THE DEADHEAD'S DIARY

NZ Truth, Issue 685, 27 July 1918, Page 2

THE DEADHEAD'S DIARY

America realises the value of motion pictures, even In war. Every motionpicture director who enlists Is immediately given the army rank of captain or major. Tom Moore, who has appeared In support of Mabel Normand and Madge Kennedy m various Goldwyn pictures, is to be featured as an individual star m forthcoming Goldwyns\ Mac Marsh, who was so fascinating and winsome In "Polly of the Circus," is the heroine of , the latest Goldwyn feature, "The Beloved Traitor." The story is a wholly beautiful one and Mac is as charmIng as ever, only more so. There are some amazing things m store m the next great screen -spectacle on the list. It is "Tarzan of 'the Apes" and shows fights between a man and a lion, a man and a baboon, between apes and gorillas, and other unbelievable things. Tarzan is a giant. So is the picture. The other man was himself. This is a brief statement of the position of things at the end of the Vitagraph drama, "The Other Man." It is a fine picture, memorable for having Harry Morey as the hero, and dazzling Grace Darmond as heroine. Grace Darmond - at her first screen appearance leapt to front rank, both for beauty and acting. The unexpected results of admitting a snappy, up-to-the-minute American girl to British small-town society is amusingly depicted by Vivian Martin m her newest Paramount photoplay, "The Fair Barbarian," which is to be shown m Wellington. This was adapted from Prances Hodgson Burnett's story by Edith Kennedy, and directed by Robert Thornby. i A thief for a heroine is something fresh. Ethel Clayton has that role m her latest "World picture, which has reached New Zealand. But her burglaries .were not of a sordid kind. The theft consisted of "hours stolen from paradise." The hero helped her steal them. It makes a fine and thrilling story, and is appropriately called "Stolen Hours." They say that straws show the way the wind blows, and probably they are quite right. So when we see the Kaiser m his own home sitting gravely on a saddle which is mounted on a trestle with his feet m the stirrups we can take it that the incident is a straw which shows the way the wind of insanity whirls through his brain. Bethmann Hollweg playing with dancing dolls on his desk, and Van Tirpitz with a bath and toy boats under his tables are similar straws, and it is not surprising if Germany ran amok since it was ruled by such a trio. These incidents were seen by Ambassador Gerard and are reproduced m the colossal film "My Four Years m Germany," which is now showing m the Dominion. However difficult it is to believe, it is actual fact to the smallest detail, which is shown m this mighty indictment of Prussian autocracy. ' As Octavia, an American girl who is stranded m a small English town with a very prim and somewhat snobbish maiden aunt, Vivian Martin, m her newest Parar mount picture, "The Fair Barbarian," makes a winsome heroine. Allowing the residents to believe her to be "one of those title-hunting" American girls, or rather, not caring what they believe, she engineers several romances to successful closes, not excepting her own, and eventually wins the affection of everyone. "The Fair Barbarian" was directed by Robert Thornby. The scenario by Edith Kennedy is an adaptation of one of Frances Hodgson Eurnett's most popular stories. It will be remembered that- "The Little Princess," by the same author, was one of Mary Pickford's most recent and I popular successes. The cast of "The Fair Barbarian" is especially good, including Helen Eddy, Jane "Wolff, Charlie Gerrard, Douglas McLean and others. The following is the complete cast of "Peg o* My Heart," a second tour of which is being inaugurated this week at Dunedin under the J. and N. Tn.it management: Peg O'Connell, Miss Sara Allgood (as played by her over a thousand times) ; Jerry, Mr. Gerard Benson; Alaric Chichester, Mr. Felix Bland; Mrs. Chichester, Miss Nan Taylor; Ethel Chtchester, Miss Mabel Gower; Christian Brent, Mr. Lionel Walsh; Hawkes, Mr. Wilton Power; Jarvis, Mr. George Chalmers; Bennett, Miss Madge Surtess. The cast, as will be seen, is even stronger than on the first visit of "Peg" to New Zealand. Of the new members of the company, Mr. Wilton Power is a well-known actor m dramatic roles, and has appeared as lead m several companies which have toured New Zealand; Miss Madge Surtess was last seen m the Dominion m the name part of "Sunday" with the Royal Dramatic Company; Miss Nan Taylor was the leading character woman m "Bunty Pulls the Strings"; -and Mr. George Chalmers has been with Williamson and Tait Companies, for many .years past. He was last here with "Turn to the Right," m which he figured' as Deacon Tillingam.