THE DEADHEAD'S DIARY

NZ Truth, Issue 935, 27 October 1923, Page 15

THE DEADHEAD'S DIARY

"She is an actress who can't act, but she has great cosmetic a.bility."~ Solly Ward,, hi "The.Mosic Box."

Heralded as ohe of Paramount's biggest offerings for the coming year, "The Covered "Waggon" is one of the greatest screen masterpieces of all time. It is interesting to note that this picture was screened before the late President Harding, by special request, at White House, It is a story of American pioneer days, and the cast is said to number some three thousand players. The picture was recently presented to members of the House of Representatives m Australia.

"The Go Getter," an adaptation by Paramount of Peter B. Kyne'a noted story, is listed among the big attractions to be shown m due course. The story is primarily comedy, but the moral is one of the most inspiring ever preseht&d. Seeha, Owen is the leading player.

TO BE SEEN SHORTLY. : : : : : : An impressive characterisation m "Sally" is given by Gaston Mervale as Richard Farquhar, the society millionaire, which shows how dramatic experience counts even m musical comedy. Mr. Mervale first came to -Australia m 1897 to play Black Michael m the W.illiamson-Musgrove production of "The Prisoner of Zenda." Always a fine character, is .Gaston. :: j: :: Like many Italians, Toti Dal Monte, the coloratura- soprano, who is to appear with the J. C. "Williamson iDamo Nellie Melba Grand Opera Company at Melbourne Her Majesty's, is extremely sensitive regarding the spelling: of her name. In the Australian papers this has been printed m many different ' ways. Apparently some of these have caught the eye of the famous singer, for I'ecently the J. C. Williamson Publicity Department received a characteristic letter from the prima donna. It was short and to the point: ( 'Please when you prin4 my name m the papers would you look into it to see that the name is made as Toti Dal Monte, so that it- will be three words, and not the two, by making it Dalmonte, as I have seen it, And many good wishes to happy Australia, which soon I shall see." :: :: :: Why the sinners and scoundrels of history and .fiction should be so much more interesting than the saints is a problem which has. never been satisfactorily solved. Certain it. Is that the more picturesque and daring a rogue the stronger has been his hold on the popular imagination. Such a figure is ; Dick Turpin, the daring, dashing highwayman, whose famous ride to York on Black Bess is too fascinating and dramatic a story to be forgotten. Innumerable novels and stories kept these memories alive during the eighteenth century, and now comes an elaborate film production by the Stoll Picture Company to carry on the tradition. Who could suggest a more handsome dashingr Turpin than Matheson Lang, or a more beautiful "ladye fnyre" than Isobel Elsom— the two leading players m "Dick Turpin's Ride to.York"?

The screen version, of a world-fam-ous opera "Is a' unique feature In picture production, and calls for discriminating treatment and a cast of high order. England comes forward with "The Kdhemlan Qlrl," a production which may be justly claimed a success. Tho settings are particularly fine, especially the woodland scones for the gipsy incidents, tho old feudal castle (a real cßßtle, and not a "set"), and the picturlsatlon of the vision, "I Dreamt I Dwelt m Marble Halls." The wellknown songs m the opera are neatly turned Into titles, and the cast loaves nothing to be desired, when such playera as Gladys Cooper, Ivor Novello. Bljen Terry, Constance Collier, ami Aubrey Smith play the leading parts.

"An appealing novelty" is tho cry of the times. Thomas Ince recognised this m his production, "The Soul of the Beast." Who ever heard of an elephant as a star of a motion ploture? Well. Oscar, the circus elephant, certaJnly takes the leading part In all the adventures In this "picture, and finally rescues the heroine from a nasty predicament. Madge Bellamy Is the heroine, and It Is no wonder that even elephants fall for her.

All New Zealanders who saw Louis Bennlson'a stage production of "The Great Lover" will roeall with pleasure the delightful Btory of ' the famous Opera singer, the blythe and debonair Jean Peurel, who was never out of love. Now comes tho screen version, with John Salnpoulls, one of the leading actors on the New York stage, m Jean Peurel, Claire Adams as Ethel, Paurel's "swan Bong," and John Davidson as Sonlo, his understudy and rival m love.

No one who saw Griffith's groat spectacles, "The Birth of a Nation" and "Intolerance," can ever forget them. No subsequent productions, however costly and ambitious, have equalled these creations, with the exception of "The Fall of Babylon," which, although considerably shorter, Is of the finme high standard. It tells of one of the most romantic periods In history, when Babylon, "the mighty cradle of science and the arts," was at the height of its power and ruled by the young kin*. Bclshazzar. To be his princess beloved, Belshazzar had chosen the dearest and rarest of his dancing glr:s n» queen, his pearl of pearls, who "dwelt m a room of scented cedar plated with pure gold, harem or m\ lord the prince." Stupendous. Indeed, are the scenes of the siege of Babylon, fearful the weapons of war the rocktbrowors. the great moving slego towers, the mighty Oftt , terl "* r , am \",' f 'h bumlntr oil A caste m keeping with fffi ? tremendous* production includes Constance Talmade. Seena Owen, and Tully Marshall. __

"Lot's hall sun -kissed Spring.' I—Thorns.1 — Thorns. However, a sunny morning is often followed by a stormy afternoon. Be prepared for fhe vagaries of Spring weather. Keep Baxter's Lung Preserver always en hand. "Baxter's" Is a well-tried remedy (or Spring chills. Posnenses romarkable penetrative properties, which root out colds and coughs In Quick time. Also a bonoflcinl tonlo. You can obtain n RcnerouH-nSxert bottle from your cho:i.»«t «r <<iofo for i/«>: or, l««Uor, Btill, «rt Ctt t*mity •!*• »t </«••