HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11226, 3 June 1922, Page 2

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE

ANOTHER FINE BILL. The current bill at His Majesty’s Theatre continues to attract big houses. Davey and Ritchie head the list of attractions in a skilful juggling turn. "Bradley and Hamilton, the English comedy pair, have a snappy skit, “Always Tell Your Wife,” which has made a popular hit, and the Sisters Sprighfley have a unique offering, Which has delighted the audience for the past week in their two sketches, “The Seaside Girls” and “The Ladiee’ Rugby Team.” Newman and Wynne are seen to advantage in comedy; Carr, “the modern Hercules,” continues in popular favour; Alberto is a magician of decided merit; Bob White presents some clever whistling turns; and Videau and Kirby, in their skit, “Golfing,” have a certain care-killer. The programme will be repeated tins afternoon and evening, and on Monday a fresh bill will be submitted. The box plan is at the theatre. SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS. The Flying Winskills, billed as “the limit of human possibility,” are a special attraction advertised to make their first New Zealand appearance at His Majesty’s Theatre on Monday evening. Of the act the Sydney “Daily Telegraph (8/3/22) says: —“Prominent amongst the newcomers at Fullers’ Theatre on Saturday were the Flying Winskills, a trio of trapeze acrobats of a quality rarely seen on the Sydney vaudeville stage. One of the number supplied comedy in an impersanation of Charlie" Chaplin, and, while provoking almost ag much mirth as the movie star himself, he amazed the audience in a series of tumbling feats that made most people wonder whether at the conclusion of his turn he had a sound limb in his body.” Wellington vaudeville lovers will look forward to seeing this much talked-of performance.

“OVER THE HILL ’’

AT PARAMOUNT AND ARTORAFT. The great William Fox picture of everyday life, of mother-love, devotion and self-saorifioe, “Over the Hill,” was screened yesterday to large and most appreciative audiences at the Paramount and Artcraft Theatres. For over a year in Broadway, New York, crowds have flocked daily to see this splendid film drama; and still they com®. In Auckland, it da estimated, 30,000 pesopie saw it during its three weeks’ phenomenal run there. In two weeks in Adelaide, South Australia, 30,000 people saw it; and in Tasmania, for ten days and nights crowds rushed to see “Over the Hill.” To those who saw the picture yesterday, with all its truth to life, its simple force, its poignant pathos, these facts will not be at all surprising; and it is very safe to say that “Over the Hill” will •have an equally enthusiastic reception in Wellington. It tells a wonderful story, aud tells it wonderfully well, showing how love begets love, how sacrifice begets sacrifice in return; how the “black sheep of the family,” through sheer love for the mother who so devotedly loved him, beoomes “the best of the bunch,” going to gaol for three years to shield his fathers name and slave his mother suffering, and coming to the rescue of and supporting his mother when remorse had killed the father and all tibe rest of her family had failed her. It has been well said, “God could not be everywhere, so He made toothers;” and. “Over the Hill” shows very convincingly that this does not put the divinity of true motherhood one whit too high. A sweet subsidiary love interest is the romance, dating from their school days, of “the black sheep” and the village belle., “Isabelle,” for that is'her name, is true to her lover through all his ups and downs; does all she can to help his mother; in fact, shows throughout all the characteristics that will go to. make her in her turn one of the very best of mothers. The incidental music is of the best, and the supporting 1 films are of the usual high standard. This splendid programme will be repeated to-day, and daily during the coming week. There will be a full orchestra at the Paramount matinees throughout the season. EVERYBODY’S “THE MARK OF ZORRO.” What a wonderful star Douglas Fairbanks isl His brilliant performances under the sign of the “Great Four” justly entitle him to the proud place he ooeupies in the cinema world; yet in “The Mark of Zorro" he reaches the height of perfection, playing a dual role —and duel roles too for that matter —in masterly fashion. Johnston MoOulley’s novel,, “The Curse of Capistrano,” enables Douglas Fairbahka to display to the fall his powers as an athlete, and some of his stunts really make one hold one’s breath. One of his roles is that of the mysterious Senor Zorro, a comrade in the interests of justice, and in the other he appears as Don Diego Vega, a wealthy, but supine individual, apparently lacking all backbone. The last scene shows him to be anything but ,supine. Rather has he the eye of an eagle, a wrist of steely and iron nerves. In his character of “Zorro” he soon makes the countryside aware that he is against injustice, and he sets at naught the attempts of the Governor’s officers to capture him. One of them already -bears a “Z” on his cheek, a mark that he will bear to the end of his life, the mark of Zorro’s sword and his displeasure, and before the end others, too, are branded with the sign that shows the strong hand against the overbearing authority of the Governor and his satellitesThe thrashing of the Franciscan father is avenged by him, and the manner in which he outwit* the soldiery; in a chase hotfoot is intensely amusing. Of course, there is a vein of sentiment, and the love passages with .the daughter of Don Pulido, her rescue and that of her parents from the filthy prison, and the ultimate revelation of the fact that Zorro and Don Vega are one and the same, make the story one that is full of thrills and holds the interest from start to finish. T° 860 the picture is only" to make one impatient for the next Douglas Fairbanks next. The musical accompaniment is appropriate throughout, the orchestra being conducted by Mr Matt Dixon, and a fine programme is completed with a “Path© Gazette,” a Chester scenic, “No More Gasolene,” and a comic, “On Location.” The next picture is “Broken Blossoms,” a D. W. Griffith film, taken from the story “Idmehouse Night,” the two principals being Richard Barthelmess and Lillian Gish, who played together in “Way Down East.”