ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 20661, 17 April 1929, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

CIVIC PICTURES.

"SUNRISE,” AN AMAZING FILM; AND "SOMEONE TO LOVE” (CHARLES ROGERS, MARY BRIAN).

It is an amazing film indeed, this "Sunrise,” which opened yesterday at. the Civic, where it will be shown-for three nights more. The producers, Fox Films, have alternately called it “A Song of Two Humans,” basing it on an original theme by Herman Sudermann. The director, F. W. Murnau, is celebrated for a number of other screen hits, and in this, the first picture which he made in America, he enhances his reputation. Here is screen entertainment built around a plain story but startlingly thrilling in its effect on the audience. It is a story whose locale is anywhere, whose characters are downright human and whose time element is strictly modern. The two principal characters, a man and his wife, are portrayed by George O'Brien and Janet Gaynor. A city woman (Margaret Livingston) comes and fires the man’s body with new and irrepressible desires. She tells the man to drown his wife, sell his farm and go live with her in the city. The man takes his wife out in a boat, but the horror of his contemplated crime falls heavily on his conscience and he sullenly rows her back to shore. Hatred for the woman who conceived this evil crime takes root in his brain and with this comes a strange feeling of tenderness and rekindled love for his wife. Together they go to the city for a day’s pleasure, the wife deliriously happy in his new affection and the husband all kindliness in his repentance. They dance together in an amusement park; they go to a photographer’s to have their pictures taken. And when they start back that night across the water a squall capsizes their boat and the wife is carried away in the black current, In despair and with a new murderous impulse in his heart, the husband determines to strangle the temptress, who believes, when news of the disaster reaches the village, that her plot has not gone amiss. But the wife is found by a searching party, alive, and together the man and wife face the sunrise in renewed happiness. An absorbing picture built on an unadorned theme, "Sunrise” is a treat for the eye and a constant tonic for the emotions. It is superbly acted. Neither George O'Brien nor Janet Gaynor have ever offered more delightful performances and the balance of the cast does equally well. "Sunrise” is a picture which one cannot afford to miss. The supporting picture, “Someone to Love,” is one of those pictures everyone Ipves to see. It has kick, «pep and heart interest. Mary Brian is a best-looker, and Buddy Rodgers is not only an ornament, but knows how to entertain his audience. Buddy Rodgers is a sheet music salesman with bright ideas, and his room mates have formed a company to catch a wealthy widow. Buddy falls in love with a millionaire’s daughter, Mary Brian, and she makes him think she is poor. When the heroine’s father hears about the proposed match he is not exactly pleased, but when the hero meets him he knows a thoroughbred. Things become involved when the fortune hunting tactics of Buddy’s roommates are learned, and the three of them are thrown out of work. In addition the hero and heroine frown on them. Later the heroine hears Buddy denouncing his friends’ methods, and she knows he is not in league with them. After a car smash, in which the millionaire, his daughter, and the hero are injured, wedding bells are arranged and all is well. The usual prices will be charged for this monster programme. Plans are at the Bristol until noon, later at Mrs Gawn's, or ring 380 for seats. MAJESTIC TO-NIGHT. ‘‘BUSINESS OF I OVE,” “SECRET ORDERS,” COMEDY AND GAUMONT GRAPHIC. If you feel "blue,” or if you want inspiration in business or romance, go to the Majestic Theatre to-night and see that versatile picture, ‘‘Business of Love.” Versatile because it has comedy, pathos, love and more than a half dozen other things to make it worth your while being a member of the Majestic audience. A-thrill with : romance and potent in its delineation of those perilous days when America entered the war, “Secret Orders,” the latest production starring dynamic little Evelyn Brent also opens at this theatre to-night. It gives Miss Brent the best role she has ever had in the opinion of Hollywood critics; and the star has certainly never been as well supported as she is with Robert Frazer as her leading man and a cast which includes Majorie Bonner, Harold Goodwin, John Gough, Brandon Hurst and Frank Leigh. Chet Withey directed the picture, and