AMUSEMENTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18201, 28 February 1929, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS.

"MANON LESCAUT.” GRIPPING ROMANCE. A gripping, heart, appealing, glamorous romance, in which a beautiful human butterfly is crushed in the mad whirl of temptation, in the gayest city in the world, is seen in “Manon Leseaut,” which drew another deeply appreciative audience to the Grand Theatre last evening. Golden days in the Paris attic, weeks of gold, months! And then for desolation and frenzy! Manon is gone! Like a madman, he calls, searches, prays! Into the dens off the underworld! Drink for forgetfulness! Gambling for excitement! Luck is his —his winnings are fabulous! But always his heart is crying for Manon! Manon, the lyre of love to the heart of man. And then he knows! Foul lips sneer her name! She has become a pompadour—a Du Barry—a courtesan! Crimson now where she was primrose before. Hard, cynical, cruel. Fabien becomes the feared and courted Chevalier des Grieux. Barrymore, magician—master of strange enchantments! The world of reality seems vaguely beautiful. Life has taken on a new incredible zest in living an evening with one of the greatest of all lovers in one of the greatest of all pictures. As Manon, Lya De Putti touches the depths of the heart with her wonderful understandings of life —its joys and tragedies. and John Barrymore, playing opposite, does some of the greatest acting of his career. A pleasing and appropriate musical programme was discoursed by the Grand Orchestra under Mrs G. Donaldson.

“ THE WIFE SAVERS ” AND “ THE ADVENTURER.” AT THEATRE ROYAL. The programme starred at the Theatre Royal last evening, lacked nothing in interest, as compared with recent programmes submitted at that theatre recently. The first picture was “Wife Savers,” featuring Wallace Beery and Raymond Hatton. When these two stars co-operate in their work, there is one thing to expect—comedy. In ‘‘Wife Savers,” two young men act in such a manner that the interest does not lag for one moment. One leaves for home, and leaves his girl in the care of the other, who becomes/a mountain climber and marries her. When the first returns, there is something that is sure to happen, and it does. Starting off in a Brooklyn restaurant with Beery as a head waiter and Hatton as one of his underlings, the situations evolved have many laughs waiting. Next they are seen in the Swiss Alps as part of the great American forces, but this time the situation is reversed; for now Hatton is a pert second lieutenant, and Beery a baker. The way that Hatton conceives to humiliate his erstwhile boss is a constant source of laughter. The second film “ The Adventurer,” stars Tim McCoy. “The Adventurer” is a gripping story of a South American rebellion—launched by cunning, scheming brains on the eve of a national feast day, to burst suddenly, luridly, mercilessly on an unsuspecting populace the following day. How the rebel leader goes in pomp to the palace to strip the President of the insignia of office casts him into prison, and then demands his daughter’s hand in marriage at the price of his life —and how Jim McClellan, manager of the gold mines that support the government, saves the girl from the perils that surround her, provides plenty of thrills. A comedy and a gazette are shown in support. The musical programme was well attended to by the Royal Orchestra, under Mr N. B Sutcliffe.