AMUSEMENTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20101, 18 May 1927, Page 7

AMUSEMENTS.

EMPIRE AND OCTAGON THEATRES. “The Big Parade,” Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s celebrated picture, is proving a big attraction at the Empire and Octagon Theatres. The production has credentials that are indisputable. “The Big Parade” ia attached to the Great War, and tells an epio story of love and sacrifice, inc love which is the central theme is not that of a man for a woman, but of three men for one another. These three men, each playing his part in the trench warfare of Flanders, came from, entirely ditierent walks of life, trained in different ideals, and with an entirely different view of life. One before he donned the uniform of a soldier, was a wealthy young man about town, used to the niceties of life, in winch the ladies played a very prominent part; the second was a barman, used to all the roughness that characterises that kind of life in the larger cities of civilisation; while the third corner of tins strangelyassorted friendship, was a riveter, to working on the world s highest ings. Brought together, under conditions which could only, exist in wartime, these three become friends to the death, and pass through many heroic incidents m the trenches. During the wealthy >oung man’s residence in France ho meets MeUsande, who provides trie feminine love element in the story. After hi* ho returns to France to seek foi .Men sande, and this side of the stor y, tensely human. A rich vein of humour is largely in evidence in many sections of the picture which lightens, in admirable fashion, the intensely dramatic and reahstic Incidents featured in the battle scenes m “No Man’s Land.” Characterisations by John Gilbert, Karl Dane, and Tom O’Brien are regarded by the press of Egland and America as three of the fi ■ character studies ever seen together in one picture.” Renee Adoree presents a por trait of Melisande, a French girl. with a masterly skill. A special accnm identical one used m New Yoik acc_n panics the picture, is rendered by the Em pire and Octagon orchestras.

QUEEN’S THEATRE. “Tho Quarterback,” a Paramount production, is the principal attraction Queen’s Theatre. It is a tale of tootnan and romance. The featured players are Richard Dix and Esther Ralston Iho storv concerns E 1 mer St°n e who ms P mised to stay at Calton College until «e college football team secures a " ln °' CT rival college. Then to college comes Stone’s son, who falls in.love with Louise Mason, a student of the rival co'lcge _ The story is clean and interesting. Tl- - humour and excitement m plenty. The ove interest is a strong one, and backing u' s o , is a typical American college setfimr breathing the spirit of vigorous youth. !Ek. ,S i. fiw jr ;{• g*gr climax interest is added by the macnina tions of Valons rivals and college enemies.

EVERYBODY’S THEATRE. Action and romance are associated in “Blarney,” one -of the future now being screened at Every Deny s Theatre. Renee Adoree . ana Ralph Graves are seen in the principal roles. The story concerns James Carabine, a heavy-weight champion,, who marries a notorious actress. He is badly thrashed in a championship fight, anti submits ■ self to a terrific gruelling m order to win the return bout. ' Forever is the title of the other P ict f ur ®: full of action m scenes of childhood names, football clashes, and the even more thrilling combats of French battlefields, while the picture is centred around a tender love affair between the son of an impoverißhed lawyer and the gentle daughter of a New England plutocrat. Mary Astor takes the role of Alice Brady, famous on the stage, and Lloyd Hughes is the hero.

“FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE.” A special comedy attraction is being nrovided for Empire Theatre patrons next wJXwhen Harold Lloyd will appear w “For Heaven’s Sake,’ his latest P lctl FfSome picture-goers cntertam the idea that comedies are the easiest t * t h e re entertaimnent to make. Quite , . verse is the case. The task oi P ro <™ intz lauchs is a slow and laborious one. infinite pains, patience, grea nkill talent and a comprehensive Enow ledge of psychology. Particularly is this true of the top-notch film comedians, of fiSwa ns maker and his capable stall spend many descend to slapstick, nor rise to the peaks of the highbrow. Every Lloyd Pvociuc tion is firmly built on a Bohd foundat.on _c rn ni storv. lo be suie, a n here and a stunt there are often inserted to add to the. fun or to speed up tlic action but it is never alloweu unless it fits in exactly yfith the continuity of the plot Furthermore, there is always an idea underlying the foolery and comedy whileas a scion of wealth in this picture, is bored to tears with lua life of idle ease and luxury. Only when he goes down into the slums to assist a none-too-success-ful missionary in uplifting the hard-boiled inhabitants of the underworld does he find happiness. His experiences wit the gangsters and toughs are product! c of many laughs and thrills, making lor Heavens Sake” a more than ivorthy successor to “College Days.” Jobyna Raiston plays opposfSfi Harold, and makes a charming leading lady.

DUNEDIN CHORAL SOCIETY. During the rennaissance there was one art that became emancipated from its dependence on the drama and dance for which its existence depended. Hie reformation had created new desires m the poets and the plastic arts, and music began to assert its own, and to-day we enjoy the results of its emancipation in that we can choose from the repertoires of the great masters, works that are dissociated from the dance and drama ihc Dunedin Choral Society will render tomorrow evening, in His Majesty s theatre, the oratorio “St. Paul,” by Mendelssohn, which portrays the incidents in the me et Paul, the world’s great missioner, with melodies and harmonies infused with that intense dynamic force that made Mendelssohn great.