THE SHADOW WORLD

Southland Times, Issue 20203, 14 June 1927, Page 11

THE SHADOW WORLD

LATEST REAL NEWS OF REEL PLAYERS.

AT THE CIVIC. To-night: James Oliver Curwood’s “The Country Beyond” (Olive Borden, Ralph Graves), and “Everybody’s Acting” (Betty Bronson, Ford Sterling). Wednesday: “The Prince of Tempters” (Ben Lyon, Lois Morgan, Lya de Putti), “Three Faces East” (Jetta Goudal, Robert Ames, Henry B. Walthall). Saturday: “The Ace of Cads” (Adolphe Menjou), “Thirty Below Zero” (Buck Jones). Of second importance to the search that two years ago resulted in the finding of Betty Bronson for the coveted title role in “Peter Pan” was the selection by Sir James M. Barrie of Mary Brian to play the role of Wendy, the next most important part in the famous play. It was bj' his choice of the great author that one of the most beautiful young girls in Hollywood was started on a screen career that to-day makes her one of the most sought-after leading ladies in filmdom. Her latest picture, in which she is featured with Ben Lyon, Lois Moran and Lya de Putti, is “The Prince of Tempters,” directed by Lothar Mendes, who was brought to America by Robert T. Kane, the producer, especially to direct this big photoplay for First National Pictures. Mary Brian has the role of one of the fair damsels in London who brings the young prince of tempters out of his disillusionment about girls. Those who read the novel by E. Phillips Oppenheim under the title of “The Ex-Duke,” remember that the prince of tempters was not launched upon his career as a flirt until, after leaving the monastery that had sheltered him for the first twenty years of his life, he fell victim in a series of adventures which his sheltered life had left him unequipped to cope with. Thus,

curiosity turns to disillusionment, and dii illusionment finds its way back to love-

with Mary’s help. It’s one of the biggest roles Mary Brian ever played, and she gives it the best of her ability. “The Prince of Tempters” is coming to the Civic.

Adolphe Menjou, the acme of sophistication, plays the ace in “The Ace of Cads” which comes to the Civic this week. The rest of the cards, Alice Joyce, Norman Trevor, Phillip Strange and Suzanne Fleming, complete the pack. The photoplay was taken from one of the famous “Mayfair” short stories, written by the wellknown Michael Arlen, author of “The Green Hat.” With a cast as listed above and a story such as Arlen has written, the film promises to be one of the screen senations of the year. Adolphe Menjou’s discerning eye is responsible for the latest “find” of screendom, who will be seen in “The Ace of Cads”—Suzanne Fleming—lB, blue-eyed brunette, who plays an important part as Alice Joyce’s daughter. It is her first major screen role, but Director Luther Reed and Mr Menjou seem confident that it will not be her last.

A gripping mystery picture of exceptional dramatic power and filled with remarkable situations, make “Three Faces East,” featuring Jetta Goudal, Robert Ames, Henry B. Walthall and Clive Brook, one of the wonder pictures of the year. Produced by Rupert Julian under the auspices of Cecil B. De Mille, and presenting a typical De Mille cast of players, it is one of the finest attractions offered in many months. It is in every respect a screen triumph. Romance, picturesque and thrilling, lends a softening glow to the intrigue of espionage, the play of counter purposes, love, chicanery and sentiments of patriotism and loyalty to country, which form the elemental basis of this remarkable screen drama. The picture Is packed with dramatic action and scenes that thrill, with a background of war with the problems that follow in its train, the whole flavoured judiciously by delightful comedy interludes. In this respect,

“Three Faces East,” is more than one hundred per cent, screen entertainment—it is from start to finish a breath-taking, alluring, fascinating spectacle. “Three Faces East” comes to the Civic to-morrow.

