AMUSEMENTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19617, 22 October 1925, Page 4

AMUSEMENTS.

OCTAGON THEATRE. The main reason for the success of “Don Q, Son of Zorro,” which i.s at present attracting largo houses to the Octagon Theatre, is the popularity of that versatile star, Douglas Fairbanks. “Don Q, Son of Zorro,” is the third of the super-produc-tions on which Douglas Fairbanks has lately concentrated his efforts, and the result is a romantic, colourful, and exciting drama that cannot fail to please the majority of picture-goers. Included in a strong cast are Mary Astor, the popular loading lady to Fairbanks, Jack M'Donald, Donald Crisp, and Stella de Lanti. The story of “Don Q” is familiar to most readers of modern romantic fiction. It concerns the adventures in Spain of Don Caesar of California, who becomes prominently entangled in a. love intrigue at the Court of Spain. A prominent and crafty officer of the Queen’s Guards, Don Sebastian, becomes first his bitter enemy in the court and finally his rival for the hand of Dolores do Sluro, daughter of the hard High Chamberlain of the royab house. A great part of the action in the play is taken up in depicting the efforts of Sebastian to outwit his handsome and dashing-rival, but the play ends with Don Q triumphant and the lady in his arms. > The picture contains the true colourful atmosphere of old Spain and is thoroughly enjoyaWe throughout. Good supports and musical .programme complete the entertainment. EMPIRE THEATRE. Any novel by Elinor Glyn is a good seller, and any picture that can star her name as its author and originator is certain of an excellent reception from the public. In the case of “Six Days,” which is at present showing at the Empire Theatre, the public, is particularly appreciative of a photoplay that combines the art of its author with the best and most polished efforts of its producer and cast. Though Corinne. Griffith is not often seen in Dunedin, she is one of the most beautiful and consistently popular stars in filmland. Her work in ‘ Six Days” as a young society girl who is saved from a loveless marriage by the strange and exciting turns of Fortune’s wheel, is particularly good, and she is ably support®! by Frank Mayo as Dion Lindo, who is married to her by an aged priest while all three are trapped in a deep dugout beneath the battlefields ’of France. After their marriage and rescue, the' two young people are parted, and thinking that Dion is dead, Lalino is about to marry Sir Charltan Kingston to save her mother from financial disgrace, when an unexpected turn of events brings her back to the man she loves and saves her from marriage with the man to whom she was once engaged. The interest in the picture is well sustained throughout and the is at times particularly striking There are good supports, and the Empire Orchestra is at its best. QUEEN’S THEATRE. With a star of the noted abiltiy of Lionel Barrymore, and a story with a,new and interesting twist, “Meddling Women” at the Queen’s Theatre could not fail a very strong attraction. The story is one of society life and the influence of many women on the destiny of one man. The supporting picture is “One Way Street, an attractive offering with Anna Q. Nillson and Bert Lyons in the leading roles. The supporting pictures are all of a pleasing nature. EVERYBODY'S THEATRE.

Good houses still continue to view Douglas Fairbanks’s medieval classic, “Robin Hood,” which is showing at Everybody’s. The popular star is in the leading role, and backed by a production which has been filmed regardless of cost, his work ns the leader of the robbers in the great English forest is really excellent. The supporting programme is in keeping with the quality of the principal picture.

“THE DRESSMAKER FROM PARIS.” Starting to-morrow at the Grand and Plaza Theatres is “The Dressmaker from Paris,” with Beatrice Joy in the principal role and the name of Paramount below the title. “The Dressmaker from Paris” is a comedy drama with a romantic plot and rapid, pleasing action. It tells of a little French girl who meets an American officer while in Paris. After the war he returns home and finding the senior partner of his dressmaking business absent, he decides to liven up the busines and import a certain Madame Louise, the Dressmaker from Paris. The results of her sudden arrival in his sleepy home town, and the identity, of the notorious little lady, is cleverly unfolded in a picture that Is one of Miss Joy's best parts since “Changing Husbands.” Included in a strong cast are Ernest Torrance, Allan Forrest, and Mildred Harris, who returns to the screen in an important supporting role.

COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS’ CHOIR. On Saturday night the Commercial Travellers’ Choir gave a very fine concert in the Reid Hall, South Dunedin. Ihe choir was introduced by the Rev. D. Hoggie. The programme of part-songs, which was well rendered, comprised a variety of compositions, and opened with “A Musical Muddle,” closing with ‘ The Blue Danube/’ “The Wedding of Shaun Maclean” w r as accorded a special round ot applause. The soloists, who were each warmly encored, were: —-Messrs £'^® ro P» Dempster, Hogg. M’Clelland M'Culloch, Smellie, and Welhemson. Mr Holmes gave two acceptable monolgues. The elocutionist of the company, Mr Wilson Brown, provided an entertainment of special merit, and his finished impersonations gave immense delight to his audience His most popular item was “The Coster at the I lay. Mr Les Burk provided the accompaniments and his assistance contributed greatly to the success of the evening. Mr George Scott, the conductor, controlled the choir with his usual success. At the cloeo ot the concert the thanks of a delighted audience were conveyed to the ebon - by Mr James Nelson. The proceeds of the concert go to aid the work of the South Dunedin Presbyterian Church, and special thanks are due to the choir secretary, ; Mr J. Gillaii, 101 arranging such a splendid entertainment. OCTAGON THEATRE. , A moving picture that is unique m its field is “Down to the Sea m Ships, which will commence at the Octagon Iheatio to-morrow night. It is a wonderful film of the whaling industry that has woven into it a romantic love story played by a notable cast. It is one of the few productions in the history of the industry that has as its setting the tempestuous waters of the high seas, and its. principal character a 90-ton bull whale. Nature has not only provided a background utterly impossible to imitate through any trick of photography, but places in it an enraged leviathan of the deep, stung to fury by a deeply-embedded harpoon. The film is an education, for it accurately depicts the lif o lived by the adventurous whalers in the sailing ships of the last century and to produce it, a real whaling ship with a crew of 21 men and three expert officers was used. The groat moment in “Down to the Sea in Ships” comes when the whale turns on the boatload of men who have captured him, and sweeps one side of the craft, leaving only the broken stumps of the oars. The harpoon is still embedded deeply in the back of the whale, and in one last, effort to rid himself of the iron the giant mammal swims off to a distance of several hundred feet, turns, hesitates an instant, and then charges the boat with the speed of an express train. In an instant the 'boat is reduced to splinters, and the men are left struggling in the sea. Another boat is utterly beyond reach of the parent ship and being towed rapidly towards the horizon by its giant captive. Such are two of the many scenes in a truly great picture, that stirs the blood and wafts the tang of the salt sea air to the nostrils of all to whom the mighty ocean makes any appeal. The cast includes William Walcott;, Leigh Smith, Marguerite Courtal, Clara Barr, and Raymond M'Koe, actors and actresses who risked their lives for 18 months on the Atlantic Ocean and its shores to make a film that counted realism and healthy excitement before everything. The whole town of Now Bedford co-oporated in the making of one of the really outstanding pictures of the year. It will commence at the Octagon Theatre on Friday.

MR FRANK BENNETTS FAREWELL. CONCERT. The citizen’s complimentary eon«;rt to be tendered to Mr Frank Bennett in Burns Hall on Wednesday next promises to be of exceptional musical interest. A number of the leading musicians of the city will assist, and the result should be a very fine concert. It is interesting to note that Mr Frank Bennett, who is a native of Dunedin, will shortly leave to go to the Old Country to pursue his musical studies. He has shown remarkable talent and Dunedin residents will no doubt give him their hearty support

on the last occasion in which they will bo privileged to hear him. HALLOWE’EN. A fitting end to a good day is an evening spent amidst pleasant surroundings. To lovers of Scottish music an opportunity of xioing so is to bo afforded by the Dunedin Burns Club which is celebrating Hallowe’en this year in Has Majesty Theatre bn Monday night next. The celebration on this occasion will take the form of a firstclass concert and the committee is sparing neither trouble nor expense to make this entertainment a success worthy of the occasion. Patrons may be assured of a really good night’s enjovment as the best of talent has been engaged. A dance will follow in the Victoria Hall. Tho box plan is now open at Berg’s. BURNS CLUB CONCERT. The monthly concert of the Dunedin Burns Club held in the Early Settlers’ Hall last night, attracted a large attendance. Mr W. Nicolson ([president qf the club) occupied the chair. During the evening Mr W. B. M’Ewan delivered a short address on “Hallowe’en.” The programme was as follows:—Bagpipe selection. Piper T. Munro; part song — “Standard on the Braes o’ Mar,” choir; song—“Mv Ain Folk,” >liss Toomey; song —“Mary,” Mr Douglas -Tait; flute solo—- “ Meditation,” Mr Barless; humorous recitation. Mr H. H. Hawkins; part song—- “ Annie Laurie,” choir; song —“Jodi o Hazeldean,” Mr George Cume; Highland dance, Miss Babs Coy; violin solo, Mr W. Legal; song—“ Bonnie Scotland-.- I Adore Thee,” Mr D. Forsyth; part song—“M’lntosh’s Lament,” choir. Miss E. Wright was aooompanistc, and Mr F. C. Cooper acted as musical director. “SALLY.” “Sally” is now in the movies, presented by First National, with Colleen Moore as the star, and is to be shown at the Empire Theatre to-morrow. .As a stage vehicle for Marillyn Miller the production is declared to have grossed more than 4,000,000 dollars, and is acclaimed perhaps the most successful of all American stage hits. Not even the John Golden play, “Lightnin’,” excelled its record. . “Lightnin’,” although enjoying a longer run than "Sally,’ 'fell below the Ziegfeld success in gross receipts by some 200,000d01. New York alone is said to have paid 2,000,000d0l to witness “Sally” on the stage. What the country at large will spend to behold “Sally” on the screen is as yet entirely problematical, but it may be guessed that the figures will not bo far behind those bf the, spoken theatre. June Mathis, who was responsible for such film successes as “The Four Horsemen” and “Blood and Sand,” made the adaptation of “Sally.” Colleen Moore bring this quaint and loveable heroine to the screen with a newness and originality all of her own. Her interpretation of the role si declared to exceed in charm and poignant appeal any of her past characterisations. Selections from the musical comedy “Sally” (Kern) and a specially arranged programme of music by the Empire musical director, incidental to the picture, from “Sally,” will include: —“I Wonder What’s Become of Sally,” “Sally,” “Look for the Silver Lining,” “Whippoor Will,” “Schmitza Ivomisski,” “Sally, Won’t You Come Back?” “The Church Around the Corner, ■’ “On With the Dance,” “You Can’t Keep a Gool Girl Down,” etc.