CONCERT. The Municipal Band, Miss Mina Caldow, Mr. Roy Dormer and the New Zealand Eight, with instrumental solon by Messrs. Bowes and J. Purchase, will combine to render a concert of >rare beauty and charm in the Town Hall to-morroW' eveuf ing. Old-fashioned Christmas carols wilt be sung by th<a New Zealand _ Eight, accompanied by the band. Miss Caldow will sing "Tile Oxen," "Cradle Me Low" and "He Shall Feed His Flock"; Mr. Dormer will sing. "Thou Bhalfc Break. Them." Mr. FrecL Bowes will play as a cornet solo, Sullivan's "The Lost Chord," and Mr. «T. Purchase, Gounod's "Nazaroth" on the euphonium. For particular# of booking arrangements see advertising columns. "ELIZA COMES TO STAY." At His Majesty's Theatre .to-morrow night, Mr. Joseph Cunningham's London Comedy Company, will present H. V. Esmond's farcical comedy, "Eliza Comes To Stay," which ran for over two years at the Criterion Theatre, London. This delightful farce should afford Miss Zillah Bateman ample scope for hot talent as a true character commedionnc.; ; As "Eliza" Miss Batsman will destroy by her clever make-up, speech and department, the dainty -charm which surrounded her performance in "The Unfair Sex." The character is of a quaint Miss with a philosophy as weiifd and quaint as her apparel, yet isho blossiomsi and develops into a beautiful woman ol the world,'-and in the process the situations are said to be exceedingly funny, "Eliza Comes To Stay" can only b«i played for three nights, when it will bh displaced by lan Hay's . domestic farce,, "The Sport of Kings,' in which the,litregoers will have the opportunity of seeing and hearing the actor and author, Mr. Joseph Cunningham, in the part oE Algernon Sprigg, which he played; for over two years in London and the English provinces. Box plan arrangements are advertised.