ACROSS THE FOOTLIGHTS

Taranaki Daily News, 11 February 1928, Page 10

ACROSS THE FOOTLIGHTS

COMING EVENTS. OPERA HOUSE. To-night.—“Uli! What a Nurse” (Syd Chaplin), Warner Bros. (A’sian Films). February 14 to 16.—“ The Kid Brother” (Harold Lloyd), Paramount Special. February 21 to 23.—“01d Ironsides” (Wallace Beery) Paramount Special. February 25.—Taranaki Boxing Association. Broadfoot (Auckland v. Loveridge (New Plymouth). .February 28 to March I.—“ The Magic Flame” (Ronald Coleman and Vilma Banky) United Artists. March 3 and 5.—J. C. Williamson Ltd. ■ “Tip Toes” and “Queen High.” March 10 to 13. —“Resurrection” (United Artists). March 17, 19 and 20,—Fullers’ Vaudeville Company, March 24.—“ Ben Hur” (Metro GoldwynMayer Masterpiece). EVERYBODY’S. To-night.—“ Dance Magic” (Ben Lyon ; (George O’Brien), William Fox attrae:ti<»i. mAvbg vbgkq vbgkq vbgkq vbgkqj and Pauline Starke) and “Paid to Love” (George O’Brien), William Fox attraction. .February 13 to 15. —“The flaming Forest” (Antonio Moreno), Metro-Gold-wyn-Mayer. February 16 to 18.—“ Lost at the Front” (Charlie Murray and George Sidney), First National and “The Man From Red Gulch” (Harry Carey). February 20 to 22.—“ Silk Stockings” (Laura la Plante), Universal. February 23 to 25.—“ Hell’s Highroad” (Leatriee Joy), and “The Devil’s j Saddle” (Ken Maynard), First National. ' February 27 to 29.—“ The Lone Eagle" , (Raymond Keane), Universal. PEOPLE’S. To-night and February 13.—“ The Clinging Vine” (Leatriee Joy), First National. February 14 and 15.—“ Galloping Fury” Hoot Gibson), Universal. February 16 and 17.—“ Hell Bent For Heaven” (Patsy Ruth Miller), Australian Films. February 18 and 20.—“ Singed” (Blanche Sweet), Fox Films. ' February 21 and 22.—“ Exit Smiling” Metro Goldwyn-Mayer. February 23 and 24.—“ April Fool” Alexander Carr), Chadwick Pictures. KING’S THEATRE STRATFORD. To-day, Saturday (Matinee at 1.30) and Monday.—All-star cast in ''Rolled Stockings.”Tuesday and Wednesday (matinee Tuesday at 1.30 p.m.).—“ls Zat So.” Thursday and IFriday.—Syd. Chaplin in “Oh! What a Nurse!” * * * * Do you roll your own—stockings! If so, you’ll get a big kiek out of Paramount’s “youth” picture, “Rolled Stockings,” which features the Paramount jun- ! lor stars—James Hall, Louise Brooks, Richard Arlen, Nancy Phillips and El. Brendel—arriving at the King’s, Stratford, to-night, Saturday and Monday. Edmund Lowe, after immortalising himself as Sergeant Quirt in “What Price Glory,” got so tough his victuals began to taste bitter. Afred E. Green, easting for “Is Zat So!” in which George O’Brien is featured as the boxer, decided Lowe was “just the type.” >So he made Eddie into a ‘hard-boiled fight manager, with a trick haircut and everything. Insiders maintain that “Hap” Hurley is even tougher and more comical than the incorrigible Quirt. “Is Zat So!” is coming to the King's Theatre on Tuesday and Wednesday. * * « » ! “Chuek” Reisner, who directed Syd. Chaplin in his latest comedy hit, “Oh! What a Nurse!” which comes to the King’s Theatre on Thursday for a run of two days, was formerly an assistant director and gag-man with Charlie Chaplin. When brother Syd made “The. Man On the Box,” Reisner ended his five years .of work with Charlie, and became Syd’s director. Those on the inside of the pic- : ture business attribute a lot of the success of both the Chaplins to the comedy gags that spring from Reisner’s fertile 'brain. “THE KID BROTHER.” Why is Harold Lloyd the idol of youth all over the world? They like him in England, France, Japan, Australia, Chile, Alaska, New Zealand and other far corners of the world. Do you know why? In the words of a wellknown observer of the cinema, it’s because “Lloyd’s pictures are always morally clean.” Any parent can take his or her child to a theatre when one of Harold’s comedies is announced, and be sure that the child will not see anything which might tend to corrupt its morals. That “The Kid Brother” will be another great success is beyond question, for those who have seen Paramount’s current release acclaim it as being in a class with Harold’s best. * * * * “Old Ironsides” is one of the greatest pictures made. Apart from the tremendous cost, the gripping story and wonderful sets, Director Cruze has brought into the picture that intangible thrill that is inherent in every man of British' stock, the thrill of fight for freedom. It is a mighty epic, filled with the tang of the sea, with the thrill of battle and with the charm of a delightful romance. Upward of four thousand persons were employed during the many months the picture was in production. Hundreds of others worked for many months preparing it. Fifty huge windjammers, gathered in a world wide search for old vessels, were- used in the production. An entire island, fifty miles long and twenty miles wide, was taken over for a location camp. One hundred and sixty real cannon were cast for the tremendous battle scenes. # * # * ■ From start to finish" the SamuelGoldwyn picture, “The Magic Flame,” is an enthralling drama of great beauty and high romance. Its story holds every audience spellbound, Henry King, th® director, again demonstrates that great ability which has kept him among the truly elite directors during the past five or six years. There is always a depth of feeling and a delicacy in the depiction of all situations in every picture that Henrv King directs. The

