THE SILENT STAGE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19967, 8 December 1926, Page 3

THE SILENT STAGE.

FILMS AND FILM ARTISTS. By Harlequin. Mr Maurice Ralph, who returned from a three weeks’ tour ot Australia last week, brought with him the official and authentic lilm of the Dompsoy-Tnnncy light, as presented by Tex Rickard, the promoter of this great fight. Speaking of a private screening in Auckland, the Auckland Star says;—A private screening at the Tivoli yesterday afternoon revealed the DempseyTunncy fight picture as a most remarkable one in every respect, and thoroughly satisfactory in that it shows up every incident and action of the ton rounds of high-speed lighting. Of general interest is the preliminary picture of the training camps and exercises, personalities of world-wide note in connection with the ring, and the wonderful stadium and arrangements to scat 135,000 people. Steadily for 10 rounds, unaor special lighting, the camera was focussed on the ring, and for that reason it is probably the most satisfactory picture of a real light yet made. The boxing enthusiast gets every detail of the three men in the ring—the wild tearaway attack of Dempsey, and the beautiful stopping tactics of Tunney in the first two rounds, the final' desperate rally of the beaten champion, and the cool ferocity with which it was countered mid beaten down. Slow motion views of the most thrilling episodes give enthusi. asts a most fascinating study of the varying styles and characteristics of two tremendous fighters. Colourful uniforms and beautiful gowns feature “The Love Thief.” Norman Kerry and Greta Nisson are the featured players in this spectacular love drama, while other in the cast arc Marc MaeDermott, Cissy Fitzgerald, Oscar Bcrcgi, Augustiuo Borgato, Carrie Daumery, Nigel Barrie, Clarence Thompson, Charles Puffy, Alphonse Martel, Anton Vavorka, and Lido Manctti. A regular “League of Nations'’ is represented in the cast, there being natives of Norway, Germany, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, India, England, and the United States therein. Big Bear Lake, a famous tourist report in Northern California, provides a beautiful scenic background for many of the scenes in “The Man in the Saddle,” Hoot Gibson’s latest Western attraction for Universal. Gibson’s troupe, including Director Clifford Smith, and Fay Wray, Sally Long, Charles Malles, Clark Comstock, Emmett King, Duke R. Leo, and others, spent two weeks at the beautiful lake, filming exterior scenes, and all hands enjoyed a pleasant vacation at the studio’s expense, without too much troublesome work to be done. New Zealand audiences arc being given their first introduction to one of Europe’s most popular stars in “Her Big Night,” starring Laura La Plante. Einar Ha.ison, who is one of Europe’s most popular actors, plays the lead opposite the comedienne. He is under long-term contract to Universal. Others in the cast of “Her Big Night” are Tully Marshall, Zazu Pitts, Alack Swain, John Roche, Lee Moran, Nat Carr, Cissy Fitzgerald. Alclvillc Brown was the director. "The Border Sheriff” is the next great Western drama from Universal, starring Jack IToxie, with a great cast of Western players in support. Among the players are Olive Hasbrouck, S. E. Jennings, PeeWec Holmes, Buck Aloulton, Tom Ling'ham, Bert De Alarc, Frank Rice, Floyd Criswell, and Leonard Trainer. Robert North Bradbury directed the making of “The Border Sheriff.” Admirers of Ernest Lubilsch have now another reason to say there is no thing this master director of the screen cannot do. This is because “Lady Windermere’s Fan,” his latent production for Master Pictures is a perfect photoplay in spite of the sceptics who wagged mournful heads at the thought of Oscar Wilde’s brilliant wit and epigrams transferred to the screen. “Lady Windermere’s Fan.” written 30 years ago is a thoroughly modern story of a beautiful woman's. determination and successful effort to gain an entry into the society that has scorned her. Her charm wins her friends when she forces her way into the birthday party of Lady Windermore, and her sacrifice for her daughter results in ultimate happiness for all. Syd. Chaplin and Patsy Ruth Alillcr are together in Chaplin’s latest feature comedy “Oh What a Nurse,” a picture shortly to he released in Now Zealand. Syd. assumes the disguise of Dolly Dimple, the sob Sister ou the paper for which ho works and finds himself at Patsy’s home advising her as ty which course she shall take in her love affair. Later for peace’s sake ho adopts the raiment of a nurse._ resulting in numerous humorous situations and farcical tangles. The climax is the cross-water chase in a rum-runner, with Syd. well to the fore. Mrs Wallace Reid is a “child of the stage." She was born in Boston while her father and mother were playing in the old Castle Square Stock Company there. She appeared in minor roles as a child, and when 16 had seen extensive experience on tho dramatic and vaudeville stages. When only 16 years of age she became a leading lady in motion pictures. Her director was Hal Reid, father of the late