ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 20633, 3 November 1928, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS

MAJESTIC THEATRE. RAMON NOVARRO AND JOAN CRAWFORD IN “ACROSS TO SINGAPORE,” ALSO RIN-TIN-TIN LN “A DOG OF THE REGMENT,” “THE COLLEGIANS” ADDED ATTRACTION. The unfathomable lure of the sea forms the background for an amazing drama of love, hate and adventure in “Across to Singapore,” Ramon Novarro’s new starring vehicle opening at the Majestic tonight. This Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture is a heart-stirring sage of the clipper ships, and is one of the most gripping sea stories ever brought to the screen. Never has the star of “Ben Hur” been seen to better advantage. As the youngest of four sea-far-ing brothers, Novarro encounters terrific storms, imprisonment, mutiny, hand to hand encounters, and other thrilling adventures in a quest that takes him across the Pacific to Singapore and back again. Joan Crawford, opposite Novarro, again demonstrates that she is worthy of Stella honours. Ernest Torrance, in the role of Novarro’s eldest brother, contributes a compelling characterisation, and James Mason, as the scheming first mate is also worthy of special mention. Anna May Wong, Edward Connelly, Frank Currier, Dan Wolheim and Duke Martin comprise the remainder of the cast. Rin-Tin-Tin’s millions of friends will welcome the news that he comes to the Majestic Theatre commencing at the matinee to-day, in “A Dog of the Regiment,” a Warner-Master Picture. The story is that of a German Red Cross Dog in the hottest days of the World War, and of his devotion to a wounded American ace, whom he had known before the days of conflict. Rinty is seen first as a fighting flyer, in “A Dog of the Regiment.” He has never had a part so heroic, and an interesting fact about the picture is, that it depicts many adventures similar to those experienced by Rinty in real life, before he was rescued by Captain Duncan from the war-torn French village which was his birthplace. A further chapter of the popular chapter play “The Collegians” will also be screened at both sessions.

CIVIC PICTURES. i DOLORES DEL RIO AND TED McNAMARA IN “THE GATEWAY OF THE MOON,” JEAN HERSHOLT, GEORGE LEWIS, MARION NIXON IN “JAZZ MAD.” Again the Civic management has something particularly good to offer patrons this week-end. A striking picturization of the conquest of tropical jungles is given in “The Gateway of the Moon,” featuring Dolores Del Rio. Embodying, as it does, a drama of primitive passions, with a thread of appealing romance running throughout, this film takes its place in the forefront of productions of its kind. As the half caste girl Toni, Dolores Del Rio gives one of the most striking characterizations of her career, her perfect technique and unique Latin type making her particularly suited to the part. Opposite her is Walter Pidgeon, whose enactment of the part of the young English engineer, surrounded by enemies in a savage territory, is particularly convincing and Ted McNamara is also in the cast. The story deals with a ruthless English engineer, Gillespie, played by Anders Randolf, who is building a railroad among the wilds of the Amazon at the cost of many lives. He rules his white and native helpers with an equally brutal hand, and except for his niece Toni, there is not a man or woman in camp who does not fear him. A very fine picture indeed is “Jazz Mad,” the other star feature. “Jazz Mad” is a story which tells a great truth at the same time as it offers entertainment. It is a story of the literally jazz-mad night life of the great American cities of to-day, where the younger set has neither the time nor the inclination to listen to music in its better and higher forms. The picture has been produced on a really lavish scale, and the settings are such as to convey to the spectator exactly the atmosphere that surrounds the actual tale. Briefly, the story tells how Franz Hausmann is the composer of a wonderful symphony. He leaves his native town in Germany, determined to achieve fame and fortune in New York. But New York is “jazz mad,” and producers will not look at the manuscript of such “highbrow” stuff as a symphony. So Hausmann puts in heartbreaking years battling against pride, hunger and the jazz craze, until, out of consideration for his devoted daughter, Elsa, he capitulates and takes a night club job. He is discovered in this lowly position by the snobbish parents of Elsa's lover, and the engagement between the two young people is broken off. The society mother “compensates” the girl with a cheque for a substantial sum, and Elsa sacrifices her dignity and uses the money to have her father’s symphony produced. There is a highly dramatic climax, in which Hausmann is revealed to the huge audience of 60,000 people as the composer of the symphony to which they have been listening with rapture, and, of course, the young lovers are reunited.