ENTERTAINMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, 15 June 1931, Page 11

ENTERTAINMENTS

OPERA HOUSE TO-NIGHT.

CHARLIE CHAPLIN IN CITY LIGHTS

Charlie Chaplin’s gamble on the desires of the ever-fickle amusement-seeking public, which cost him 1,500,000 dollars and comes in the form of the massive motion picture production “City Lights,” will open an engagement at the New Plymouth Opera House to-night. It is the great producer-comedian’s wager on his oft-repeated declaration that there is, and always will be, a demand the world over for a motion picture that in the true sense of the word is a motion picture without dialogue. “City Lights” is, however, synchronised with sound and music.

Back in March of 1928, Chaplin recorded the first scenes of “City Lights.” and then only after he had devoted four months to ‘ the perfection of his story. Then came along the first alldialogue picture and at once producers went into a huddle and as one announced all-talking pictures for the future. Not so with the king of pantomime! He stood on the sidelines and silenced his cameras and observed what was going on in the industry. He refused to believe that an art that had progressed for 25 years should step aside for what he termed “a new form of screen amusement.” After a careful study of what was going on Chaplin reached the conclusion that the talkie was an inferior medium for the screen, one without a true art form, and in a twinkling he resumed his work on “City Lights” and announced it would be without dialogue. At once the cry came from the industry that Chaplin was a “rebel,” but to this the comedy genius only smiled. “They are the rebels, not I.” “It was they, and not I,” said Chaplin, “who rebelled against .the silent motion picture. Talking pictures are not motion pictures, but a poor excuse for a genuine stage play. I consider my silence' more eloquent than my voice, and that I can give superior entertainment in’ the old medium, to what I consider inferior entertainment in the new medium.”

Those who have seen “City Lights” agree with what Chaplin has said. Other producers have not been backward with their predictions that the next 12 months will see a rush for the silent product with as much as 40 per cent, output. Having hurled the gauntlet down to the third largest industry of the country, the motion picture - business, Chaplin set out to prove his contention with not just another motion picture. In “City Lights,” it is believed, the best motion picture of all time has come to the screen, The action of the play is in any metropolitan city. And from the populace Chaplin has drawn three individuals and around them woven a story. As usual, he is the tramp, while the main supporting cast are the characters of an eccentric millionaire and a blind girlA new personality to theatregoers is Virginia Cherrill, who portrays the part of the girl. She is a miss of 20 years and .of rare beauty, naturally blonde, and blue-eyed. This is her initial screen appearance, but it is believed that she has a brilliant' future. Harry Myers, he of “A ! Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court” fame, returns to the screen as the millionaire. His performance is said to be the most side-splitting of his long career. Hank Mann, Florence Lee, Henry Bergman, Allan Garcia, Albert Austin and Eddie Baker embellish' the, cast in delighaful moments. To the making of “City Lights” Chaplin devoted close to three years. The actual cost of' production runs slightly over 1,500,000 dollars, and more than 15,000 persons wete employed, exclusive of the comedian’s personal staff of 40. Eight hundred thousand feet of film were exposed and the finished product measures close to nine reels, or 9000 feet. The shorts will include British Pathe News, “Jungle Rhythm” (Micky Mouse Cartoon), Audio Review and “Stamina” (sportlight). EVERYBODY’S THEATRE. BRILLIANT COMEDY DRAMA. Marion Davies achieves the finest performance of her talkie career in “The Bachelor Father,” which commences a three-night season at Everybody’s, New Plymouth, on Saturday night. The very amusing plot deals with a harum scarum girl who is transplanted, as it were, upon an aristocratic estate in England where a grumpy old aristocratic gentleman tries to make her a lady. She rebels, and the consequences supply the fun. C. Aubrey Smith and Ralph Forbes give splendid performances in the leading supporting roles. “The Bachelor Father” is real “Cheer Up” entertainment. The shorts are varied and interesting. “PLUNDER” NEXT WEDNESDAY.

At Everybody’s on Wednesday next that clever English comedian Tom Walls (star of “Rookery Nook,” “On Approval” and. “Canaries Sometimes Sing”) will appear in another British gem of entertainment. It is “Plunder,” an alltalking adaptation of Ben successful stage play and novel. In “’Plunder” Walls is assisted in the fun-making by Ralph Lynn, Mary Brough and Winifred Shotter, the well-known members of “Rookery Nook” cast. THE REGENT. ROMANTIC THRILLER. With a story filled with heart beats and a cast composed of artists, every one of whom has played leading roles, “Double Cross Roads,” Fox all-talk-ing Movietone of regeneration now showing at the Regent, New Plymouth, is an entertainriient not to be missed. Robert Anics, who made his' mark in Broadway productions, and who supported Gloria Swanson in “The Trespasser,” portrays a leading role, and Lila Lee, beautiful, beloved and talented screen actress, plays the principal feminine role. The other featured characters are enacted by such notables of the stage and screen as Montagu Love, Ned Sparks and George MacFarlane, while Tom Jackson, Charlotte Walker, Edythe Chapman, William V. Mong and Thomas Jefferson make up the supporting. cast. The story deals with the emotional relationship of a boy and girll with their exalting love set against menacing influences ' that threaten to draw them back into an atmosphere of criminal action. The shorts include Movietone News, “Garden of Eaten” (comedy), Paramount News and “The Golden Pagoda” (Vagabond Travelogue).