AMUSEMENTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20222, 7 October 1927, Page 7

AMUSEMENTS.

EMPIRE THEATRE. Some time ago, considerable interest was roused in Australia by the arrival of a Ettle party of film expert's and players, including Eva Novak, one of the most noted American leading ladies of the younger school, and Norman Dawn, a clever and successful director. They had been engaged by Australasian Films, Ltd., to produce, under the new banner of the Union Master World Productions, an Australian epic picture—“ For the Term of His Natural Life.” Elaborate preparations were made, and the majority of the scenes were arranged and photographed in iasmania—the actual location of Marcus Clarke’s well-known story of the convict settlements in the early colonial days. This afternoon Dunedin picture-goers will bo given an opportunity of judging the result for themselves, when ‘‘For the Term ot His Natural Life” opens its Dunedin season at the Empire Theatre. There is little need to discuss the virtues or weaknesses of the novel from which this big picture derives its theme and title. It is recognised that Marcus Clarke painted a terrible yet faithful picture of the conditions that ruled in the bad old settlement nays when Tasmania and New South Wales were made the dumping ground for tne convicts from the Homeland. He wrote in typically Victorian style, with a doubledyed villain, a tender, wilting heroine, and a hero who passes through the most atrocious ordeals before winning the girl he loves, but the story surrounding the plot gives wide scope for the film producer, and m the case under review, an ambitious ©port has been crowned with the greatest possible success. The opening scenes are set in England, where the son of Sir Richard Devine is placed on trial for the murder of Lord Bellasis. Ho is banished to the penal settlement at Port Arthur for the term of his natural life, and sails in a convict ship under the name ot Dawes. During the voyage to Australia he makes friends with little Sylvia Vickers, the daughter of the officer in charge ot the convicts, but is thrown back into his cage by Lieutenant Frere. h rom that moment on there is bitter feeling between the two men, and when Dawes is falsely accused of hatching a plot to seize the ship by mutiny he is subjected to horrible brutality by Frere. After the ship arrives in Australia Dawes escapes and reaches an island. In the meantime the real mutineers, led by John He& &nd Gabbett, two desperate criminals, have carried out a succesful coup while the ship is on the way from Port JMacquarie to Port Arthur, They maroon Frere, Sylvia, and her mother on the islanS where Dawes is sheltering. He joins them and assists them to escape by building a rude craft, but on reaching safety is rewarded by brere handing him over to the authorities, ihe girl’s mother is dead, and Sylvia has lost her memory, so she does not realise tne treachery of Frere, and consents to marry him. Dawes, who feels that he has been betrayed by everyone, becomes cynical and embittered. He attempts to escape, and in doing so seeks out Sylvia, but her mind has been poisoned against him, and he is once more handed over to the law. After many years the convicts at Port Arthur plan a mutiny. A few escape, including John Rex, who carr.ies with him a letter from Dawes to his mother. He takes advantage of a striking resemblance to Dawes,’ and on reaching home impersonates his confidant and enjoys the Devine fortune. Dawes is transferred to Norfolk Island, and Frere is appointed commander of the prison. He metes out terrible treatment to Dawes, and, in the end, sentences him to death. Sylvia, who is now the wife of Frere, finds that she cannot live with her husband any longer, and prepares to leave by ship. On the night of her departure Dawes succeeds in smuggling himself aboard, assisted by the prison chaplain. A storm wrecks the ship, but he saves Sylvia and brings her to safety and happiness in the Homeland. Rex is unmasked, and confesses the murder of Lord Ballasis. Meanwhile hrcrc receives his just deserts at the hands ot the convicts who have broken loose. As a whole this picture has not been made for the squeamish. For the most part the convict scenes describe the .awtul brutalities devised by hard-hearted authorities, and as the story unfolds one is faced with ’horror upon horror until the unfortunate hero becomes comparable only to the early Christian martyrs. At the special screening yesterday the Pjptore proved itself to be quite the most polished Australian production seen in Dunedin. The acting is excellent, the photography is up to the American standard, ?nd reality’ is the keynote of every setting. There are several spectacular m,i and storm scenes, and there is satisfactory cohesion in the story. The sub-titles are not perfect, but the producers have achieved a remarkable degree of historical accuracy, and the con-ect early-colonial atmosphere is maintained throughout the Australian, portions of ,£k? l ,. s * ior ?l, i should be acepted