AMUSEMENTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 12 October 1926, Page 10

AMUSEMENTS.

"THE GREAT DIVIDE.” AT THE GRAND. Greater than the original play "The Great Divide” comes to the Grand Theatre to-night. ‘William Vaughn Moody, who wrote it, originally called it “The Sabine Woman,” and, indeed, it is said he based his story oii the historic seizure of the Sabines. It is an epic of the West; a powerfully dramatic story of the elemental clash of a woman, typical of the repressed culture of the East, and- a man typical of the fiery, defiant, lawless spirit of the West. Alice Terry and Conway Tearle have the two leading roles with a supporting cast "which includes Wallace Beery, ZaSu Pitts, Huntly Gordon, Allan Forrest, Ford Sterling and William Orlamond. The story concerns a prim Massachusetts girl with New England ideals, meeting a strange, uncouth man of the Painted Desert of Arizona. The girl, Ruth Jordon, 1 is captured by three marauders of the West, who are drunken and bestial. They shake dice to see which will possess her, and the other two are not satisfied when Stephen Ghent wins, so lie has to fight one and give the other a chain of gold nuggets to seal the bargain. He' marries the girl and becomes her dreamed-of ideal lover surrounded by romance and adventure. He tears down the ideal she has woven around him and her pride makes her see herself as the property of a beast who has bought her with gold.. She weave baskets and sells them 1 to get money to buy herself back, and eventually she obtains the original chain of nuggets, gives them to Stephen, and triumphantly leaves him. A baby is born, after which Stephen by his love and his kindness, wins Ruth back. Supports include Pathe News, . a charming N.Z. Scenic, and a two-! reel comedy entitled "Call a Cab.” j Seats may be reserved as usual, j ’phone 48G.

REX BEACH’S STORY “RECOIL.” AT FULLERS, TO-NIGHT. More than ordinary interest surrounds the screening ol a photoplay adapted from the work of a famous author, and in prosc-nling to Theatre

Royal patrons this evening a picturisation of Rex Beach’s popular novel, “Recoil,’’ Fullers claim that they are offering fare of the very best. Judged from its actual portrayal of life amid the social whirl of the Continent, "Recoil” lias a narrative to unfold that is both truthful, and to the average picturegoer, unique. The story, in one respect, is strongly reminiscent of “The Auction Block.” The subject is attacked in a fearless, open manner, ,and the complicated thread is cleverly unravelled by the author to effect an eminently satisfactory conclusion. Although "Recoil” has that instinctive freshness and spontaneity characteristic of Beach’s fiction, there is an atmosphere of sophistication about it that makes the picture doubly interesting. The two principal roles are in the care of Betty Blythe and Clive Brook, who discharge their artistic duties with admirable discretion. The scenes shift with lightning rapidity from sunbaked Arizona to the famous watering place of Deauville, and from Paris to New York. The English Gazette,” "Seaside Summerland,” a pretty scenic subject, and “Felix Monkeys With Magic,” are also listed for showing this evening. The Royal Orchestra will play under Mr N. B. Sutcliffe’s direction, an excellent series of musical numbers. “THE CREATION.

The oratorio “The Creation,” was composed by Franz Josef Havdn at the advanced aged of tiG years. 'Hie original English had been compiled partly from the Book of Genesis and partly from Milton’s Paradise Lost, in the hope that Handel would set it to music. Haydn, althought a very rapid composer, laboured at “Tiie Creation” for three years with a sort of reverential humility which never permitted him to think his work worthy or complete. With the exception of the “Messiah” it is the most popular of the great oratorios, containing as it does the well known chorus “The Heavens are Te'ling." and such solos as “With Verdure Clad.” “The Marvellous Work,” “Rolling in Foaming Billows,” “On Mighty Pens,” and the beautiful duet “Graceful Consort.” A faithful presentation of the work by a strong choir assisted by Mrs W. 1. Tait, Messrs Spratt, bass, and Blakeley, tenor, of Christchurch, will be given in Wesley Church. Bank Street this evening at eight- o’clock.