ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 20201, 11 June 1927, Page 4

ENTERTAINMENTS

CIVIC PICTURES. JAMES OLIVER CURWOOD’S “THE COUNTRY BEYOND” AND MARSHALL NEILAN’S “EVERYBODY’S ACTING” Fox films version of “The Country Beyond,” based on James Oliver Curwood’s greatest novel of the anadaian woods, which is to be at the Civic both matinee and night sessions to-day gives Olive Borden, noted Southern beauty, the best role of her career. She stars in the part of Valencia, the French-Canadian girl, primitive, graceful and alluring, who goes to New York and becomes an overnight sensation as the premiere dancer of a music box revue. In the earlier sequences she is seen as the adopted daughter of Joe and Martha Lesuer, the former a dissolute character who has literally whipped his wife into submission and repression. Valencia is blithe, innocent and free as the exhilarating air of her mountain home in the Canadian Rockies. Into her life comes “Jolly” Roger McKay, hiding from the Royal North-west Mounted Police, who seek him on a charge of robbing a trader’s post to feed a tribe of starving Indians. He befriends Valencia and she grows very fond, of him. Joe Lesuer negotiates for the sale of Valencia to a camp storekeeper and in a quarrel which follows between Joe and Martha, the latter kills him with an axe handle. On this same day “Singing’’ Sergeant Cassidy of the Mounted arrests Jolly Roger. The prisoner manages to instruct Valencia to go to the cabin of Father John, the missionary, and await, him there where they will be married and go to "The Country Beyond.” That night, after his escape from Sergeant Cassidy, Jolly PvOger goes to Joe and Martha’s home and finding the body of Joe, he presumes that Valencia killed him. He leaves a note saying he has committed the crime. Cassidy rounds him up again. While Valencia waits at Father John’s cabin, Henry Harland, a wealthy New York theatrical producer, who is visiting in the mountains, persuades the missionary to permit Valencia to go with him and his "sister” to Manhattan, "The Country Beyond” to train for stage dancing. This Valencia does and in representing the girl’s New York activities on the screen Olive Borden is given an opportunity to perform some intriguing and thrilling scenes and wear some particularly beautiful costumes. Her interpretation of Valencia, premiere dancer, in fact, is sufficient to establish Miss Borden as a star of the first rank. In the cast are such fine troupers as J. Farrell MacDonald, Ralph Graves, Lawford Davidson, Evelyn Selbie, Fred Kohler, Alfred Fisher and Gertrude Astor. The Paramount picture on the bill, "Everybody’s Acting,” is a thoroughly human and sympathetic story of the people who play for our amusement. If the term "all-star” cast has not been so often abused and misused it would be a temptation to apply it to the notable cast of screen and stage favourites who assembled to play in this production. Heading the cast is Betty Bronson, eager, spontaneous, charming and brilliantly clever in her acting. Louise Dresser, cold, calculating and domineering in this characterisation, nevertheless allows some of her true nature to assert itself in the more emotional scenes, and Ford Sterling and Lawrence Gray are the two male stars who provide, the one the sheerest comedy and the other the romance, with Henry Walthall to add the dignity, the majesty, the power and the impressiveness that is the Press; Walthall plays a reporter, who eventually becomes an editor. “Everybody’s Acting” may broadly be termed a comedy drama, or a comedy romance, but there is pathos in it, and it is rich in human interest and the presentation of human nature in its most pleasant moods and colours. The supporting programme, too, is excellent. ALBION TO-NIGHT. CAPTAIN FRANK HURLEY’S “THE JUNGLE WOMAN,” ALSO HOUSE PETERS IN JAMES OLIVER CURWOOD’S “PRISONERS OF THE STORM.”

