AMUSEMENTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 29 April 1927, Page 7

AMUSEMENTS.

“MARRIAGE LICENSE.”FIRST RATE PROGRAMME. One dramatic situation follows closely behind another in “Marriage License,” the absorbing story of a beautiful Canadian girl who marries the son c<f a haughty English family, which opened at the Grand last night. Alma Rubens in the principal role, gives a splendid portrayal of the girl, Wanda, who is considered an inferior bv her new relatives. Beyond question, “Marriage License” is the subject of no small amount of argument, for in this mighty drama are many questions similar to those confronting many throughout life. Tliei*' are many who will declare that TV an da Heriot, tho ravishingly beautiful Canadian girl played by Miss Rubens, is foolish in her final decision when she has to choose between tho only real love she has ever known and the future of her son. Yet. each has its claims; eacli is a groat part of her existence. There are ninny who will agree with the stand Wanda finally takes. Early in the picture, Wanda’s mother-in-law. Lady lleriot, incensed | at her son’s marriage to a Canadian, ! sets about in a subtle way tci heap | ruin upon the girl’s head. A son is J born to Wanda. Lady lleriot questions the child's legitimacy, and Marcus I Heriot divorces his beautiful wife, i-Years elapse before Marcus realises | that the boy is his own, and asks ■Wanda to remarry him. But she loves j another; and here Miss itubens gives n ! startling performance. Tn tlio- role of |Ma reus Heriot., Wanda’s husband, j Walter McGrail is tho young English- ■ man to his fingertips. Others in the j fine cast include Emily Fitzroy. Richard l Walling, and Walter Pidgeon. “MarI ringo License” is hilled as a special, i and the audience last evening were so f enthusiastic .about the film that auj other capacity house to-night is as--1 snred. The supports are contained in | a “Fox News.” and a splendid comedy. The music played hv the Grand Orchestra was excellent. “THE SILENT RTDER.” GOOD WESTERN FILM. Tho only disappointment for tho audience at Fullers’ fast evening was j when they had tci leave their scats and j start for homo. So interesting was | tho bill that the audience enjoyed • every foot of it. “The Silent Rider” 1 is on of those fast-moving and thrilling j action pictures, made so by the ap- | pea ranee qf popular Hoot Gibson in | tho principal role. Tho story concerns j Jerry Alton, a hard-working and ! popular cowboy on the Bar Z ranch, ! who falls in love with .Marian Faer, a | helper to Airs Randall, conk for the | cowpuiicliers. Marian has arrived ; mysteriously on tho ranch, and in ' answer to all inquiries merely answers, j “I oaii’iff horn to find a red-headed husband.” Jerry and his partner, “Sourdough,” aro surprised to find one day a little boy. Tommy, ffoupying their homestead cabin. They question the child, who admits that be ran away from bis cruel father. They decide to keep him. In the meantime a villainous-looking man with flaming red hair, who has aroused the enmity and jealousy of Jerry, has gone to work on the Bar Z ranch. This now cowhand ( has a strange hold over Marian, but every time Jerry attempts to protect her from his attentions, he is told to stay away. The messenger of a nearby mine is killed and the pnvroll stolen In- Red and his gang. Suspicion is | thrown on .Terry because ho is not on j the range with the rest of the riders, j hot in his newly-built cabin plaving j with Tommy. Rod happens to ride by ! .Terry’s cabin and recognises Tommv ns ] own lit Lie hoy. Tie demands Jerry I to give him up. which he is forced to ! do. Soon after Red leaves the child, ; tile sheriff and Iris prase ride up to i tho cabin and accuse Jorrv of the | murder and rohherv. When thov | threaten to brand him with a hot iron | in an effort to make him tell where I he has hidden the money, Jorrv makes j ns escape and arrives at the ranch | house at the time Red is forcing I Marian tn accompany him across the ; border. Ho follows them and engages in a pitched gun batt'e. in which Rod i develops is Marian's husband | and father of Tommy, is killed when |be falls, over a cliff. First-class supi nm-ts included the “Tutornatiomd ; mvs. nil interesting nature ctudv film and a clover eoniedv. The Roval orchestra added colour to a first-class programme. “MEET THE WIRE.*. Ihose privileged to witness the preMuilation by E. J. Carroll’s company of Hie liest People” were so well ■ 'i /'. d "itli the entertainment provided that they did not fail to broadcast .he .--uccess tho company had achieved at is opening performance, and last night, when the curtain was raised on the opening MTII( , S „f ip,, final pertorniance '‘.Meet Tho Wife,” | the artists were laced with an audience numerically stronger than on the preI vious evening, and one which expecLed bright entertainment. To sav that their expectations were more than realised, tuily sums up Hie performance. ■ The i piece was equally as humorous as “The j liest People ” and sometimes bordered on the farciai. As was the ease with i the previous night’s comedy, the story dealt with the ordinary human I virtues and tailings of the American j people, hut Lynn Stirling presented a j plot, the sequence of which was j excellent. Into two hours was woven ! a host of hilarious complications, which I formed one of the brightest comedies I ever presented in Timaru. If the i easting on the first night had been done with discrimination, last night’s selection was ail even happier one, for every member fitted into the allotted | places beautifully. Gertrude Bellamy, I believing that site had lost her husband m the great earthquake at San Francisco, marries .Harry Lennox, only to find that her first husband was alive, and was a famous author. The discovery was made only after she had invited “Lord,” a famous author to her home. The skein then became very much tangled, especially when tlie grown-up daughter recognises her father .Mrs Lennox had devoted her life, after the supposed death of her first husband, to the pursuit of celebrities, but her lion-hunting came to an abrupt end when it was discovered that her latest celebrity was her first and real husband. Miss Marion Lord, who won much praise for her display on the opening night, was again responsible for most of the fun. in the piece, and sh© played the part of Mrs Lennox to perfection. It was an impossible maritial situation, but it was most ably bandied. Mr J. B. Rowe was also outstanding as Lord, the- author) his dialogue with the second husband being bright and witty. Miss Helen Andilfred made the most of the opportunities which came her way, and the part of her lover, taken by Air Richard Elders, was also in capable hands. The role of tho eccentric artist offered plenty of scope for Air Robert Adams, the admirable chauffeur of “The Best People,” and his characterisation was as forceful as his previous performance. The minor parts were all , handled in a manner which added greatly to tho general effect of the play.