“30 Below Zero,” Fox Filins latest release starring the famed Westerner, Buck Jones, will have a showing at the Civic next Saturday. In this story of the wild adventures of a wild young man, there is plenty of action as the result of a very interesting plot. The scenes are laid in the wilds of Broadway and the wilds of the north woods. The love interest is very pronounced and some of the stunts performed by Buck are of the kind to make an audience grip their seats. An outstanding feature of the production, however, are the many humorous situations in which the star becomes involved. Laughs, good and plenty, are a happy feature of this comedy drama, whose feminine lead is Eva Novak. The cast is unusually strong, and includes Paul Panzer, E. J. Ratcliffe, Frank Butler, Harry Woods, Fred Walton, Henry Murdock and Vincent Howard.

“The Country Beyond,” Fox Films adaptation of James Oliver Curwood’s widelyread novel, is the feature attraction at the Civic just now. Olive Borden heads the specially selected cast which was directed by Irvine Cummings. The personnel includes J. Farrell MacDonald, who is pleasantly remembered as Casey in “The Iron Horse”; Evelyn Selbie, noted character actress who was the original “Broncho Billy girl” of the films; Lawford Davidson, star of the Continental stage and screen; Fred Kohler, peerlee.s villain of the motion pictures; Alfred Fisher, veteran actor of international stage and screen fame; Ralph Graves, popular leading man; and Gertrude Astor, well-known feminine “menace” of many film successes. The exteriors for “The Country Beyond” were made in Jasper National Park, Alberta, mostly on the shores of Lake Maligne and Mount Edith Cavell. In order to shoot the scenes at the first-named location it was necessary for the company to travel two full days on horseback over the hazardous trails of the Canadian Rockies. And to Fox Films goes the unique honour of having filmed the first motion picture scenes in that wonderfully picturesque region.

All the pathos, the drama and the dreams are not all acting with theatre players. Of that you will be convinced when you have seen Marshall Neilan’s latest Paramount Picture, “Everybody’s Acting,” which is to be seen at the Civic. It tells the story of a little girl who falls in love with a rich man. His ambitious mother forbids his marriage and so that the happiness of their little girl will not be imperilled, her five guardians plot against the mother. How did they get on? Well, we advise you to see this great picture of life behind the footlights. Betty Bronson, Ford Sterling, Louise Dresser, Henry B. Walthall and Larry Gray are all in the cast.

James Oliver Curwood, that prolific writer of action novels, has provided the inspiration of another motion picture. It is “Prisoners of the Storm,” the UniversalJewel starring House Peters, which is now showing at the Albion Theatre. The picture is based on Curwood’s novel “The Quest of Joan.” It was adapted to the screen by Charles A. Logue, and directed by Lynn Reynolds. The cast includes Peggy Montgomery, Walter McGrail, Harry Todd, Clark Comstock, Fred De-Silver and others.

' ATTRACTIONS AT THE ALBION. To-night: Captain Frank Hurley’s “The Jungle Woman,” James Oliver Curwood’s “Prisoners of the Storm” (House Peters). To-morrow: “Slaves of Fashion” (Norma Shearer, Lew Cody), “There You Are” (Conrad Nagel, Edith Roberts), Vaudeville Act. The Campbell Boys. Kings of the Concertina. Saturday: “The Wild Bull’s Lair” (Fred Thomson and Silver King), “The Denver Dude” (Hoot Gibson). Oversea movie men have from time to time “gone south on location,” but it has remained for Captain Frank Hurley to give a new meaning to the South Sea romance. In “The Jungle Woman” one finds none of the stock studies of drunken beachcombers, brutal planters, placid missionaries, or illtreated native girls, who turn out to be long-lost society beauties, with millionaire, fathers. Instead the magic of Captain Hurley takes one direct to the New Guinea he knows and the natives he understands. He presents a movie rich in the majestic tangled, or swampy, pest-infested scenery of the interior —he builds against that background a logical, easily moving romance of love and jealously and sacrifice, and, incidentally, cleverly suggests the psychology of the native race. The result is a movie of a class apart—a definite breakaway from the traditional form. ‘The Jungle Woman” concludes its season to-night at the Albion.

