ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 19720, 28 November 1925, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS

CIVIC PICTURES. “RAFFLES” AND “A KISS IN THE DARK.” The most eluding figure in all detective fiction has been captured for the purpose of a picture and appears in the feature of the same name, which is on at the Civic Pictures at both matinee and night sessions to-day. House Peters stars in the title role under King Baggot’s direction. “Raffles” is a rare combination of love, mystery and drama. The picture adapted from the famous stories is an intriguing drama in which secret closets, sliding panels, pivot doors, a hunted man and a girl evading London’s cleverest man-hunters play an important part. House Peters as “Raffles” give one of the best performances of his career as a screen star. The action of “Raffles” begins in the dancing saloon of an ocean liner between Calcutta and Liverpool. A famous string of pearls is mysteriously stolen from the neck of a Mrs Tillistin, London social leader. The theft arouses the ship’s officers and there are mysterious murmurings that the thief is none other than the notorious Amateur Cracksman. A wireless message conveys the news of the theft to Scotland Yard and on the docking of the s.s. Monrovia at Liverpool all members of the ship’s company together with all the passengers, are searched, but no clue of the Amateur Cracksman is obtained. From shipboard the scene of action shifts to a large estate just outside England’s capital. London is aghast at the news that the Amateur Cracksman is rampant in the capital. In a sequence more mysterious than the theft of the precious jeyels, the string of pearls is returned to its rightful owner, under the nose of Scotland Yard’s cleverest sleuth. Peters is surrounded by a capital cast of favourites, including Miss Dupont, Hedda Hopper, Frederick Esmelton, Walter Long, Winter Hall, Kate Lester, Freeman Wood, Rolland Bottomley, Lillian Langdon and Robert Bolder. “A Kiss in the Dark,” the principal feature on the big programme at night is the kind of photo-play of which kinemalovers never tire. It is a light, romantic comedy. “A Kiss in the Dark” is certainly one of the best laugh producers that has been given to an Invercargill audience for a long time. But it is not on the humorous element alone that this excellent photoplay depends for its success. It is adapted from tfie stage play “Aren’t We All?” which recently scored a big hit in northern centres. It is a delightful love story, with plenty of fun, and a suspense which keeps the spectators on tenderhooks. The cast is an exceptionally strong one, including the popular screen lover, Adolph Menjou, who has established himself as a firm favourite whatever pictures are shown. The role he fills in “A Kiss in the Dark” fits him like the proverbial glove; as did his role in “A Woman of Paris.” Aileen Pringle, a delightful little lady, who has taken the leading feminine role in so many screen successes of late, plays oposite him, and her portrayal of the part allotted to her can only be described as superb. The matinee programme will include two comedies and the big serial “The Ghost City.” THE ALBION. THRILLING MELODRAMA WITH THE WORLD’S GREATEST DOG, RIN-TIN-TIN. Adventure! The word itself appeals to everybody! It calls forth coloured pictures of heart-stirring pirate tales, and brings to life the boyish dreams for rushing, thrilling action. But to have Rin-Tin-Tin, the per-fectly-trained police dog of phenomenal courage and sagacity, participate in adventures that crowd on each other against the background of tumultuous, raging seas, with a lighthouse and its haunting suggestion of romance, the emotional pivot, promises to be something quite absorbing. “The Lighthouse By the Sea,” which opens to-night at the Albion, is a rushing, pounding chain of adventures that begin with Rin-Tin-Tin’s daring rescue of his young Belgian master on the rocks of the lighthouse. Then ensue the dramatic crescendo of a conflict between the lighthouse keepers, an unhand of bootleggers Afid the

revenue officers, with a glorious all-round fight as the climax, in which Rin-Tin-Tin carries off the honours by reason of his glorious prowess. Woven through this vivid tapestry of thrilling action is the love story of Louise Fazenda, the daughter of the lighthousekeeper, whose heart fluctuates between the villainous leader of the rumrunners and the appealing, courageous shipwrecked Belgian. Rin-Tin-Tin and Louise Fazenda head the brilliant cast, which includes such notables as Buster Collier junr., Mathew Betz, Douglas Gerrard and Charles Hill Mailes.

Then the supporting feature, “The Fighting Smile,” starring Bill Cody, the wellknown cowboy, is a western of unusual appeal, showing how a prodigal boy returns to his father’s ranch, to find many difficulties to overcome, and after helping his father by beating a gang of cattle rustlers, he falls in love with Rose Frayne, the chief rustler’s step-daughter. She stands by him and helps him through a thrilling gun fight with the desperadoes, and he wakes up to the fact that although he might meet adventures in his wanderings, his own home is the best. William Lester has added another fine story to the list of westerns he has already written, and Jay Marchant, the director of “The Fighting Smile,” feels that this picture is one of the best he has done. The cast includes, in addition to Bill Cody, winsome Jean Arthur, Charles Brinley and George Magrill. The entree to the programme is left in the capable hands of that little band of rascals known as “Our Gang,” in which Farina, the little negro girl, surpasses Harold Lloyd in thrilling stunts. The usual matinee will be given at 2 p.m. to-day, when a specially selected programme for the young ones will be presented. The Box Plan is now kept at the Bristol, where seats may be booked in comfort, but those w’ishing can, if so desired, ’phone the theatre direct, 738. PIRATES OF PENZANCE. COMIC OPERA SEASON OF THREE NIGHTS. It is no easy task for a producer to train within a couple of weeks a band of amateur theatrical players to such a degree that they will act with credit anywhere, yet such a result has been obtained by Miss Edith Johpson (late of J. C. Williamson and Company) who has been specially engaged by the Invercargill Amateur Operatic Society to produce Gilbert and Sullivan’s delightful opera—a result that will be reflected in the first performance to be staged at the Municipal Theatre on Monday night. There is not a dull moment in Pirates of Penzance and the music lingers long after the fall of the curtain. The revival of this delightful opera by the local society will leave very pleasant memories, memories of excellent singing, delightfully mutual ensemble work, tasteful mounting and fracking. The value of team work in this production is amply demonstrated. The society is particularly fortunate in their principals as some of the parts call for ability much above the average amateur talent available even in the big centres. The orchestra was never individually stronger than at present, the best local talent having been secured and under the capable baton of Mrs J. W. A. Prentice can be relied on to do its part. The box plan is now open at the Bristol and the public are strongly recommended to book their seats as bumper houses are assured. PERRY’S CIRCUS. SOUTHLAND SEASON. Circus lovers of Invercargill and surrounding district will have an opportunity on Thursday next of seeing the excellent two and a-half hour programme that is presented by the Perry Bros., who are just nearing the termination of their first tour of New Zealand. Mighty Jumbo, the tusked elephant, will be seen, not hurling planks about, as he did on the Wahine while being transhipped from Wellington to Lyttelton, but playing see-saw with the clowns, buck-jumping, dancing and whatnot? He even talks (in elephant language, of course). The other animal turns, namely, Captain Montarlo’s trained lions and tigers that perform amazing feats; Dempsey and Firpo, the boxing ponies; Spring, the jumping greyhound; and Nan, the pretty little Pom., that features in Daphne and Dorrie’s clever contortion act, and most pleasing, Perry Bros.’ celebrated high-jumpers, who create a sensation everywhere. Wait till you see Lone Star, the Australian champion that jumped 7ft at the Maitland Show, New South Wales, 1920! The other performing ponies including Commodore, the marvellous pony telepathist, display extraordinary intelligence. There is a great company of distinguished performers from all parts of the world—some wonderful new acts that have never previously been seen in New Zealand, a good brass band, and a menagerie ofc jungle terrors.