ACROSS THE FOOTLIGHTS

Taranaki Daily News, 17 January 1931, Page 8 (Supplement)

ACROSS THE FOOTLIGHTS

COMING EVENTS.

EVERYBODY’S.

To-night, Monday and Tuesday.—“ King of Jazz” (all star), Universal musi- ' cal extravaganza. January. 24 to 27—“ Richest Man in the World” (all-star), M.G.M. all-talk-ing production. ' January 28 to 30.—“ The Hottentot’ tfEdward Everett Horton), Warner ’ ■ Bros, and Vitaphone production. January 31 to February 3.—“ Loose Ends” (all star), British production, . , i and “Kot So Quiet” (all star), Britjii,’!' ieh production. - I' ■ ’ ‘

V . THE REGENT.

* Mte-mght, Monday and Tuesday. “The Mighty” (George Bancroft), Paramount all-talking production. January 21 to 23.—“ A Most Unworthy Lady” (Beatrice Joy), First National and Vitaphone Production. January 24 to 27. —“The Hate Ship (Henry Victor), British production. January 28 to 30.—“ The Laughing ~, Lady” (Ruth Chatterton), Para- . ■ mount production. ; January 31 to February 3.—“ Alf’s Buts' , ■ ton” (all star), British attraction extraordinary. OPERA HOUSE. 3?o-night.—“What Price Glory” (Victor McLaglen-Edmund Lowe-Dolores del Rio), Fox super production. January 24.—“ Mother Machree” (Belle Bennett), Fox production. ■ January 31.—“ The Black Watch” (Victor McLaglen), Fox super produc- . “WHAT PRICE. GLORY.” “What Price Glory,” a Fox special attraction, will be presented at the Opera House to-night with Victor McLaglen, Edmond Lowe and Dolores Del Rio in 1 the leading roles. The play really concerns itself with a murderous but not altogether unenjoyable duel’ between a captain and a top sergeant. And their complete Oblivion of any world beyond the limits of the fox holes where they have burrowed or the village where they are billeted gives the play at once an isolation and a truth that is of immeasurable value. Indeed the war falls back and leaves these two silhouetted against the skyline. There is this sergeant who han soldiered nonchalantly in every town from Vera Cruz to Pekin, ‘from the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli.” There is this captain who is as tough as . leather, who takes to battle like , a duck to water, but who is troubled in a, fight when the powers that be supply him only with little boys who have no business there at all. There are these two' and a serene French hussy in their billet town, just as there was a jade between them onte in Manila and a pretty , girl at Pekin. The war, its immensity and its folly and its crushing evidence of : human . failure, is no more mentioned than it would be mentioned in a fine-artist’s painting of Belleau Wood. Yet, in the sardonic laughter which fills its every scene, there is more said about the war than in all the editorials on the subject. “The Mighty,” the Paramount picture commencing at the Regent to-day at 2 and 8 p.m., presents , the striking story of a man of the underworld} a born gunman, who prowess during the war ■ o brings him back a national hero, accepted and held by society against his wishes. George Bancroft, the deep-chested Paramount' star, has the leading role, supported- by Esther Ralston, Warner Oland, Raymond Hatton, O. ,P. Heggie and -Dorothy Revier. Bancroft plays the role- of the returned hero ■of the war. After he has been so firmly "entrenched' in the graces of' the underworld, he gathers, his gang, and prepares to make a haul that will put him on easy street for life. ’’ Here comes the'great conflict 'ofemotions. -Shall he cast his lot with his old gang or with the new “gang?” The answer is dramatically shown in one of the most thrilling scenes ever recorded on the screen. ■ “THE BLACK WATCH." \ . Romance, adventure, intrigue and love crowd every breathless moment of “The Black Watch,”-John Ford’s production for Fox Films featuring Victor McLaglen, which comes to the New Plymouth Opera House shortly. '• Admitted by critics and public alike to be : the greatest achievement of the screen, this Fox even more of a hit than he did as the romance finds genial Victor making ■unforgettable Captain Flagg of “What Price Glory ?” In “The Black Watch” McLaglen is cast as a government secret service agent and a gorgeous plot, centering about a love dual with an 'exotic adventuress of ageless Asia, lifts ‘one from mystery to suspense, suspense to thrills and thrills to ecstasy. _ Myrna Loy, playing opposite the star, is beautiful and seductive,, wanton amd cruel, iproud and ambitious, a woman who iplayed at love, won and lost, and . to the end staked an empire on a kiss. It is the richest role'she has ever had 'and reports indicate that she has made a lasting name for herself. John Ford has assembled a distinguished cgst, Which includes many well known players, among them David Rollins, Roy ID’Arcy, Lumsden Hare, Mitchell Lewis, Cyril Chadwick, Francis Ford, Walter Long. *“THE KING OF JIAZZ.”