A paradise for women and a holiday for men is an exact classification of “A Slave of Fashion,” the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture commencing to-morrow at the Albion. Some of the most gorgeous and striking costumes ever seen in a picture are on display in this film. And the story is so far off the beaten path that the men will get as much enjoyment out of its originality as the women out of the fashion display. It tells about a small town girl who longed for New York life and luxury, and who almost lost her reputation and family in realising her desire. Norma Shearer heads a great cast, including Lew Cody, William Haines, and Mary Carr.

The trials and tribulations of an eloping couple beset with tangled identities, and a misplaced baby which has been wished upon them, cause many laughs in “There You Are,” the splendid new comedy coming to the Albion Theatre to-morrow. This is the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer screen version of the intensely funny novel by F. Hugh Herbert, the noted English novelist. The cast includes Conrad Nagel and Edith Roberts in the principal parts, George Fawcett, Eddie Gribbon, Gwen Lee, Phillips Smalley and Gertrude Bennett.

Fred Thompson and his wonder horse, Silver King, are in the Master Picture release, “The Wild Bull’s Lair,” their most spectacular picture. A raging, maddened, ferocious animal, half bison, half bull, pawing to attack the helpless old man tied to a tree. His terrified daughter, crazed with fear, trembling in the/background. The fiendish face of Eagle Eye, the half-breed, waiting his revenge. Then—a flash of white —a dashing horse, a big, athletic rider hurling himself off his mount —and just as the bull breaks loose, a heroic cowboy hurls himself across his head, grabbing the deathdealing horns and locking into the most spectacular battle ever staged for the screen! Commencing at the Albion Saturday next.

“The Denver Dude” the latest Universal production starring Hoot Gibson, will be the feature attraction at the Albion Theatre starting Saturday next. The picture was directed by Reaves Eason, with Blanche Mehaffey, Robert McKim, “Slim” Summerville, Glenn Tryon and others in the cast, and promises to be one of the most popular pictures the star has ever made. The Two Campbell Boys commence a short season at the Albion Theatre tomorrow in an act described as “2 Boys, 2 Smiles, 2 Concertinas, 2 good 2 miss!” Their offering is said to be the latest and most original of its type in vaudeville, and they certainly arrive in Invercargill with the best of credentials, having recently completed a successful tour of the principal theatres in Australasia. “MARE NOSTRUM.” A STRANGE AND TRAGIC WAR ROMANCE. Little is known even now by the general public of the vast network woven by the Secret Service emissaries of the Central Powers over and about the Mediterranean, especially during the tense months in which Italy was deciding on which side to throw in her aid. Yet that story is one of the most sensational pages of the war, and an episode of its stands out as a masterpiece of drama, incidentally leading to one of the greatest mysteries in the history of the sea. The chief players in this drama were a Spanish sea captain and a beautiful Austrian spy attached to the Central Powers’ headquarters in Naples. The spy had been detailed to secure the services of the seaman for the intensive submarine campaign that was then being planned and for the carrying out of which his wide and intimate knowledge of the Mediterranean would prove most valuable. Everything happened according to schedule, the Spaniard, unable to resist the subtle net of fascination the spy wove about him, and even made a trip to victual the submarines when two things occurred. The spy fell really in love with him and attempted to undo her work at the last minute. And contrary to an agreement with the captain, the U-boats attacked passenger vessels, and on one the son of the captain was killed. The outcome was rapid and sensational. The woman was betrayed into the hands of the French, who speedily executed her, whilst the seaman armed his ship and disappeared into the Mediterranean in search of his son’s murderers, and failed to return. The whole story, together with the elucidation of the captain’s fate, and the account of his spectacular vengeance is now made public and comprises the theme of Rex Ingram’s new Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production, “Mare Nostrum,” from the Blasco Ibanez novel, which conies to the Albion Theatre. Alice Terry and Antonio Moreno are featured at the head of a very big cast I of distinguished French, Spanish, and Italian actors and actresses.