Wallio Reid. At, 18 Wallio and Dorothy were married. They continued to write, direct and play in pictures for Universal until tho birth of their baby hoy. Mrs Reid appeared in “The Governor’s Lady,” “The Fighting Chance,” “Everywoman’s Problem,” "The Masked Avenger,” and similar successful photoplays. After the death of her husband she made “Human Wreckage.” one of the most powerful dramatic dimes over produced, and a body blow at tho narcotic evil. Her latest picture is “Broken Laws," a mighty epic of the screen dealing with motherhood and the law. Claire Adams plays one of the loading roios in tho support of Claire Windsor and Eugene O’Brien in “Souls for Sables,” suggested by “Garlan and C 0.,” by David Graham Phillips, which is soon to be released in New Zealand. Miss Adams, who is a native of Winnipeg, Canada, came into national prominence as “Tho Spirit of tho ! Red Cross.” in tho motion picture of j that name. Since (hen she has appeared in 1 numerous productions both in tho Eastern and Western studios. In “Souls for Sables.” Miss Adams portray.-, Uiu part ot a modern business woman. “Tho Clad) o) the Wolves,” a Master picture is the sixth in which Riu-Tin-Tin has starred. Others were' "Tracked in tho .Snow wuniitry," “Below tho Line,” “The Lighthouse by tho Sea,” “Whore the North Bciiii**,’' and “Fiml Your Man.” i'Un.io-Coluwyn-Alaycr will release early in (he new year pictures which arc said to be oven bigger and better than those released by ibis company during 1826. The first of theso pictures is “The Barrier,” a powerful Rex Beach story, which is to bo the New Year's attraction at tho Regent. This picture will bo followed by “The Blackbird,” with Lon Chaney, and “Brown of Harvard," a strong picture of college days. Norma Shearer and Conrad Nagel in “The Waning Sox,” Buster Keaton in “Battling Butler,” are also scheduled for early presentation. This company will al-o release the following super-productions which have already sot a new standard in motion picture production. “Mare Nostrum” (Oar Sea) with Alice Terry and Antonio Alorcno, directed by Rex Ingram, “The Big Parade,” with John Gilbert and Renee Acloree, Lillian Gish in “The Scarlet Loiter,” and later on “1 ho Merry Willow with John Gilbert, and Mao Alurray, and the. greatest of all pictures, “Ben Ilur.” Clean comedy and exciting adventures on sea and land provide excellent entertainment ns fealures of “Money Talks," tho new Metro Goldwyn-Mnycr picture to be released throughout, New Zealand shortly Claire AVindsor and Owen Moore are in tho leading roles of this picture, which depicts the laughable experiences of a likeable spendthrift who was faced with a wifeless homo until he had retrieved tho family fortunes. She had grown tired of his eternal promises, none of which ever boro fruit, ami issued an ultimatum by “going home to mother." Tho husband conceives a brilliant scheme of converting an island into, a sanatorium, and charters an oceangoing yacht (o help with the idea. Once outside the 12-mile limit they are captured by rum-runners. Tho manner in which they escape this pc.il and the mirth-provok-ing episodes that, follow, bring a really unu-ual picture to a hysterical climax. Owen Alooro essays a now type of role, and scores a decided hit. As a penniless spendthrift, who is none the less likeable for this failing, he gives, liio best performance of his career, and his impersonation of a Lady doctor is a perfect riot of mirth. Claire Windsor enacts her role with groat charm, and Bert Roach contributes more of his humorous work. “If clothes make the pirate.” then just as surolv did clothes make of Owen Afoore a woman. Owen play- the part of a fetching feminine physician in “Money Talks, the Metro-Ooldwyn-Mayer picture to release shortly in New Zealand. At least in part of tho picture, and it is said that he gives a new touch to female impersonations. Claire Windsor is seen opposite K»ca,

Mr Barrio Marschel (general manager (or Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in New Zealand) is kept exceedingly busy these days arranging for long-run reasons for his firm’s remarkable achievement, 'The Big Parade. “Maro Nostrum,” and “The Scarlet Letter,” throe of the outstanding motion picture triumphs of this and last year on Broadway, Now York. "The Big Parade and “The Scarlet Letter” are still running there, while “Mar” Nostrum” (Our Soa), after showing for seven months at the Criteria!! Theatre, was shifted to tho Capitol, tho largest of all theatres, and established a world's record in receipts. Blasco Ibanez is tho author of “Maro Nostrum” (Our Sea), the Hex Ingram production which will have its first showing in Now Zealand shortly. Ibanez and Ingram are also the author-director combination responsible for “The Four Horsemen of th'e Apocolypso.” Alice Terry and Antonio Moreno have the leading parts _in ; this Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture, which was France, and Italy, described by tho Spanish France, and Italy, described by the Spanish author in his famous book, which tells of his thrilling adventures’ on Our Sea during the Groat World War.