photography by George B.arnes is already one of the marvels of the motion picture business, and in “The Magic Flame” he surpasses even his own previous work.

* * # • vious work. The picture opens in the main tent of a" European circus with all the paraphernalia and performers found in the midst of their acts. These scenes are a marvel of ingenuity, and, as a study of camera angles, can scarcely be surpassed. Titi, the clown, soon makes his appearance, and in him who could recognise Ronald Colman? His characterization of this star performer of Baretti’s circus is supreme, and for any other than this consummate actor it would have taken years of study and observation to play the role in. this masterly fashion. When he doffs his clown make-up of false nose and white paint, we recognise the great favourite, but not before. Bianca, the lovely little acrobat, is also a star performer, which is not surprising, for she is played by tlie beautiful Vilma Banky “THE LONE EAGLE.”

During the world war a very strict censorship was enforced with regard to the activities of the Allied aviation corps, but Lieutant Ralph Blanchard, author of “The Lone Eagle,” was a member of that exclusive circle himself and all during the war kept notes on various happenings that proved invaaluable to him when he started to write his story. Barbara Kent and Raymond Keane are featured in the picture and the direction is by Emory Johnson. “LES MISERABLES.” Victor Hugo's colossal work, “Les Miserables” has been filmed, and will shortly be presented locally. It is noteworthy that the majority of the exteriors were made at the same places as Hugo describes in his book, principally in the town of Digne and Mont-reuil-sur-Mer. No less than a year was spent in making the necessary arrangements before filming was actually begun. “THE FLAMING FOREST.” James Oliver Curwood’s famous novel, "The Flaming Forest,” has been adapted to the screen, and will come to Everybody’s Theatre on Monday. It is a thrilling depiction of the colonisation of Canada, and the forming' of the North-West Mounted Police. “BEN HUR.” Glowing tradition clusters around the name of “Ben Hur.” As a book it has been translated into ten different languages, and was the first novel to be translated into Arabic. As a stage play it set a new mark of magnificence and dramatic perfection, and is one of the immortals of theatrical history. As produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer the greater “Ben Hur” exceeds the stage play beyond all comparison, just as the new art of the motion picture, that has the whole world for its canvas, exceeds the older one of the stage. Involving an expenditure of two million pounds sterling and three years of incessant endeavour, “Ben-Hur” stands as the consummation of everything that ■motion picture makers have been striving for since the beginning of the industry. “SILK STOCKINGS.” A light exhilarating story of young married life is “Silk Stocking's,” the starring Laura La Plante. John Harron plays opposite the ■golden haired star while the supporting east includes Otis Harlan, William Austin, Tempe Pigot, Marcella Daly, Ruth Cherrington, Heinie Conklin and Burr Mclntosh. Wesley Ruggles directed. “LOST AT THE FRONT.” Beginning as darkness fell and working until the cold gray dawn.