ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 20496, 26 May 1928, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

“THE KING OF KINGS.” PREMIERE PRESENTATION AT THE CIVIC PICTURES TO-NIGHT. Presented in a manner worthy of its great theme, “The King of Kings,” is perhaps the greatest picture the world has yet seen—will be publicly screened at the Municipal Theatre for the first time tonight. And a wonderful picture it is. One reviewer writes:—“From first to last —from the astonishing introduction of Mary Magdalene in the first scene rising in crescendo to the sheer drama of the Crucifixion — “The King of Kings” sets out the story of Christ with human emotion, with pageantry but not pomp, with an understanding of the Man that becomes almost attune with the infinite. No player’s name is mentioned although each one will be instantly recognized by picture-goers; ninety per cent, of the sub-titles are taken straight from the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, with verse and chapter quoted in a way that will leave the shouting bigots with absolutely nothing to say; and where there have been departures from the scriptures they are very slight, and only done to preserve the dramatic development. And it is dramatic development—not of the scenario writer’s imagination, but of the Bible’s graphic recording. In the opening scene, gorgeously portrayed in technicolour, motives at variance with general acceptance are given to Mary Magdalene and Judas Iscariot. Mary is entertaining at her court in Magdala; she is in love with Judas, who has forsaken her to follow the Carpenter—to pursue ambition in the belief that Christ will become King of the Jews and he will rule at Christ’s right hand. To Christ Mary goes with the object of bringing Judas back. Instead the seven deadly sins are cast from her (in one of the most amazing scenes in the production) and she too becomes a follower. Of memories that exist after “The King of Kings,” the drama of the Crucifixion is the most impressive. Just as it is written it is pictured, and yet those three Crosses, stark against the stealing darkness over Calvary, never before have stirred such deep response in us. Spiritual as “The King of Kings” is, the picture is no preachment, but absolute entertainment—possibly the greatest, certainly the noblest, the screen has presented.” Plans for the season are open at the Bristol where seats may be reserved. MAJESTIC THEATRE. GEORGE SIDNEY AND LOUISE FAZENDA IN “MILLIONAIRES,” ALSO JETTA GOUDAL IN “FIGHTING LOVE.” ENTERTAINMENT DE LUXE. “Millionaires,” the Warner Bros.’ production released by Master Pictures, which comes to the Majestic Theatre to-day, is a picture that goes out frankly to get laughs, and, according to all reports, it gets them in hearty measure. With George Sidney, Louise Fazenda and Vera Gordon heading the cast, it has a trio of rib-tickling funmakers who have long since demonstrated that real laughs are pretty close to real tears; a trio of comedians who are above all things always “human.” Helene Costello, Nat Carr, Jane Winton and Arthur Lubin are among others in the cast who add to the gaiety of the entertainment. The picture, suggested by E. Phillips Oppenheim’s book, “The Inevitable Millionaires,” was adapted by Graham Baker and Edward Clark, and produced under the direction of Herman Raymaker. The story, written by Raymond L. Schrock, concerns a Jewish tailor, whose placid, happy life is nearly wrecked on the shores of social ambition, when he suddenly comes into a fortune. “Twilight Shots” is the new phrase coined in describing the unique method of photographing adopted by Henry C^onjaeger in filming “Fighting' Love,” also opening at this theatre to-night. A picture story that will thrill the most blase fan —it teems with colour, action and genuine drama—the 'locale is the luxurious and sumptuous castles of Italy’s nobility, and the exotic environment of the Occident. Beautiful Jetta Goudal never had a greater role than that of Vittoria, a young Italian noblewoman who marries her father’s old friend to escape the man she despised, and then finds herself hopelessly in love with a young man—a poignant drama of human hearts at their noblest, and human passions at their basest. Whose wife was she?— The story of a woman, who, believing her husband dead, married the man she loved and then she learns her husband still lives. Prices will be the same as usual, and plans can be viewed at The Bristol. POPULAR PICTURES. THE MIGHTY BRITISH WAR DRAMA “ARMAGEDDON” AND THE THRILLING MELODRAMA “THE TELEPHONE GIRL.”

The war picture “Armageddon” which will have its initial screening to-day and to-night, has the distinction of being the first official picture of the New Zealand Forces in early stages of the war. “War is hell,” but it is hell filled with heroism. This brilliant campaign conducted by Lord Allenby in Palestine provides an example of the tense drama of war, conducted over battlefields of the past of which the very names carry associations that are sacred alike to Christian to Moslem and to Jew. The film is not “propaganda,” that evil product of the influence of subsidies upon the perversion of opinion. In a brief prologue, the origin of the participation of Turkey in the Great War is traced to the ambitious land hunger of the Hohenzollern dynasty. A really comprehensive view i l . given of the entire ■ campaign showing th« New Zealand troops embarking, the landing and a heroic charge of the yeomanry who captured a battery of Turkish guns at Huj. Space will not allow us to fully describe this wonderful picture, it must be seen to be appreciated. Madge Bellamy and an all-star cast appear in a thrilling drama “The Telephone Girl” and a rollicking comedy and topical supports round off a programme of exceptional merit. Seats may be booked at the Bristol.