SCREEN JOTTINGS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 16 June 1924, Page 13

SCREEN JOTTINGS.

NEW ZEALAND’S OWN

After all the talk and speculation about the Annette Kellerman picture, made in the. Nelson district, it is good news to hear that this special production has returned from America where it lias been personally edited by Miss Kellerman and her Hollywood staff, and will be shown at the theatre Royal, commencing Wednesday next. Now the rest of the Dominion can' see iust exactly what did happeir in Nelson, and why its naturally placid inhabitants became so excited. We shall understand why all good New Zealanders want to retire to Nelson, when Pohara Beach is flashed upon the screen —a dream of beauty . with its bush clad hills, descending to a beach of perfect curves with golden sands. It lust cries out for a bewitching sea nymph, and that is where Annette Keliennan conies in. Never was watei maiden so perfect in form, nor so skilful in swimming and diving. Deep down beneath the surface she descends to her boudoir, a dainty nest upholstered in sea tapestry. - 01 J- 11 " credibly long time she stays there beneath the water, making her toilette, and practising the latest sea dances and gymnastics. Such a remarkable exhibition of diving,swimming and sea gymnastics has never been screened before. The scones include lakaka, I elorous Sound, Island Bay (Wellington), and a lew in Christchurch. All New Zealanders will be prouder than ever of their country when * u hey_ see _ \ enus of the South Seas, ’ a Master picture.

“Main Street,” the novel,by Sinclair Lewis, was the most widely discussed book ever published in America. - It dealt with the life of a small town. Now a screen version has been made, which promises to bo as popular as the book. The, story is familiar to many. Carol Kennicott, her revolt against what she finds in Gopher Prairie, a main street town,"her attempt to make it fit with the ideals she has acquired from books and college, and her fight for this end. Main street is a little world on its own—and all the world is composed of main streets.

Always famous for her luxurious gowns, .Miss Mac:Donald has some new ones that will surprise even her admirers, who always expect much from her in the way of sartorial splendour.

The story of “The Scarlet. Lily,” deals with the struggles of'a beautiful girl to keep her head above financial haters without losing her self-respect, and it gives her many opportunities to display the talents which iiavo been bestowed upon her so liberally. * # * *

Victor Schertzinger directed this picture. and the supporting cast contains Orville Caldwell, Lincoln Stedman, th-ace Morse, Stuart Holmes and Gorton Russell. “The Scarlet Lily” will be shown at the Theatre Royal on Saturday next. J|t Ht #

One of the fastest riding, fastest shooting western production of recent months will be shown at the Grand Theatre next Wednesday. The film is “Ride for Your Lile,” a special produclion starring Hoot Gibson. It has its setting in the colourful California’s gold rush days. Supporting Gibson are Laura Lo Plante, Harry lodcl and Robert MeKim. Edward Sedgwick directed its filming. * * # *

Lovers "of thrilling drama a treat in store for tnem in “Thundergate,” a hirst National picture which •s coining to the Theatre Royal shortly. While the principal action in this pulse-quickening play laid in China, amid the colourful and pretentiousness of the Orient, the story chiefly concerns Americans, who become, involved m exciting adventures in that country of mysticism, mystery and romance. The colourful and somewhat unusual background enhances the highly dramatic story which the picture unfolds, and one fairly feels himself transformed to the Orient as he sits in the audiences and follows the exciting adventures of die characters of the play. i . » * “Thundergaie" gives a wonderful opportunity for Owen .Moore to demonctrate his versatility, for Lliis popular film star, more recently associated with comedy roles, plays a part essentially (Iran.al ie —a double role. in fact, in which he appears bod: as an American •ad as a Chinese. .Mr Moore handles a difficult role admirably. Virginia •Brown T'aire is excellently cast, and cos a remarkable interpretation of *.ie white girl, urougln up as Chinese, who is forced upon the disguised American. The cast is, in fact, made up of a score or more players who have become famous in screen parts, including Sylvia Brcamcr, Tally Marshall, Robert MeKim. Richard Cummmgs, Ynez Seabnry, and Edwin Booth Tilton.

“Westbound Limited” is said to abound in thrills. There is a great race between an express tram and a lacing car and a thrilling rescue of a girl from under the wheels of an engine. Then there is still a bigger thrill when a forest fire comes sweeping along the railway track just in time to save two i rains' from crashing into each other, 'this Raster picture will lie released in .Sew Zealand shortly.

