ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 19492, 5 March 1925, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS

ALBION PICTURES. “OCCASIONALLY YOURS” AND "THE WOMAN HE LOVED.” Beautiful women, opulent scenes and a dash of “pep” bordering on the risque. All of these, and more too in “Occasionally Yours,” the Robertson-Cole super-special, starring Lew Cody, the love-maker, which opened last night at the Albion Theatre. It is one of the best pictures of the season, and carries an extraordinarily fine cast. The entire story carries Mr Cody through a new love affair which almost results in wedding bells and orange blossoms. A loving sort of vamp pursues Lew to a point where she is willing to become his mother-in-law to be near him. Betty Blythe as the loving vamp gives a delightful performance, and with her beauty, graces the story. Elinor Fair, winsome and lovely, is the young girl who almost corrals Lew Cody. The general feeling among the males in the audience was: “If Lew don’t want her, I want her ” ‘"Boots,” a brindle bull-pup, displays more horse-sense than a dog, and more dog-sense than a horse. He is aided by “Julius,” a precocious mouse who has an eye for hosiery and powder puffs. The Russian scenes in the stirring Master picture, “The Woman He Loved,” are capitally staged. The poverty and oppression endured by the Levinsky family; the pathetic moment when the father discovers his savings of years depleted by an unknown hand, and sees in his wife’s face and her new finery a confession of guilt—at the outset this awakes sympathy for the poor man. It is augmented when the Cossacks wreck his home and place their mark on his infant son. Nor does it end when in New York’s Ghetto he is deserted by the wife he adores. Throughout the picture the vicissitudes encountered by him are many, but his courage and forbearance only add to the beauty of a character whose virtues are established with the audience in the first scene. 1116 All Blacks’ sensational match with England goes to complete a really first-class and enjoyable programme. t

VAUDEVILLE AND PICTURES. AT THE CIVIC TO-NIGHT. Seats were unobtainable at a very early hour last night, and many hundreds had reluctantly to be turned away from the popular Civic. The bill is so strong that there should be heavy demands on the seating accommodation again to-night and on Friday. To-night the popular MacKinnon Boys will commence a return season of three nights only. These talented artists created a most favourable impression on their previous appearance at the Civic, and it will be safe to prophecy that this popularity will increase as the season advances. Tonight they will present an entirely new I range of musical numbers and dances. The picture programme to be presented to-night includes First National’s big drama, “Single Wives” tells the story of many women strong appeal to men and women of the present generation, and Buster Keaton’s latest six-reel comedy scream, “The Three Ages.” “Single Wives” tells the story of many women of to-day, wooed and won, and then neglected by husbands deeply engrossed in business or pleasure, to their almost complete exclusion from all grounds of common interest. The unrest and mental misery of modern conditions is largely the result of the unsatisfied craving for love and sympathy. In this case it is the unusually vivid presentment of the problem of a wife and even, in the same way, of her mother, which is explained in marvellously true fashion. In this instance the husband, Perry Jordan, was absorbed in business to the exclusion of other interests. The story opens on the first anniversary of the wedding, with the wife, Betty Jordsn, trying to work up interest in a little celebration, without much encouragement. The husband, immersed in his business interests, goes on serenely while his wife is chafing at the neglect, and at length she consoles herself with a handsome young man, who proposes that she elope with him. An accident to Betty’s husband at a critical stage of affairs alters the whole complexion of things, and the love that business had well-nigh smothered Is revived. As Betty, Corinna Griffith is the tragically lonely wife, loyal, but not allowed her wifely meed of tenderness. Milton Sills, as Perry Jordan, the fine fellow, the man’s man, to whom the fight of life is everything, acts convincingly. Kathlyn Williams plays a part even more tragic than that of Betty, with fine perceptions, and the remainder of the strong cast add to the tense appeal of this modern social problem. “The Three Ages” tells in inimitable fashion the story of love throughout the ages—-cave-man days, the Roman era, and the present day. Buster Keaton Is the lover throughout, and a hard time he has of it —to the audience’s keen delight. “Three Ages” opens with the cave-man age, and shows Buster as a full-fledged cave-man surrounded by other's of his tribe. Unfortunately Blister has fallen in love with the woman who is desired by the strong man of the clan. A duel is arranged. Buster, being the weaker, seeks to worst his rival by foul means. He “leads” his club with a rock, beats his rival into insensibility and finally, after a merry chase, he seizes the woman forcibly from his enemies and escapes with her. The next episode takes place in the period of the triumphant Roman Empire. Again Buster has a rival for the woman he loves. A chariot "race Is arranged between them to decide the affair. The day of the race comes, and it is snowing hard. Buster’s rival appears in a splendid chariot drawn by four coal-black horses, and Buster appears in a chariot on runners, drawn by Eskimo dogs. His rival, furious, throws him into a den with hungry lions. Buster escapes, defeats his rival, and takes the woman. The action now changes to our own day. The same situation appears. Buster’s rival is just as hot on his trail as during the two preceding episodes. Now the contest to decide between them is a football match. Buster, puny and weak, against the brute towering strength of his rival seeks to avoid ham by playing different positions on the team, but his rival follows him each time to a position directly opposite. By a clever strategy Buster wins the game, after which his rival “does him dirt.” But here, too, Buster wins out and wins the girl. Seats may be reserved at the Bristol, or by ringing No 380.