The biggest bridal veil ever made, , ft glittering fabric of golden lace which would delight the heart of any woman, is used in the gorgeously colorful atmospheric “Bridal Veil” number of the ‘•King of Jaoz,” the Universal all-sound and technicolour musical extravaganza, which commences at Everybody’s to-day at 2 and 8 p.m., with Paul Whiteman as its star. Not only is this bridal veil itself 500 yards in extent, but is is surrounded in the number by beautiful bridal costumes—all designed . by Herman Bosse, the celebrated New York designer. These costumes, which are worn by th® most attractive girls to be found in Hollywood, are period' creations of the finest fabrics and embroideries, th® theme of the number being the costuming of the different bridal processions of the past which pass before the present-day bride. Jeanette Loff is featured in this number with Stanley Smith. A special musical score wa« 'written for the number and played by Ta.nl Whiteman and his orchestra, who 'are starred in the revue, with Miss ILoff’s and Smith’s songs especially com‘posed. bv Milton Ager and Jack Kellen. 'John Boles also sings two spectacular •musical numbers. The entire production was directed by John Murray Anderson, who was 'brought from New* York especially for the purpose of creating .'riie greatest revue. “THE HATE 'SHIP.” 'A grim drama of hate is worked out fe th® magnificent setting of a palatial 'eteam .yacht. in “The. Hate- Shijb” a

British all-talking production coming to the Regent shortly. The picture gives the opportunity of witnessing a talking picture which dispenses with romantics and hysterics; it is doubly pleasing to observe that it is (British, in production, in personnel, and in the general tone of its story. Following upon such successes as “Blackmail” and ‘ Atlantic,” this all-talking picture- confirms the impression that British producers are able to compete more favourably with the older-established American firms. “The Hate 'Ship” has a strong dramatic plot, plenty of laughs to relieve the severer features of the story, and a brilliant cast of players. Jameson Thomas and Jean Colin are in the leading roles, the cast including a large number of well performed and popular London stage stars.

“ RICHEST MAN IN THE WORLD.”

“The Richest Man in the World,” with a cast which includes the veteran stage actor Louis Mann, Elliott Nugent, Robert Montgomery, Leila Hyarns, Francis X. Bushman, Jr., Mary Doran, Henry Armetta, Jeane Wood, Lee Kohlmar and ißobert McWade,. will be presented at Everybody’s commencing on January 24. Nugent again displays his versatility in not only playing a featured role but in having written the story in collaboration with his'father, J. C. Nugent. The story of “The Richest Man m the World” is a simple chronicle of home life with its typical comedies and tragedies. The narrative follows the careers of the various children, with the parents making every, effort to give them success and happiness. The true-to-life plot, the homely atmosphere and the excellent characterisations are reported to make this picture decidedly above the average. , ■ i :

SHORT AND LONG FEATURES.