, Were you asked to name ten of the best photoplays ever produced, you would probably include “Ihe Birth ot 1 a Nation,” and “The Spoilers ’ in your answer. And the players in both thesepictures have achieved unusual fame; Especially Ralph Lewis, who appeared in the former as Stoneman, and Ivathiyu Williams, as the “Cherry Maliotte of the latter. Botlr of these experienced players have appeared in a number of other successes since, and now appear in the same cast in “A Private Scandal,” the Realart picture, coming soon to the Grand Theatre. * * * * ' Camille Deslys, sister of 'the famous Gaby Deslys, is one ot the latest celebrities to invade Hollywood. Having deserted Paris for the world’s most famous movie colony, she is * dividing her time between teaching the piano, dancing and French, and appears now and again in pictures —in atmospheric parts Her first engagement as a movie “extra” was in “Ponjola,” a pictunsation of Cynthia Stockley’s famous story of South African life, which Sam E. Rork produced for First National. She appeared in a scene laid in Paris, a prelude to the real story that the play tells. * * * * “Watch Your Step,” a thrilling Master picture tells of a dashing youth who tried to travel along the - Road of Roi nian.ee in his racing car at ninety miles an hour. He hoped to win the girl before the other teliow, but when he landed with a bump, saw thousands ol stars, and felt a mot.or tyre round his neck, he thought it all looked helpless —but it wasn’t quite. * . * «. * Oh, where is my wandering boy tonight? As far as Wesley Ball is concerned in “The Country Kid,” a forthcoming Master picture, the answer is “down on the farm.”

A search through all the curiosity shops and pawnshops in San Francisco, and Los Angeles was made before the right antique bullet and old powder horn were found for “Scars of Jealousy,” Thomas H. luce’s latest Master picture.

Martha Mansfield died as she had mostly lived —in her studio make-up. A carelessly flung match ignited the dress that she was wearing. One of her last j pictures was “Queen of the Moulin "Rouge,” which will be shown shortly.

An advertisement for a hound of “gigantic proportions,” appeared in the newspapers to take the. title role, so- to speak, in the Stoll production, adapted from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s 'Sherlock Holmes story, “The Hound of the Baskervilles.” Letters poured into , the producer from owners of hounds. Finally, an enormous dog was selected—one that would strike terror into the soul of anyone who encountered it on a moor in the dark,. Unfortunately, this formidable looking creature displayed a lamentable tendency to over-act. The first thing; it did was to bite through the hand of the'..‘.assistant The other . artists decided riq&jq play with such a powerful pet, and another dog had tb‘be procured?*"’.

racing pictures have been pro-, 'du'edd v in ‘the past, .and may doubtless' be produced in the future, but “Long Odcis,” a British Master picture, is in a class by itself. There is a villain in the story, but he is a company promoter, and contrary to custom, he does not try to dope or'injure the horse in any way. And the big surprise—which is also the big sensation of the film—is associated with one of the little known pules of the turf, instead ot with impossible circumstance. There are several novel elloccs, and the most exciting steeplechaset ever screened in this splendid Master picture “Long Odds.” i * * * * .Nelson bids fair to lose its well known name of Sleepy Hollow, since the Annette Kellerman picture “Venus of the South,” was produced there. Nelson bids fair to become recognised as the Hollywood of New Zealand.

Everv woman in this city will want to see.' “The Scarlet Lily,” Katherine MacDonald’s latest picture, for the gowns ‘ Miss MacDonald wears in this production make the feature a distinctive fashion show.

“Enter Madame" is to be the first of Clara Kimball Young’s Metro pictures. It is based upon a delightful theme, and one that is considerably out of the ordinary, to patrons ol the Grand Theatre. Miss t onne is cast in the. role of an opera singer, who neglects a perfectly good husband for a shallow career of fame. Then one day she awakens to the tact of what she has done and seeks to remedy the matter But hnbbv rakes cpnte a lot ol winning back, iind many and devious and entrancing are the stratagems that Madame has 'to employ before the happy fade-out comes to pass. Mis-> Young has the splendid support of Elliott Hex tor as the husband, and, there ;s a line supporting cast. \\ alia, '.' Wotslov directed from the story by Gikla Varcsi and Dolly Byrne.