All the ingredients that go to make up superb and enthralling entertainment are found in “The Jungle Woman,” Captain Frank Hurleys’ great romance of the Southern Seas, which opens at the Albion tonight. Taken from a point of view of photography alone, it is a wonderful screen achievement, the tropical forests of Dutch New Guinea being the actual locale for the filming of the gripping scenes that show two young Englishmen grappling with dangers and hardships innumerable in their search for gold. The many scenes showing canoes shooting down the tropical stream to the%apids, and the long train of natives pushing their way with provisions and supplies behind the dauntless adventurers, lends a wealth of colour and atmosphere to the picture that makes it one of the most realistic screen documents that the screen has known. No greater setting for a wonderful romance could be imagined than the broken coastline of the Southern Isles, and the dense interior—with its tales of glittering gold. It. is such tales of hidden wealth that lure two intrepid young Englishmen into the wilds of Dutch New Guinea, pushing on, ever on through the dense undergrowth in search of the elusive metal. They find gold—yellow nuggets of tremendous wealth —but the thoughts of both men are with a trader’s daughter, whom they have left behind on the coast. Can a native woman of the South Sea isles love a white man? Hurana, the chief’s daughter, loved South intensely enough to give her life to save him, and that is the greatest love of all. See her in “The Jungle Woman.” An interesting psychological analysis is presented in the principal situation of the plot of “Prisoners of the Storm,” the UniversalJewel production starring House Peters, which also comes to the Albion Theatre today. It shows the changing mental attitudes of four persons, imprisoned in a tiny cabin in the northwoods by a tremendous blizzard. The storm makes it impossible to leave the cabin for days, and four humans, all of whom are practically strangers to each other, are forced to live in two small rooms together. Starting off pleasantly, the air becomes tense as the storm’s prisoners grow weary of their incarceration. Nerves are on edge. Mannerisms and peculiarities, which would pass unnoticed under ordinary conditions, become matters of great moment. As the personalities begin to grow on the nerves of the others, quarrels, differences, bickerings develop. The ending of the tense situation provides a powerful and thrilling climax to the unusual tale, and its dramatic finish reaches the great emotional heights. PADEREWSKI. Messrs J. and N. Tait announce the coming to Dunedin of that remarkable artist, Ignace Jan Paderewski, unquestionably the greatest personality in the world of music at the present day. The season will be limited to one Recital in His Majesty’s Theatre on Tuesday, June 21, when a grand gala programme will be presented, and under no circumstances can the season be extended. Mr. Paderewski achieved a memorable triumph at his opening concert in Sydney and he has repeated his opening triumph in every Australian city visited. Paderewski’s tour of Australia will ever be remembered in the annals of musical history as one of the most ipiportant events. He will inspire young musicians with renewed ambitions and aspirations to perfect their art. It will indeed be a rare privilege to hear such a supreme artist, and one of the most remarkable personalities of the present generation. Endowed with exquisite taste, a refined intellect, and a truly romantic spirit, Mr Paderewski breathes into all he plays a magical touch of humanity, making an instant and irresistible appeal. His'sincerity and nobility of purpose is at once apparent in all his interpretations, and his command of rhythm and colour is extraordinary. The marvellous touch, the beauty of tone colour, the poetic insight, dramatic power, and through visualisation of all he plays, have never failed to charm and astonish all his audiences. The prices of admission will be the same as those charged for Paderwski’s recitals in Europe and America. Preliminary applications for the best seats, price £1 1/-

plus tax and booking fee, total £1 3/-, will now be received. Country patrons wiring to receive preferential seats should apply immediately to the Bristol box office, Dunedin, as the distinguished pianist cannot, visit any provincial towns. His New Zealand tour is limited to eight recitals only in the four centres.

RENEE KELLY. LONDON’S FAVOURITE COMEDY STAR TO VISIT INVERCARGILL. Renee Kelly, whose sense of comedy is truly wonderful, was the original Judy in “Daddy Long Legs” which ran for '5OO nights at the Duke of York’s Theatre, London. This brilliant actress is the star with J. C. Williamson’s New English Comedy Company opening at the Municipal Theatre on Monday, June 20, for a season of three nights in three different productions. Miss Renee Kelly has delighted English and American audiences by her brilliant acting, personal charm, and artistic frocking. On the English speaking stage to-day there is no more popular personality. In “Polly with a Past” she has an ideal role, which will display her acting ability to the fullest. As a demure maid, then as a notorious Frenchwoman, she introduces the light shade of comedy and dramatic action. “Polly with a Past” is a play that will appeal to everyone. No more delightful production has been staged in New Zealand for many years. The London Daily Mail, commenting upon the departure of Miss Kelly for Australia and New Zealand, remarked: “There is no doubt that Australians are going to take Renee Kelly to their hospitable hearts just as New York and London have done.” “Polly wtih a Past” is a three-act sparkling comedy, by George Middleton and Guy Bolton and gives Miss Kelly a fine chance to show her ability and also to display some magnificent frocks for which Miss Kelly is noted. During the season here, Renee Kelly will also appear in “The Last of Mrs Cheyney,” the play that has caused so much controversy in London, and another sparkling comedy entitled “Brown Sugar.” The box plans will open at the Bristol on Thursday next, June 16.