AMUSEMENTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20354, 10 March 1928, Page 21

AMUSEMENTS.

EMPIRE THEATRE. A refreshing new type of picture which includes more genuine Irish colour than American melodrama is at present attracting a great deal of attention at the Empire Theatre. This is “ Colleen,” in which the featured artists are Madge Bellamy and J. Farrell Macdonald. The production is full of a very delightful humour, and even the minor roles have been taken by star players, who have moved Dunedin audiences to laughter on more than one occasion. Ted M’Namara and Sammy Cohen are two of these, both having appeared some time ago in “ What Price, Glory? to the best advantage. The story concerns two wild Irishmen, both fast friends, but possessed of strange ideas as to how friendship should ba demonstrated. Two racehorses, both champions, also appear, taking almost as important parts as the stars themselves. A great steeplechase, the wining of which restores the decadent fortunes of the O’Flymi’s, provides a fitting climax to a picture that keeps the watcher’s attention focussed on the §creen from start to finish. For those whose inclinations lie in the direction of humour and excitement there is amusement in plenty, and those whose hearts warm to an Irish story and Irish people will find in “ Colleen ” an appeal not often found on the screen. Perhaps equally as interesting as the star item is the film story of the great air tragedy that shook the Dominion a few months ago, and which resulted in the death of two gallant New Zealand airmen, Lieutenant Moncrieff and Captain Hood. The programme also includes the local weekly news budget, which has of late become such a feature at this theatre. OCTAGON THEATRE. Gloria Swanson ranks high among favourite picture actresses. Aided by years of experience she can' be entrusted with any tvpe of role, but in “ The Love of Sunya,’ 1 ’ in which she appears at the Octagon Theatre, she has a part to which she is particularly well suited. The scones are unusually attractive, ranging from a poor man’s hut to a rich man's mansion. There are reproductions of the famous Opera Comique, a temple in the Himalayan Mountains, and striking scenes from Paris and New York. Miss Swanson is seen in the incarnation of an Egyptian girl. Centuries later she visualises a modern girl. Next she is found in the characterisation of the tonipermontal opera singer who captivates Paris. Then she portrays a school teacher, and finally the wife of a millionaire. Briefly, the story deals with a Yogi who goes out into the world to right a wrong he committed in an incarnation centuries ago, and the struggle of a girl to decide between love, ambition, and duty. After years of search the Yogi finds in .Sanya, who is played by Miss Swanson, the incarnation of the girl he wronged. In recompense the Yogi offers to draw aside the veil of the future, and within a crystal shows Sunya what would happen if she followed her ambition to become an opera singer, if ghe married Robert Goring, the millionaire, or if she remained at home in an attempt to support her family. Faced with the danger of losing her lover, Paul Judson, Sunya seizes the opportunity. Players who have important roles in “ The Love of Sunya ’ include John Boles, as the lover, Flobelle Fairbanks, as Sunva’s sister, Hugh Miller, the Yogi, and Raymond Hackett, Sunya’s brother. lan Keith lias the part of the banker, and Anders Randolf is the millionaire. The “William Tell” overture (Rossini) is played prior to the screening of the principal picture, and Miss Valda M'Curdy, lyric soprano, and Mr C. A. Martin, organist, also render numbers. QUEEN’S THEATRE. The latest programme at the Queen’s Theatre, which is quite comparable to its predecessors; was screened for the first time yesterday afternoon, and those who saw the pictures evidently enjoyed themselves, as there was plenty of applause. The leading picture bears a rather uninviting name—“ The Devil’s Saddle ” —but “ things are seldom what they seem ” ; to use the expression of Captain Corcoran in “ Pinafore,” and to get away back to William Shakespeare: “What’s in a name.” “ The Devil’s Saddle ” is a Western story of the ultra kind, and tells of vicissitudes, hopes, and jovs, etc., of a wild young blood named Harry Morrel, the son of an American sheriff of the old-fasihoned standard type. Harry does things, has things done to him. but at the end comes through trials unscathed, when any other man would have succumbed before half the story is told. There is a great by-play between “ gunmen,” and in this direction “ The Devil’s Saddle ” has been brought quite up to date. The story, a very interesting one, is brimful of startling incidents. and contains a love plot; without which no picture show story would be complete ; and is in every way attractive. All the characters are well represented. The supporting picture is “ Spring Fever,” which in itself is worth seeing. EVERYBODY’S THEATRE. The screen of Everybody’s Theatre is occupied principally with a pictorial display- entitled “ The Small Bachelor,” the leading player being Barbara Kent, who plays iier part admirably. There is a vast amount of amusement to be derived from seeing " The Small Bachelor,” a great deal of humour being provided by Andre Beranger. A bashful young artist falls in love, as all shy young artists, and plenty of others, do, when the opportunity comes. His is a serious case, a permanent capture. There is an ambitions old mother, who, with her worldly wisdom, causes endless troubles (they always do in picture form) but by the irrevocable law that “ everything comes to him who waits,” Mr Finch (the bashful artist, and diffident worshipper) comes through an amazing amount of diffi culty and opposition, defeats allcomers, and wins tiie girl he had set his heart on. Of course, the lady is a consenting party to the “winning,” Had it been otherwise there would have been no very pleasing story. It is a Pomeranian dog that gives Finch an opportunity to do something of his adored at a distance. “ The Small Bachelor ” is a cleverly written comedy, from which mirth of an enjoyable, if ridiculous, kind bubbles pretty continu ously. “ The Million Dollar Handicap ” is a" good supporting racing picture, and gives an idea, even if exaggerated, of what may happen on the race track. PLAZA AND GRAND THEATRES. The new programme at the Plaza and Grand Theatres, which was shown for the first time yesterday, includes two very strong features. The first is *‘ The Hat,” which is aptly described as a comedy-mystery drama. The action is swift from the first scene, and almost immediately the principals become involved in a skyscraper murder mystery and a bank robbery, which are followed by an intricate series of events at a le, * Island mansion. The finger of suspicion points at each of the characters in turn, and it is impossible to guess the truth until the final denouement. The picture is full of dramatic situations, and these, to a great extent, give the story its zest. Weird settings give an eerie touch to “ The Hat,” and the photography is clever and artistic. The second feature is “ Hell-bent for Heaven.” The story tells of the welcome which awaits Sid Hunt when he comes home from the war. Everybody except Rufe Fryer, the hired man, is delighted, hut Rufe is envious, and he also wants Sid’s sweetheart, Jude Lowry. Rufe decides to start a feud between Andy, Jude’s brother, aud Sid. Time and again he sets Andy against Sin with sly insinuations. Finally, Andy, in a drunken rage, takes his gun and goes after Sid, his life-long friend! The action becomes more and more tense from this point until it works up to a stirring climax, when Rufe, in an endeavour to kill Sid and Andy, too, blows up a dam am. floods* the valley. Sid, however, escapes the flood, and is able to save Jude, who is swept away in the waters. Rufe becomes the victim of his own plot, and is lost in the roaring flood. It is - particularly strong story, and one that will appeal to all who see it.

KING EDWARD THEATRE.

. A splendid double-feature programme is being offered at the King Edward Theatre on the current bill. Tho first picture is “Tho Devil’s Saddle,” sirring Ken Maynard, who is known as “ The One-man Circus.” lie is seen in a new scries of death-defying stunts on horseback, nod there arc thrills in every foot of the film. The second feature is “ Spring Fever.” featuring William Haines and Joan Crawford.