AMUSEMENTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20690, 12 April 1929, Page 7

AMUSEMENTS.

I REGENT THEATRE. 1 Probably no more popular revue company has ever visited Dunedin than “ The Storeyettes,” and certainly no more popular revue artist than George Storey. His return to Dunedin to-day, when he apP® ars .at the Regent Theatre with his charming partner Dulcie Milner, should be' like the return of a victorious warrior to the scene of his early triumphs, for as lie himself admits, Dunedin is his great stronghold; no town has warmer recollections of this sandy-haired comedian than Dunedin, and no audience anywhere are dearer in his memory than the audiences ““is city. The chief picture attraction is The Cop,” featuring William Boyd, one of the stars in “ Skyscraper.” The story is packed with drama and thrills. 1 ete Smith, a bridge tender, played by Boyd, aids a wounded man who staggers in his shack, and after nursing him to health, the man repays him by robbing mm of his savings and winter overcoat, this prompts Smith to join the police lorce so that he might run down such rats and drag them to the bar of justice. He does this eventually, but his path is not strewn with roses. He runs down a band of robbers, and his warmest friend, Sergeant Coughlin, played by Tom Kennedy, having been slain, he swears vengeance. Then follow many highly dramatic scenes- in which Mary Monks, played by Jacqueline Logan, is the central figure. , Ihe culminating scenes are said to be exI ceptionally thrilling and the love interest is strong. There is much wholesome , comedy. Against the colourful historic i background of Old California, Tim M'Coy | m 'Beyond the Sierras,” the second ati ir a 9,V, on ’ hashes through a romantically thrilling story with the flashing blade and fiery heart of the cavalier. The spectacular duelling scenes provide the climax to the gripping narrative of California in the days of the proud Spanish Hons and again emphasises M'Coy’s amazing versatility. His acting in the great momenta of drama, as well as in the tender love scenes, shows him a master of characterisation. Sylvia Beecher, Roy D Arcy, and Polly Moran also appear in strong supporting roles. STRAND THEATRE. The Strand Theatre once again oilers ,a new programme the quality and variety of which are of the best procurable. The mam feature brings back to the screen an old favourite in Syd Chaplin, who will be remembered for his previous efforts, "Charley’s Aunt ” and “ The Man On the Box.” “The Fortune Hunter,” when on the speaking stage, held the metropolitan theatres for over two years and had an even more spectacular road success. “ The Fortune Hunter ” of the screen has all the effervescent mirth and humanity of the speaking version, with the added advantage of marvellous staging and photography and the vigorous appeal of a young man who has won his way to the funny bones of millions by a series of pictures ot widely variant facetiousness. Syd Chaplin is seen as a young roughneck i down on his luck, who is advised by a former “ hobo ” pal to follow the latter’s success by making a drive on a small town, with the avowed purpose of marrying the richest girl in the town. He swoops down gaily on the little Vermont village, secures a job in a local drug store, becom s a model young man, is wooed by all the belles and near belles, among them being the boarding house missus and the fat waitress. His triumphal march includes also the winning of the banker’s beautiful and bejewelled daughter, played by Helene Costello, and the blonde Betty Graham, who makes up for poverty by other qualities. The store is robbed. Syd is suspected, and finds himself becoming what he meant not to be. Syd Chaplin is said to be more amusing than he has ever been. Supporting this feature is Rin-Tin-Tin’s latest picture, “ Rinty of the Desert.” The story is that of a deserted dog, who hops a truck, and mak.s his way to the big town, where he is taken into the home of old man Marlowe and his granddaughter Mary, keepers of a small dime museum. A dishonest partner lures Marlowe away from home. Mary's young man, Pat Casey, of the police force, and Ein-Tin-Tin go in search of him. They reach the shanty were Marlowe is imprisoned. The hoodlums escape after capturing the two srarchers. Casey is attacked by a strange dog. and Rinty is accused of the deed and ordered to be shot. It is here that the exciting action becomes complicated and furious. EMPIRE THEATRE. The most spectacular forest fire scenes ever filmed for a motion picture appear in natural colours in Universal’s production of _ Rex Beach’s novel, “The Michigan Kid,” which will have its local i premiere at the Empire Theatre to-day, I with Rene Adoree and Conrad Nagel in the stellar roles. An actual forest fire raging in the mountains of Northern California during the dry season furnished the background for these exciting scenes. The surroundings are unusually beautiful with a river running through the orest, a large falls, and massive pine trees flanking the stream. Done in natural colours, these scenes, showing the leading characters escaping down the river in a canoe between banks of burning trees, and finally going over the falls, are especially realistic and terrifying. When the first word of the fire was flashed out to the world the company dashed to the scene with many cameras, and spent a day “ shooting.” Concerning-, this scoop, I the director said: —“We would never buy • up of forest land to destroy for a motion