VIEWS OF HAL ROACH

Hal Roach, discoverer of Harold Lloyd, 'Bebe Daniels, Lupo Velez _ and other stars, has emphasised the incieasingly important part foreign dialogue pictures are playing in the Hollywood scheme of things by preparing films in five languages at his' coast studio. Mr. Roach ■was the first short feature executive to make plans for the multi-lingual scrpening of comedies. The first foreign, dialogue comedies prepared at the Roach plant were Spanish adaptations of two Laurel and Hardy farce vehicles. These were shown in Seville and stirred up such a vociferous response that arrangements were made to send out Spanish versions of a large percentage of the Roach product. Meanwhile, Italian, French and German departments were installed at the studio, which took on an international atmosphere in a short time. ' No attempt was made by the Roacn executive and technical cprps to achieve error-proof foreign dialogue. Pre-view tests convinced studio officials and Mr. Roach that a comedian is often funnier if he stumbles through a Spanish or German speech than if he is too glibly Spanish audiences took special satisfaction in seeing Stan Laurel or Oliver Hardy squirming under the burden of a difficult Castilian phrase. There was only one imperative requirement —sub-characters in the plot had to speak the foreign language perfectly. In most cases a character of minor importance in the original English dialogue comedy was given far more lines in ths foreign adaptation so that he might “carry the plot,” while' the chief comedians’ lines were reduced to the medium best suited for comic efficiency. The old adage “Actions speak louder than words” was recognised as having special value in these adaptations. Not all the thirty comedies prepared on the Roach lot during the current season are .to be made in five languages. Obviously this would constitute a physical impossibility, since in no case is a comedy “dubbed” for foreign dialogue. Each foreign language version is a separate production, and frequently more time is required to adapt and photograph the French or Spanish adaptation than the original picture. Most of the Laurel and Hardy comedies'will be made in Spanish and French, because of the exceptional popularity of this oddly contrasted pair of comedians in Latin countries. Charley Chase vehicles will also be made —most of them—in at least three languages. Some of the “Our Gang” juvenile comedies will be made in German, .-Spanish and French, as; an experiment to determine foreign audience reactions. The new group of “Boy Friends” releases, narrating the farcical adventures of youngsters of seventeen and eighteen, will be produced in the same number of languages. Comedy stars drill many hours a day on foreign languages, so that they may carry their parts. A 1930 innovation at the Roach studio in addition to the unusual emphasis on foreign language versions, is the decision to abandon all arbitrary restrictions on comedy footage. For some years all comedy short features had been limited to two reels and had been regarded in most quarters as programme “fillers.” The Roach idea was to make comedies with exactly the same care and attention to detail that one would execise in the production of features. It'is the opinion of Mr. Roach that superior, three, four, five or six reel comedies will be welcomed by the thea-tre-going public and that the coming two or three seasons will see comedies occupying a more important place on the program m e of first-run theatres than ever before.

“Many persons don’t realise the difference between hurriedly prepared programme odds and ends and the comedies on which we’ve 'been concentrating, eaid Mr. Roach. "We have been endeavouring to produce comedies which from every angle of production can be treated as features. The difference is merely in length. We are selecting stories and casting for type in our comedies exactly as we would do for fulllength pictures. “It has always been my feeling that it was unfair to such high-ranking comedians as Laurel and Hardy to keep all story vehicles, regardless of the space needed to develop the plot properly, within a twenty or twenty-five minute limitation. Some comedies are best in' two reels, but others suffer when they have to be cut down from three or four to two. “I believe that theatre owners have under-estimated in many cases the interest of the public in good comedies. The big majority of children and certainly a good proportion of adults would rather see . comedies of this sort than many of the other elements now making up a theatre programme.” Hal Roach is the first studio..head to visit branch offices, and attend conferences throughout the country by airplane. The comedy producer is an enthusiastic polo player and automo'bilist, and about six months ago he acquired a Thavejair monoplane. Since that time he has spent all his available time in the air, and has made eight crosscountry trijjs.

