ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 19224, 14 May 1921, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS

ALBION THEATRE. A oung and old should attend the Albion to-day in large numbers for a programme especially suited to all lovers of the great outdoor will be presented for the first time. The big production, “The Courage of Marge O’Doone,” from the famous story by Jame 3 Oliver Curwood, is one of the most thrilling and instructive productions ever shown. An all-star cast of well-known popular players, made the feature during a raging blizzard in the Rocky mountains. These players fought their way over the snow covered peaks, braving dangers and hardships in order' to get into- a territory as yet unexplored by man. A bear fight, into which brave Pauline Starke, as Marge O’Doone, has the courage to rush in in an effort to separate the struggling animals, is one of the big scenes in the production. The scenic beauty of the picture, is unusual. It presents one of the most picturesque spots in North America at seasons when it is most beautiful, and lays bare a territory into which few human beings have ventured, a land where romance and adventure are part of the daily routine. Comedies of genuine humour, pretty travelogues, and the latest Pathe News complete a programme of wonderful merit. Intending patrons should be early or reserve their seats for the night’s performances.

CIVIC PICTURES. “Most books are written, most plays are tinkered up. Once in a while a story is born, not made. ‘ Humoresque ’ was born.” Dr Frank Crane, a noted American, concludes his summing up of his impressions of “Humoresque,” the wonder picture which has been creating such a furore , here and in all other places where it has been shown, and which is to be repeated again at the Civic Pictures to-night. The full text o.‘ Dr Crane’s remarks is as follows:—“As we go up and down the ways of this busy age, the thing that makes us stop and wonder, the thing that is like the discovery of hid treasure or a pearl of great price, is something human. I have just, seen two whopping human treasures. One is the writing about Mexico by Ibanez, a wonderful piece of journalism, of which I may speak later. The other is a moving picture entitled ‘Humoresque,’ based on a story by Fannie Hurst.* The intense humanity of it is emphasised by the fact that it is all about people who live in a. world entirely different from any I have known. Something human appears all the more human when it is Japanese, or Hottentot, or Eskimo. Then it is brought home to you that these people, so different in their environment from yours, are, after all, blood of the same blood and spirit of the same spirit. The characters in this movie are taken from the Ghetto. They are all Jewish. In this story we are thrust into the midst of this little world as close and clannish as ever a little world was, and our hearts are melted within us at the realisation of our common humanity. One of the real stars of the play is the Jewish mother, performed by Vera Gordon, who is not starred at all on the programme, and of wjiom I have never heard. I have no hesitation in saying that it is one of the most remarkable and appealing characterisations I have ever seen upon the screen. She is the incarnation of i what, after all, is the most interesting type in all the world —a mother. She is the most perfect representation of motherhood I have ever seen. All the strong currents of mother feeling, affection, fear, tenderness, apprehension, gloating, pride and joy stream from her face in an overwhelming tide. While I have never had the acquaintance of any lady of the Ghetto I had the feeling as if my own mother had enveloped me in her personality. The art of the thing is unconscious. Somehow the spectator feels that neither the writer of the play, nor the director of the film production, nor the actors themselves really intended to do the smashing things they have done. They were intent upon telling a story and making good pictures and developing the love scenes between the boy and girl, and show ing the trials of a struggling artist. But all these are by the way. It is the simple, naive, child-hearted Jewish mother that walks away with the whole performance. For, after all, it is the mother who is the one universal figure. It is the mother who is the real League of Nations. It is In motherhood that there is neither Jew nor Gentile, Greek nor Barbarian, bond nor free. There are all manner of tongues, customs, tastes and divergencies among human beings, but the one strong red cord that binds them forever together is Motherhood. And this is the truest, deepest business of the theatre, to reveal to us our humanity, to show us strange types, and how. after all, they are not strange at. all. Here is the real type of mankind: that underneath all our differences, our struggles for precedence, our race hates, our clashing selfishness, our clamant competitions, our wars and rumours of wars, our contests'of classes, our angry disputes of labour and capital, our envy, superciliousness and provincialism —underneath all these is the mother’s lap, around all these are the mother’s everlasting arms.” Plans for circle and stalls for the three nights this picture will be shown are on view at the Bristol, where seats may be reserved for either night. Already the demand for seats is considerable,

MATINEE THIS AFTERNOON. This afternoon’s matinee at the Civic will see the screening of “The Saphead,” a comedy-drama in which Buster Keaton, who is well known through his work In Arbuckle comedies, is starred. Mutt and Jeff and a Sunshine comedy will also be screened. POPULAR PICTURE PALACE. A rattling fine problem play “The Case of Lady Camber,” a Broadwest English production, starring Violet Hopson, Stewart Rome, and Gregory Scott, England’s three most prominent film stars, was shown at the Popular Picture Palace last night, for the first time. This is a picture away from the beaten track and held the interest of the audience throughout. The paramount question throughout the play is, Who killed Lady Camber? Only two people knew of the mysterious new drug, the doctor and his nurse. Whether the nurse gave Lady Camber ground for jealousy, or whether she had any hand in her mysterious death, or whether she died from a dose of the new narcotic known alone to the doctor and the suspected nurse, is the problem. The play has a thrilling climax. The comedy “A fly in the Ointment,” created roars of laughter through the whole 2000 feet. The Topical Budget is a very interesting number, completing a good programme which will be shown again this afternoon and evening.