picture. We think too highly of our forest reserve. But it is a known : fact that California has forest fires of greater or lesser extent every year, despite the vigilance of the forest rangers. So we waited for this break, and rushed to the spot, afterward helping the rangers fight the fire.” Taken from the powerful Fanny Hurst story, “Roulette,” Richard Barthelmess’s new production, " The Wheel of Chance,” which will also be shown, is a tale which reveals that popular screen star leading a double life. The i effect of circumstances and differing onj yironment upon twin brothers, separated in childhood by relentless fate, is the I idea behind this original story. BarthelI mesa portrays both twins, one red-haired, ; tbe other black, with great realism and i understanding, and in the unforgetable : courtroom rises to the tense drama of the situation in a remarkable manner. 1 Line Basquebte has the chief feminine j role. | OCTAGON THEATRE. I Patrons of the Otago Theatre have only i two more opportunities to view and hear ! the current programme of movietone pic- : hires which, though being shown for the : second week, is as popular as when first presented. While the spectator is reclin- ’ ing comfortably in his seat he has brought before him that famous author George ! Bernard Shaw, who makes his aqipearance with a reality that is almost startling. Not ; only does one see the great man, but one hears his actual voice, spoken as if he were there on the stage delivering an address. His actions with his hands, his movements in a garden, and his facial expressions are quite natural, and his clear voice comes distinctly to a delighted audience. There are many admirers of Shaw who would go a long way to see him, and this is their opportunity. Lady Meath, probably the world’s greatest soloj flying woman, is shown with her Moth machine, and she gives a short address on j the construction and engineering of her very efficient aeroplane. She is attired in } flying costume. General Joffre, whose rugged countenance is a very welcome picture, was another of the speakers. “ The Street Angel ” is the picture on Ihe ordinary lines. Although the story told in it is familiar, it is presented in a manner that claims close attention throughout. The principals are Janet O-aynor and Charles Farrell. In the opening scenes Angela, the street waif .is shown making an attempt at a bare-faced robbery in an attempt to secure money to purchase food for her dying mother. She is detected and arrested, but escapes, and, after a wild pursuit through the rambling edifice, where she lives, she dashes among a troup of strolling players, who hide her away, and she joins the band. She ' then makes the acquaintance of the clever Italian artist Gino, and they fall deeply in love.' Gino, with his high ideals, never dreams that Angela has ever wandered on the streets, but whatever she may have been that period of her life is now past. Gino has a hard struggle to make ends meet, but at last success comes his way, and he receives an important commission. Gino (hereupon insists that Angela should marry him the following day. After further adventures the couple finally find peace and happiness.

NEXT MOVIETONE PROGRAMME, A special children’s matinee tor the second movietone programme will be held to-morrow morning. A complete change ot bill will be made, and the new pictures are reported to be better than the lirst, and good entertainment from first to last, •the opening subject is a Pox movietone newsreel containing all the happenings of the day presented in sight and sound. Notable hits are those depicting an important American turf event—one hears the starter’s cautionary remarks to the Jockeys waiting for the barrier, the click of the barrier release, and the roar of the giant crowd as the horses bound away to a perfect start. Thrilling in the extreme are the sounds of the thudding hoofs and the tremendous cheering as the horses finish. Ihe voice of Mrs Coolidge is also heard as she christens a newly completed airship. In addition there are to be a number of other “ talkie ” pictures too numerous to mention. The second item is by .Beatrice Lillie, the celebrated American vaudeville comedienne, who con tributes comedy vocal numbers, in addition to laughable pantomiming. Ben Bernis's Band, a Continental jazz band, has scored a hit wherever the film has been shown in the repertoire of jazz, vocal items, and some original compositions. Ihe place of honour, in reviewers’ opinions, on the supporting programme is held by the hilarious Fox all-talking comedy, “The Bath Between." This subject, with a clever cast supplying witty and sparkling dialogue, is one calculated to convulse any audience with laughter, it is stated. The principal attraction in athe bill is Fox’s spectacular aviation picture, “ The Air Circus,” which, in addition to containing some thrilling sound sequences, is accompanied by the Roxy Ineatro Orchestra. David Rollins, Sue Carol, Arthur Lake, and Louisie Dresser nead an exceedingly capable cast of players. ‘ The Air Circus ”is stated to ,. Q . pacKed with spectacular aviation thrills, charming romance, and many laughs, and constitutes an ideal solution to the problem of the “ blues,” The management advises that this whole programme is especially suitable for children, -the Octagon Orchestra, under M. de Rose, will commence playing at about 7 o clock, and continue until the picture programme begins, also rendering items while spools are being changed.