A “GREENLEAF” 'THEATRE, THE RAYNER 'SISTERS. You are shortly to have the Rayner Sisters and their T.O.Y. Theatre movement. moving through the faire isles, writes the 'Sydney correspondent of the Auckland Star.' Joan ana Betty Rayner are “Greenleaf Theatre” trainees, if you know what I mean. There is such a theatre in Chelsea, London, and these girls were members of it before coming back here. I understand they originally came from New Zealand, but would not ■'be sure about that. Their efforts here have been most praiseworthy. _ They took a near the quay in Sydney and did it up so effectively that it is a most restful and pleasant place in which to listen to the medley of folk songs, old world plays, sketches and community singing that they present. The company consists of about five or six members, never more, anc. sometimes less. The name means the Theatre of Youth, and adapts itself well to the letters T.O.Y. Mrs. Rayner plays the spinet behind a curtain for the players, and well it sounds until the incongruity of “God Save” is turned on fit the close of the programme. They paint the scenery—very sketchy but quite adequate, themseives, make all their own stage clothes and most of their props, and in fact spend their entire lives in the service of the little T.O.Y. movement. In the summer they taKe a caravan and tour the country, giving the plays and sketches out of doors and living in their caravan. They are in it now at Manly, having given up house, preparatory to shifting camp altogether. On the evening of their first performance of their new Christmas programme, Miss Betty announced that they were up-staking and away —first to Melbourne and Adelaide and then to New Zealand, and after that to U.S.A. It will be years before they come back here —if ever.

CLOSE TO THE ORIGINAL.

“TOM SAWYER” FILMED.

The success of a novel or story as film material depends largely upon the skill and faithfulness with which the original manuscript is adapted for the screen. This is generally entrusted to highly specialised writers under contract to the studio; men who have an equally comprehensive knowledge of fiction value and motion picture requirements. One of the most faithful adaptations ever made of a book to a motion picture is said to 'be the film version of Mark Twain's “Tom Sawyer,” in which Jackie Coogan has the title role. All of Mark Twain's unforgettable characters and incidents have been retained, from the white-washing of the fence to the escape from the cave. The adaptation is the work of Sam Mintz, Grover Jones, and William Slavens McNutt. The two former are veteran scenarists, who have been under contract to Paramount for a number .of years. McNutt is a noted fictionist, having produced many stories for leading magazines throughout the world. “Tom Sawyer,” which will be released in New Zealand in the near future, was directed by John Cromwell, who has made a number of outstanding Paramount productions. The cast includes Mitzi Green, Junior Durkin, Dick Winslow, Lucien Littlefield, Tully Marshall, and Clara Blandick.

GILBERT AND SULLIVAN.

WILLIAMSON IMPORTATIONS,

Three new people are named in the cables as coming out for J. C. Williamson, Ltd., for the forthcoming Gilbert and Sullivan season, writes a Sydney correspondent. They are Gregory Stroud, Ivan Menzies, and Dorothy Gill. Marie Bremner is busily studying the leads, and that is why she did not go to New Zealand with “The New Moon.” “Eliza Comes to Stay,” done here for the very first time professionally, introduces Agnes Doyle as the star in the name part. She is a cute little soul in cute parts, but scarcely sustains the lovely young lady end of the piece, her voice not lending itself to sympathetic parts. Campbell Copel'in is the young man with whom Eliza comes to stay. Not built in th© romantic juvenile mould, this young actor nevertheless manages to adapt himself to most of the parts he is asked to act in this repertory-like company and uoes well in them all. He also plays a crook with a very serious complex in the curtain raiser, “In Fort. ’ Again an outstanding performance is given by Frank Bradley in “Eliza.” His experience of the stage is so thorough-goipg that he makes a star part of each he undertakes. Valuable assistance is given by Harvey Adams, Katie Towers qnd not so valuable by Donalda Warne as a dashing young'actress. Donalda doesn’t dash.

THE THEATRE IN PARIS.

FIFTY YEARS BEHIND,

The theatre Pigafie, in Paris, opened last year, is the creation of Baron Henri de Rothschild. It has electrical stage-lifts, a revolving stage, and subterranean resources indescribable by anybody but an engineer. Its vestibule, foyers, and staircases gleam with aluminium streaks, and silvery rods traverse its hygienic entrance. Within, it is painted to resemble a fresh-ly-cut beetroot salad. And in the opinion of Richard Jennings, writing in the Spectator, anything less like a theatre and more like a Piccadilly tube it would be hard to imagine. He considers that Pari? remains fifty years behind any other capital in Europe as regards the conveniences or amenities of playigoing. “For beetroot-red and 'metro’ decorations,” he writes, “cannot conceal from us that here, as in the older Parisian theatres, it is a torment to fight one’s way past the barrage of bores and blackmailers who cling like leeches to the entrance.” Mr. Jennings objects, in the course of a very trenchant criticism of the theatre, to its bellowing programme sellers, its haggard cloakroom attendants, the uncomfortable stalls, and the precipitous descent into a narrow street totally unfit for a theatre; he considers it explains the success of the cinema in Paris. “And,” _he concludes, “the traveller who -wants to polish his pronunciation had better not go to the most successful plays of this autumn season in Paris—French is spoken with English Russian, Spanish, Argentinian, Portuguese, and German accents!”