as a thrilling and absorbing screen entertainment. OCTAGON THEATRE. Norma Talmadge is the principal player in “ Venus of Venice,” which will be shown at the Octagon Theatre for the first time to-night. In this picture Mim Talmadge appears as a gay young Venetian “ crook,” with a penchant for stealing hearts as- well as jewels. Antonio Moreno supports the star, and others in fhe cast include Edward Martondell, Julanne Johnston. “ Venus of Venice is a rollicking tale of modern Venice which gives the vivacious star the part in which she delights to appear. Admirers and critics alike have been unanimous in the opinion that her portrayal of Carlotta, the mischievous little water rat,” is the most whimsical and appealing of her career, greater even “«■ efforts in such successes as The Duchess of Buffalo ” and “ East is West. Diving into and swimming through the canals, with the utmost abandon whenever occasion demands it. she has earned the sobriquet, the “Water Rat,” and it is one of her daredevil escapades that brings her into contact with-an American artist in Venice —an acquaintance that is productive of more excitement, more thrills, and greater joy than has ever been crowded Sto her life. In the leading male role opposite Antonio Moreno appears as the American artist, while the director is Marshall Neilan, past master in tion of light comedy. The Octagon Orchestra, under the baton of Mr L. D. Austin, will render as an .oierture a Election of “Italian Folk Songs (Danger). EVERYBODY’S THEATRE. The chief attraction at Everybody’s Theatre, which will be screened for the first time to-day, is Let It Ram, witn Douglas Mac Lean in the principal role. Mac Lean appears in this comedy as a marine who awakes from a lethargy onlj after meeting “ the one girl- inen, seeing an officer gain her attention, he determines to win his chevrons. How he does this by capturing a troop of mail thieves and saving the Government s honour, provides the comedy with a strong plot and plenty of laughs. second feature is “ Sweethearts Again. Jim and Melisande of “The Big Parade —- John Gilbert and Renee Adoree—are lovers once more in this romance of the shadows and sunlight of Budapest. It is a tangled love story that is unravelled only after a series of tremendous thrills that outshine even “ The Unholy Three. QUEEN’S AND KING EDWARD THEATRES. An unusual police story is “ The Police Patrol,” which will be the attraction at the Queen’s and King Edward Theatres for the coming week, and which will have its initial screening in Dunedin to-day. James Kirkwood and Edna Murphy have the chief parts. The story contains all the attributes of a good story—action, mystery, suspense, and romance. The scene* are laid in New York, and tell of a policeman’s love for a girl who lives on his beat. He is horrified - later to learn that both visual and circumstantial evidence prove her to be a notorious “ bobbed hair ” bandit. He is ordered to arrest her. Then follow most unusual complications which result in the officer being suspended. Action follows action in swift succession, afloat and ashore, until after exciting incidents the thieves are brought to justice and the policeman’s name is cleared. PLAZA AND GRAND THEATRES. The new programme at the Plaza and Grand Theatres promises to provide unusually good entertainment. The principal picture will be “ Held Ijy the Law,” an exciting mystery picture, and in support will be “The False Alarm,” a fire story with qualities that should make it very popular. “SONGS OF THE HEBRIDES.”. A feature of the programme which Mr G W. Johnstone will present at uurns Hall on Tuesday next will be a collection of Hebridean songs, which will be interpreted by a ladies' choir. Mrs Ken-nedy-Fraser. who has collected these songs and given them to the outside world,

holds the highest place among British folk-song collectors. The songs themselves have a strange beauty that grows on us the better we know them. No less an authority than Ernest Newman, England’s foremost musical critic, say?;— “ They have a very definite physiognomy, and a very definite soul, both of them the result of the constant pressure of a very definite environment upon a people virtually isolated from tne general life of Europe. These islands seem to have produced some song writers to whom' it is not at all extravagant to attribute genius. There are melodics among these songs that are as purely perfect as any melody can be. Schubert and Hugo Wolf would have knelt and kissed the hands of the men who conceived them. For sheer beauty of invention, sheer loveliness in the mere form of the notes, some of these melodies are without their superior in folk song or in art song. In taking these songs from the lips of the dwellers in the Western Highlands and Islands and publishing’ them, Mrs Kennedy-Froser has accomplished a noble work.” At Tuesday’s concert Mr Johnstone will present “Tne Peat Fire Flame,” “An Eriskay Love Lilt,” “ Ossian’s Day Dream,” “ The Road to the-Isles.” and “To People Who Havfc Gardens.” The plan is at the Bristol.