GRAND AND PLAZA THEATRES. There will be screened at the Grand and Plaza Theatres this afternoon a British production which has been enacted with the keenest interest and with the magnitude and impressiveness of the picture all those who are fortunate enough to view Ihe Somme ” are sure to be delighted. _ It w said to be a British masterpiece, having received special praise from Home critics. “The Somme” campaign will go down in the history of the w-orld as an example of superhuman effort, and an everlasting memorial to the dogged tenacity of the British nation ihe film opens with the thrill and suspense of the preparation for the first at,ui i R clear] y the confidence vith which the Germans awaited the onslaught, satisfied that their fortifications were impregnable. The scenes of the first attack on July 1 and the drama of the first command which launched the actual campaign are thrilling indeed. Into the maze of Delville Wood, the shellshattered villages of Montauben, Contalniaison and Combles the film moves, and shows such incidents as when Colonel Campbell, of the Coldstream Guards, faced with death, rallied his men with a hunting horn, and Piper James Richardson, of the 16th Canadian Scottish, piped his company through barbed wire entanglements to the very top of the German trenches. Closely the film follows events until with victory only a fortnight away there came Nature’s greatest reverse—incessant rain. Swiftly the film sweeps on to sectors of the fighting line to live through hourly peril with" the Anzacs at Pozieres, the Canadians in Kegma trench into the German trenches —by air, behind the big guns. The supporting picture is a swiftly moving mystery comedy drama, “The Monkey Talks,” teaturmg Olive Bordin and Ted M‘Nainteresting British news budget will also be screened. EVERYBODY’S THEATRE. Heading the excellent new double programme which commences to-day at Everybody s Theatre, ig the latest picture of , scr ? e ?, favQtn-ite, Rin-Tin-Tin. Rinty of the Desert,” it is said, is the fifteenth _ picture the wonder ■ dog has starred in. and he is, if possible, more more brilliant, and more appealing than ever before. In “Rinty of the Desert’ he plays the part of a dog who, deserted in the sandy wastes of his home, hops a truck and rides to town, where he is taken in by old Pop Marlowe, who Keeps a small dime museum, with the aid of his pretty granddaughter, Mary, and an evil and aged "critter” named Mason, Alary has a husky young beau, Pat Casey, 0 - J -, p , lce f ° ro( r Rinty finds favour with the lot of them, and, in addition, opens his heart to the care of a littter of pups. Pop Marlowe is summoned to court by Mason, who claims that he has not lived up to his contract. Marlowe does not return home, and Mary suggests that Pat and Rinty'go in search of him. Doyle s gang have imprisoned Marlowe. I hey escape when Pat and the dog come, and a fierce bulldog attacks i, at * JP the darkness it is supposed that Rinty did the deed, and he is sentenced to be shot Then begins the exciting action which makes “ Rinty of the Desert the fastest and most furious of ai. Rin Tin Tin’s pictures. The supporting picture is “ The Traffic Cop,” featuring Maurice Flynn. The young policeman s romance with a society debutante, impersonated by Kathleen Myers, makes a truly engrossing screen story. In the cast besides the star are Miss Myers, Jerry Murphy, Nigel Barrie, James Marcus, Adele Farrington, Ray Ripley, and Ray Turner. KING EDWARD THEATRE. Once again the King Edward Theatre offers a double picture programme that keeping with the previous high standard. The featured picture is “The Me ting Call, featuring Thomas Meighan. •jo, 6 j° r y Is a Rex Beach masterpiece, with deep purposeful characterisations a , situations, requiring acting ability of rare excellence. It deals with a Florida farmer who, disappointed in love, seeks a woman to help him work Ins farm, and finds love. The supportin picture is “Rinty of the Desert,” in which the star is the famous Rin-Tin-Tin. story is an exciting one, and Rin-Tin-Tm is said to give one of his best performances.