GIFTED COMPOSER.

AUSTRALIAN’S WORKS.

Roy Agnew, the Australian composer, and his wife, formerly Miss Kathleen O'Connor, have left for London, where Mr. Agnew hopes to impress his publishers with several new works written during his stay in Sydney—a “Poem Sonata,” “Drifting Mists,” and “Sea Surge,” as well as a recent setting of Blake’s ‘‘To a Sleeping Child.” Mr. Agnew's “Rhapsody” has had forty performances in London in the last few' months. His “Rabbit Hill” composition recently published, has won encomiums from Mr. E. Markham Lee, the wellknown writer on musical subjects, who said “the composer has evidently depicted a little bit of home con amove, and with a very happy ‘

THE LONDON STAGE-

PROPOSED PEOPLE’S THEATRE.

The following items are from London papers:— The scheme for a People’s Theatre, organised by Miss Nancy Price and Mr. Grein, is fast progressing towards completion, 14,000 members having been registered out of the required 20,000. The yearly membership costs 2s 6d, for which subscribers may have any seat in the theatre as often as they like for 2s 4d. Members have already enrolled from all over England, and even from Berlin and Italy. Miss Price writes: “As it is no use hoping for any State-subsidised theatre in this country, and as a theatre such as this must of necessity play to a loss, at any rate in its initial stages, our subsidy has to be the donations of those who are in sympathy with the scheme.” Isabel" Wilford has recently returned from a six Weeks’ holiday spent in Paris and Geneva, and later in visiting Yorkshire and Devonshire, recuperating from the strain of the long run of “A Warm Corner.” The central figure in “Machines,” the new play by Reginald Berkeley at the Arts Theatre Club, is James Mansell, a Labour leader, who, in his efforts to obtain equality of representation in the control of industry for the workers, finds that he has to fight the machines of modern life—the Press machine, the political machine, the law machine, the public opinion machine—besides the machines of industry. Edmund Willard is Mansell, the Labour leader; George Zucco, Col. Willoughby, a Conservative M.P.; and Marie Ney (the New Zealand actress), his daughter Joyce, who plays a dominant part in Mansell’s career from ehop steward to Member of Parliament The London Era says: Throughout the play Marie Ney gave a performance of great delicacy and quiet beauty. It was not an easy task, but the actress’ sincerity, dignity of bearing and fine appreciation of the author’s intention gave credibility to situations that might not otherwise have rung true. Guy Marriner, the New Zealand pianist, who made his debut in, London in the spring and has just returned from a very successful tour on the Continent, gave a recital at the Wigmore Hall on Thursday last. He was received with much enthusiasm by a large audience. His playing has certainly gained in depth and sympathy by his added experience. He is still at his best in shorter works, the most pleasing items on his programme being the Brahms Rhapsody in E Flat Major, Op. 119, No. 4, and “The Lark,” by Balakircw. Among the many New Zealanders in the audience were Lady Wilford and Miss Isabel Wilford. Mr. Marriner is making a further Continental tour at once. .... Noel Coward is quite firm in his decision to act only three months in his own successful ’ play “Private Lives.” Judging by the present business the play might easily run at the Phoenix for a year. This means that Coward is giving up about £'.200 a week—-his salary, author’s fees and share in the profits. Coward’s income at the moment must be enormous, for <C. B. Cochran told me that after Shaw last year he was the most popular world playwright. I should imagine his fees from amateur productions alone enable him. to live in absolute comfort, yet, except for the fact that he has taken a small house in the country, he lives in the same unpretentious manner as he did before his great success as a playwright. . It must be many years since -Kila Shields appeared at the South London Palace, but the warmth of her reception proved that she was very welcome, and her fine repertoire was keenly enjoyed by the patrons (here. Ella sprang a delightful surprise upon the audience after her own act, and appeared in flannels to sing “If You Knew Susie” to Hal Swain and his band. . I Mr. Matheson Lang has now settled on his next play. It is to be ‘General Crack,” by “George Prcedy,” a play which at one time was on the list of Mr. Maurice Browne’s proposed ventures. , On presenting himself to sign the contract, Mr. Lang found a very unusual clause—that he was not on any account to divulge the true identity of the author. “George Preedy” is certainly very jealous of his (or her) pet secret. “General Crack” has already been seen as a talkie with John Barrymore in the lead. Vladimir Horowitz, who hails from Leningrad and is said to be only 27, made an impression, in London a couple of years ago, and playing with the London Symphony Orchestra last night he scored an out-and-out success. He is a Heifetz of the piano; a cool, elegant young man, with fingers wonderful in their controlled agility and force. The first three minutes of the concerto and the last two or three were well worth hearing. * The novelty, Cornelius Doppefs "Gothic Chaconne,” was an academic set of variations, not so much "Gothic” in style as—if an analogy from architecture was wanted—in the style of the Avenue of the Nations at an international exhibition.