—that was a week’s schedule of activities on “Lost at the Front,” the First National wartime comedy coming to Everybody’s next week. The war episodes were practically all exteriors, and required plenty of room and night effects like star shells flares and explosions. George Sidney and Charlie Murray are co-starred in this laugh-provoking picture which was directed by Del Lord. Natalie Kingston, in the role of a Russian sculptress, plays the feminine lead. The war scenes are dramatic and funny at the same time. “GALLOPING FURY.” A well-told tale is “Galloping Fury,” the new Hoot Gibson starring vehicle which opens at the People’s on Tuesday next. It is a gripping story of the West with ample quantities of comedy interspersed. And, indeed, it should be a good story for it comes directly from the pen of that ace of Western story writers, Peter B. Kyne. Hoot, beloved as always, further endears himself with the screen-going public by his delightful characterization of the Tidy Toreador, a rodeo bull thrower who never allows his face, hands or clothes to be soiled by contact with the dusty earth. HardI riding, two-fisted fighting and riotous comedy gags feature this Gibson picture which is one of the best he has ever done. Through it all is the thread of a heart-warming romance between Gibson and Sally Rand. Very fine, human and appealing character work is done by Otis Harlan as Gibson’s whimsical Dad, while Frank Beal as the blustering old father of Miss Rand injects many laughs into the picture, being an excellent foil for Gibson and Harlan.

; “HELL BENT FER HEAVEN.” 1 I “Hell-Bent Fer Heaven,” the J. Stuart ' ■ Blackton production for Warner Bros., 1 is a film version of the famous Hatcher I Hughes play, winner of the 1923 Pul- , itzer Prize. It is stirring, sincere and , di'amatic in its story of life and love 1 in the Carolina mountains, where a > hired man who “gets religion” revives • an old family feud in jealousy and mistaken notion that he is the intrument of the Lord. The masterly direction of 1 Commodore Blackton, the brilliant cast, ’ and the forceful plot, all combine in i making this photoplay one of the out- > standing successes of the film season. ! When the dam explodes and a raging ? flood threatens the lives of all, you are k bound to be breathless and fascinated 1 by the terrifying reality of the scene. J It is a perfect piece of direction and ■ acting. Patsy Ruth Miller is superb as ! Jude, the little mountain girt, whom

Sid, tire hero (John Harron) and Rufe, the hired, man (Gardner James), both love. Gay no Whitman, ■ Evelyn Selbie, Wilfred North, and James Marcus are in the east.

“SINGED." ' “Singed is the story of a woman who could not undo her past, etched against a picturesque and colourful background that carries the spectator from an Oklahoma oil-boom town to a wildcat oil well in California and on to San Francisco, where the greater part of the action takes place ,in luxurious, surroundings. The production was completed but recently at Fox Films Meet Coast Studios and it is. said that Blanche S.weet and Warner Baxter are giving the best performances of thexr brilliant careers in their respective roles. Miss Sweet plays the part of a dance hall girl who becomes wealthy through an oil gusher and Warner Baxter the part of “Herman,” erstwhile derrick man, for whom she “goes straight.” Their riches turn the man’s head and he attempts to discard the girl in order to marry a San Francisco society debutante. It is this situation that brings about one of the most tragic and powerful climaxes that has been written into a script in many seasons, according to advance reviews from Hollywood and New York.