AMUSEMENTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19969, 10 December 1926, Page 8

AMUSEMENTS.

EMPIRE THEATRE. Rex Beach’s absorbing story of romance and humour, ‘The Auction Block,’’ will be screened at the Empire Theatre to-night and the following week. The story concerns Roland Wharton, a wealthy young man who falls in love with Lorelei Knight, a beautiful girl of 19 years. He rushes her through a whirlwind week of dances, suppers, and theatres, and then marries her in a registery office, after knowing her for only a few days. The young couple leave for their new home—Wharton’s fashionable flat. No sooner have they arrived than Bobby’s lady friends send endearing messages over the telephone—not to Bobby, but to Lorelei, who answers tho call instead. On top of this, she sees a number of girls’ photographs, affectionately inscribed, decorating the room. The effect of this and other incidents is to make her believe that she has made a tragic mistake. She runs from tho house, and returns to her country home unannounced. There she tries to drop back into the old life, but Bobby follows her. and endeavours to induce her to live with him. Lorelei repulses him, and he leaves despondently. When one night he enters her room she tells him that she will never live with him until he is able to support himself, and not rely upon his fathers cheque book. This proves a turning point in Bobby’s life. In a short time he is a salesman in a boot store, to which he soon has the whole female population flocking. So successful is the business made by his enterprise that be becomes a partner, and establishes a chain of shops throughout the country. Bernice Lane, a foolishly, romantic girl, falls desperately *in love with him, and makes up her mind to have him for a husbandl by fair means or otherwise. She induces mm to come with her for an automobile nde, and cleverly compromises him. Bernice tolls her parents that Bobby should be made to marry her, and her father and brother threaten to shoot Bobby if ho attempts to leave the town, and tell him th.ir thev will force him to marry Bernice the next day. Lorelei finds out the truth from Bernice, and compels her to tell the real facts to her parents. This coincides with Wharton, senior’s arrival in town, overjoyed that his son had made good. Then Lorelei and Bobby are reconciled. . OCTAGON THEATRE. 1 Vicente Blasco Ibanez's well-known story, “Torrent,” will make its first appearance at the Octagon Theatre to-night. It is a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer adaptation produced under the direction of Monta Bell, and it is claimed that it does full justice to the book. Tho picture tells of a peasant girl of Spain who becomes a world-famous singer. She is in love with a young Spanish nobleman, and is loved by him, but he is not strong enough to. overcome his mother’s objections to the girl. ine story of his ineffectual fight against his weakness is a gripping piece of entertainment well enacted by a tine cast of Pjayor under the guidance of Monta Bell, one ot , the most versatile directors of the industry (. A particular feature of “Torrent is the I introduction of a new star, Greta Garbo Miss Garbo, who is both very beautiful and exceptionally talented, is a E ur °P oan artiste of great reputation on the Continent. She reveals a typically European grasp of drama and presents a sympathetic |nd P accurate portrayal of Leonora the ncasant girl pnma donna. There are some very”thrilling moments in this picture, one in particular in which a Spanish town is devastated by a mighty torrent when the Jucar, swollen by the rams, overflows its banks and sweeps the countryside. This episode has neon handled in remarkable fashion and is one of the biggest thrills seen on the screen for some time Ricardo Cortez plays the leading male role opposite G°e ta Garbo, and tho big supporting cast includes Gertrude Olmsted! Tully Marshall, Mack Swain, Lucien Littlefield, and Martha Mattox. QUEEN’S THEATRE. “The Sporting Chance.” a thrilling racing picture starring Lou Tellegen and Dorothy Phillips is one of the maui tions on the new programme at the yueen ® Theatre. Before reaching the climax the story tells of a young, handsome but impecunious horse-owner of the south, wh comes north to enter his m wbo l s slnkn race tie meets the girl, who is coveted bv' a rich sportsman, and to outwit hhii many novel and entertaining scenes are enacted. One scene, where horses is hidden from tho hands ol law is something new and ingemous.and ir, iThow & » h ™ b »i.f o vr h “ the racecourse is one of the nest ox » many situations in the drama. Lon TeUe nen as tho rich sportsman, plays his part with a sureness that makes it convmcmt while Dorothy Phillips, always a screen favourite plays tho heroine in a sympathetic manner. Also m tbo / as ‘ e^Vhlo h well-known von Eltz, and Sheldon Lewis, who gi creditable performances. EVERYBODY’S THEATRE. Richard Dix. in his latest Paramount comedy, “Say It Again,” winch will be screened at Everybody's Theatre a ttemD3'to presented as a young man who attemps to find the pretty nurse who took care ot him when he was a wounded soldier. He follows her trail to Spezouia and cnters as the Grown Prince’s bodyguard ihe latter is returnin'* to a native country he has never seen And Chester Conkm as the prince, gets all the comedy there is from the tofu On the day they go down bpezonia s main street. Conklin ses a man about to throw a bomb. Thinking discretion to be better than valour, he ducks from the carnage Dix, figuratively speaking, is left to hoid the reins.” It is a delightful story, teiy well told. PLAZA AND GRAND THEATRES. 4 double feature programe will be screened at the Plaza and Grand iheatres. to-dav. “Tho Bells,” bir Henry Irving s stage master-piece, features Lionel Barrymoro and Lola Todd in the. leading ro es The picture deals with life in an Alsation village. The story opens with Mathias, owner of a combination mill and inn, generously cutting his prices and graciously permitting his customers credit. He explains to his protesting w-ife, Catherine, and ner father, Hans, that there is a method in his madness—his generosity will bring him votes and help to elect him to the position of Burgomaster, to whicn he aspires. There any many tense situations, and the Dictate is thrilling from” start to finish. The other feature film is “Recoil” from the pen of Itox Beach, with Betty Blythe and Mahlon Hamilton in the principal roles R® 00 ” is a highly dramatic story with Wrongly individualised characters, splendidly photographed. It is from one of Rex Beach s short stories recently published in a big circulation magazine and it is full of the colour, contrast and melodramatic actions which tho motion picture pubhees likes to see. Its story concerns a wealthy American who marries a penniless American stranded in Deauville and who « deserted bv her for another man. The big s maJi ing scenes of the picture result from the man’s attempt to make the woman and ' man with whom she had fled Ine to o ether for the rest of their lives.