The team-work of the orchestra was praiseworthy. What it now needs to cultivate is beautiful quality of tone. After nearly twelve months’ successful tour in the United States Keith Wilbur, the New. Zealander, is back here as cheery as ever. It is uncertain whether his stay will be long, as he has return bookings on the American tours. He has some new ideas in entertainment, and has increased his knowledge of facts and figures of the show business. So we look forward to some bright moments with Keith and his charming wife Ruth, . both of whom we know have become extremely popular across the water.

t THEATRE FOR EVERY HOME.

TELEVISION PROMISES.

*A theatre for every home, although the stage may be only a cabinet, and a curtain the screen,” is the future seen by television by David Sarnoff, president of the Radio Corporation of America. “Television, providing a theatre for every home is, I believe, the distant promise of the new era of electrical entertainment,’’ he says. Mr. Sarnoff sees in television development the promise of “a new culture” with “ten million homes in the United States alone drawing nightly upon the programmes of the air for the family entertainment.” He is of the opinion that this generation will be favoured with the greatest actors, orators, clergymen and singers moving before them upon screens in the homes, and hearing ■their voices as if comfortably seated in a de luxe theatre. Despite the enthusiasm manifested in the industry over the future of television, the Federal Radio Commission which supervises American radio transmission, is said to be unexcited about the new magic. According to the commission, television is in a highly experimental stage of development.” It issues permits for television stations, but specifies on these permits that it is “an experimental and temporary permit.”

“Only a limited number of sets are on the market, and few, if any, of them are of any practical worth other than a curiosity or novelty; public interest at this time does not require the adoption of regulations providing for sound accompaniment for visual broadcasting. It is not yet ready to offer to the public as a whole. It is not yet possible to foresee exactly or with any degree of certainty just what, engineering developments will take place in this highly technical field of radio activity,” the commission stated.

SHOWS GIVEN NEW LIFE. TOURING COMPANIES. Brock Pemberton, producer of “Strictly Dishonourable” and many other American successes, writing in "The Quill” recently, was jubilant over the recovery of the “road’’ for touring theatrical companies. “The Quill” is the official organ of the press agents of America, and. is edited, by Frank 0. Payne, himself a former publicity man. Pemberton’s company played Minneapolis and St. Paul for a week each last month, being backed, by a campaign for legitimate attractions undertaken in those cities by the chambers of commerce and other civic bodies. In Minneapolis, which has always been a better town theatrically, the total receipts for the week were approximately £3OOO. St.' Paql gave Pemberton about £2OOO, a total for two weeks of £'sooo, which, he says, "are nourishing figures, representing a good, profit.” He adds: “J think so much of the ‘road’ that 1 am breaking into the solid South with another company of “Strictly Dishonourable,” opening up territory which, has been closed for years.”