with the gorgeous material he had to work with has turned out a spectacular melodrama. Miss Brent’s work as the little Secret Service agent is nothing short of marvellous. She has done some fine characterizations in the past, but not even her famous crook roles so suited her ability as the part in which she is now seen. The mounting of the production is excellent and the photography superb. A howjing comedy and a new Gaumont Graphic Newsreel will also be screened for three nights commencing to-night. THE REGENT. "THE CROWD.” A MIGHTY EPIC OF LIFE. The man who made "The Big Parade” for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer last year has made a "big parade of peace times” in "The Crowd,” now at the Regent .Theatre. The grim horrors of war which formed the background of "The Big Parade” are lacking in "The Crowd,” . but there is a background of everyday struggle for very existence that is not as spectacular as war, but every bit as interesting. There is no spectacular background of pomp—no booming guns, no citations for bravery nor decorations for unusual feats upon the field. But there is the same desperate struggle against an implacable enemy—poverty. Every picturegoer can see himself in the cast —not only himself but many of his friends. The picture does not. put its reliance upon the great happenings of life, but weaves a story of romance and struggle from the little everyday occurrences. For genuine drama, thrill and appeal, "Let ’er Go, Gallegher!” a new P.D.C. picture featuring Junior Coghlan, which was an immense success, easily heads the list of the virile screen dramas thus far produced this season. It is a film version of Richard Harding Davis’ celebrated story of newspaper life, and directed by Elmer Clifton, it is clean, realistic, absorbing and rare cinema entertainment. Junior Coghlan, as the office boy of a metropolitan daily newspaper who solves a mysterious murder, has the best role of his career. Harrison Ford, as Callahan, a dissipating reporter, gave an excellent performance, while Elinor Fair, society editor and fiancee of Callahan, was both charming and convincing. Ivan Lebedeff, as a fugitive murderer, was an excellent scoundrel whose work was exceptionally fine. In fact, every member.of the cast appeared at his best, the result being one of the most engrossing pictures seen here in many moons. The picture is packed with startling situations and there is an abundance of comedy. The direction by Elmer Clifton was highly eapable. Y’ou’ll miss a treat if you fail to see this exquisite screen melodrama. The Regent Orchestra under Mr. Robert Caulton tendered an exceptionally well chosen selection of music which fitted the picture perfectly throughout. So successful was the xylophone solo which was played as an entracte last change that the number is being repeated with the current programme and is scoring heavily. ALLAN WILKIE, C.B.E. Mr Allan Wilkie, .who visits Invercargill for a three nights’ season,' commencing on Monday, April, 22, is the leader^of perhaps the most, remarkable theatrical company in the world. For nearly ten years this com-,

pany has toured an average of 10,000 miles a year in Australia and New Zealand and in this time has staged no less than 26 plays of Shakespeare; and it is extremely unlikely that these magnificent plays would have been seen in the Antipodes during the present generation but for the enterprise and faith in his objective that Mr Wilkie has displayed. Already his work has received recognition from his Majesty the King, by the bestowal of the Order of Commander of the British Empire on Mr Wilkie, the only theatrical manager who has ever received this honour, but what is even more significant is that year by year Mr. Wilkie popularizes the great playwright’s works, as entertainments, pure and simple, with the mass of playgoers, and proves that Shakespearean plays, with marvellous verse, stupendous acting situations, wit, and romantic. colour, can vie in entertaining quality with the work of. any modern playwright. This result has been achieved by a splendid attention to detail, and mountainous capacity for taking pains, besides the embellishnient of the plays by music, dancing and the best of Shakespearean acting? Of the extensive repertoire of plays at his command, Mr Wilkie has selected “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” “Romeo and Juliet” and "As You Like It” for presentation at the Municipal Theatre during his all too brief visit. and these will be staged on the 22, 23 and 24 inst. respectively. The box plans will open at the Bristol Piano Company to-morrow.