THE WIDE SCREEN,

DIFFERENT IDEAS.’. ■' Although the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences has hot yet decided, which film width is the most practical for the enlarged screen works, the,chieftains of different studios are- pushing their own ideas, says the Netv York Times. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer have ottered the Capitol "Billy,the Kid,” made by their process called Realife, which has the advantage of using a standardsize positive print. The Fox Film Corporation is now offering a Grandeur film of “The Big Trail,” and there will be shortly presented the Warner Brothers’ production, “Kismet,” with Otis Skinner, which is filmed by a new wide film process, known as Vitascope. The Grandeur negative and positive are 70 millimetres wide, and the Vitascope negative and positive are 65 millimetres wide. The width of the standard film is 35 millimetres.' It is said; that the Vitascope, like Realife, shows a picture that is not only wider but higher than the present screen.' Whether the increased height is of much advantage is problematical, for in most of the permits only the present screen height motion picture theatres the balcony to be visible to most of those in the ground-floor seats. So far as Realife and "Billy the Kid” are concerned, the new process es interesting, and one that proved effective in many of its scenes. Before the screening of “Billy the Kid,” an opportunity was offered for comparisons between'the standard screen and that of Realife. The wide screen was so enormous, with a suggestion or illusion of depth, that it had all the best of it. There are magnificent panoramic views in this production, and the vocalised effects are admirable. King Vidor, who directed this picture, however, is prone to bring his figures .too close to the camera. They would be more striking if they were further away, and. then more could be seen of their actions. The voices are quite natural, but the figures in many instances are those of Brobdingnagians much bigger than necessary.' . 'i

.SIR GEORGE HENSCHEL.

VF at?g OF RETIREMENT. Memories of a delightful evening of chamber music in London in "the war years were revived for a, well-known 'Wellingtonian, says the Evening (Post, ■by the receipt of a letter some days ago from Sir George Henschel, the eminent bass baritone and conductor. Sir George is spending the years of his retirement from active musical life in London, and he in his. letter that he has as a near neighbour Miss Marie Motto, a gifted violinist who visited New Zealand shortly before the war. . Despite the fact that this year he has celebrated his SOth birthday, Sir George Henschel still has a wonderful vitality; In his prime he was a noted singer, and comparatively recent splendid recordings demonstrate that his voice was still a remarkable one even after he had attained the allotted span of years. A nqt. hie event took place last October tyhen' Sir George, who was the first conductor of the famous Boston Symphony Orchestra in 18-81, wielded' the baton at the opening concert of the orchestra’s fiftieth season. The programme was the same as the opening concert of I'BBl. The Boston Globe records that Sir George Henschel conducted from memory throughout the concert—something of a feqt for a man of any age. “His great reputation as a conductor, a composer, a pianist, a singer, and. a teacher of singing was established.- long' -ago,” says the Globe. “What one had not expected.from a man of SO was the energy, .the vitality, of such a musician in his prime.” ’ "SILENT” TALKIE FILM. ■ FOR DEAF AND DUMB. There is a, strong probability that the first “silent” talkie film will shortly be produced in Birmingham, England. The ■ filth, which is the outcome of a demand by various Midland deaf and dumb associations, will be a talkie film without “canried” music or speeches. The dialogue will be carried on in the deaf and dumb alphabet. The love-making, however, will be in the old universal method. The theme of the film has not yet been decided, but the cast will be composed entirely of deaf and dumb people.. “Such a film,” said the Rev. W. G. Beale, chaplain to the Birmingham Deaf and Dumb Association, “would not only provide splendid entertainment, but would be of great educational value to the deaf and l dumb associations throughout England.”

COVENT GARDEN OPERA.

IMPERIAL LEAGUE’S SUCCESS.

. ‘Sir Thomas Beecham’s Imperial League Opera scheme has been a success, although the full amount aimed at — £60,000— was not raised. Sufficient was guaranteed through the enrolment of some forty-five thousand subscribers to ensure the production of grand opera at Covent Garden for the next five years. The' immediate future of the famous opera house is thus assured, which ’ should be good news for opera lovers not only in England, but on the ■Contihent,’ in Europe—and even in faroff New Zealand, for Dominion visitors to London are legion, and grand opera is a feast they do not often get in their homeland.