AMUSEMENTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18350, 22 August 1929, Page 10

AMUSEMENTS.

INTERESTING FARE. AT THE GRAND. An exciting melodrama of stunts, , fights, rides and action, “50,000 Dollars i Reward” featuring Ken Maynard and i [ Esther Ralston, supported by “Tarzan,” . ! the wonder horse, is heading the pro- , j gramme at the Grand Theatre. The j story opens with a fight in a restaur - j ant in the town of Belmont, Montana, ! in which Tex Sherwood, a cowpuncher 1 from Texas, defends himself from an outfit of ruffians under the leadership of Buck Schofield, who are bent upon securing some important documents in the possession of Tex. Asa Holman, president of the Belmont bank, offers a reward of fifty thousand dollars for the capture of Tex. Asa Holman holds a conference with Eli Higgins, shyster lawyer, in which the fact is brought out that Holman must secure those papers from Tex or lose an investment worth millions of dollars. Holman is sponsor for a large reclamation project, part of which is a million dollar dam nearing completion in the mountains. Construction work is in charge of Anthony Jordan, engineer, but as he has been injured, the job is being rushed to completion by his daughter, Carolyn. Carolyn falls off the dam and Tex Sherwood arrives in time to save her life. Tex is forced to flee with the arrival of Buck and his gang. Buck reminds Carolyn that he intends to make her his wife. She hates him. Buck continues his pursuit of Tex. Six Follies show girls from Broadway, who are spending their vacation at the Miller ranch, a few miles from the dam, are bathing in a mountain pool when they are frightened by a bear. Tex arrives and they run to him for protection. Tex shoots at the supposed bear, and it turns out to be one of the cowboys playing a joke on the girls. Buck and his gang hear the shot and rush to the scene, only to be outwitted by Tex, who escapes from them and goes to the Miller ranch. The story is brought to a very satisfactory conclusion. “Eyes of the Underworld,” the second feature, with Bill Cody and Sally Blane is a story of a young girl whose father is killed by a gang known as the “Racketeers.” With the help of a new-found friend she tracks down the murderers, but not until the two have passed through danger after danger. Bill Cody and Sally Blane play the featured roles. Cody is one of the few leading men in pictures who are also “stunt” men. Because of this, the story is packed with thrilling situations and marvellous feats of daring. Cody’s dive of eighty feet into the ocean from a cliff is one of the most daring stunts ever performed on the screen. Miss Blane’s beauty is a feature of the picture. Others in the cast are Arthur Lubin, Harry Tenbrook, Charles Clary and Monte Montague. An Oswald Cartoon and an International News complete an interesting programme. “THE RINGER.” AT THE MAJESTIC. “The Ringer,” an amateur hunter of criminals, who has broken the law in pursuit of his obsession, is wanted by the police, but baffles their efforts to secure him, and vanishes. Conflicting reports come as to his fate —one that he has died abroad another that \ he is returning to England to avenge his sister, who has taken her life as the result of her betrayal by a solicitor friend named Meister. The solicitor is a sinister figure in league with thieves and enveloped by suspicions which cannot be proved. Another figure, Inspector Bliss, also moves mysteriously on the scene. Such may be classed as an introduction to “The Ringer,” adopted from the work of the great novelist Edgar Wallace, which opened successfully at the Majestic Theatre last evening. The play of “The Ringer” takes a prominent place among the most brilliant of modern stage successes. Adapted by Edgar Wallace from his story, “The Gaunt Stranger,” a book which commanded an enormous sale—its ingenious plot and clever characterisation took the public by storm and carried the play to success almost literally throughout the world. Playgoers remember Maurice Moscovitch’s triumphant tour of Australia and New Zealand, and the sensation it caused wherever played. The film version is equally entertaining, being even more thrilling, for many extra scenes were enabled to be put into the screen production. Leslie Faber, recognised as England’s greatest character actor, is particularly fine as Dr Lomond, and Annette Benson is delightful as Cora Ann Milton. 1 The story of “Blue Skies,” the second feature, details the vicissitudes of two children, a boy and a girl in an orphanage. It is presented in two episodes. In the first Freddie Frederick and Carmencita Johnson, child actors, portray the parts, while in the second Helen Twelvetrees and Frank Albertson take up the thread of the story, a charming love story, by the way. Miss Twelvetrees more than lives up to her reputation. The picture is exacting, not only in tense drama and situations of pathos but has many lighter sequences, all of which she meets with every requirement. Frank Albertson, co-featured with Miss Twelvetrees, proves himself a juvenile of talent and ability. More than 100 children provide background action and several trained dogs do some amazing work in the picture. Interesting supports were shown. There will be a matinee to-day at 2.30. PHILLIPS JUVENILES. Vaudeville again delighted the audience at the Majestic last evening, when the Phillips Juvenile Troupe gave new and original numbers. The quartet have proved popular with Timaru audiences, and their unique items have met with ready applause. Last even- ! ing Maureen again gave much appreciated cornet numbers, while Nada I proved an accomplished pianiste. j Master Eddie, played the violin, and | proved a comedian of considerable l merit, while wee Trevor amused the audience with his antics. The act, ! which included solos, duets, dances and i combined numbers, will be repeated I this evening. AN ENTHRALLING PICTURE. “METROPOLIS” AT THE GRAND. “Metropolis,” a visualisation of the world a hundred years from now, opened at the Theatre Royal last evening. It carries a message for humanity, showing the wonders of wireless, television, and aerial transport at some future age. “Metropolis” differs from the usual picture, in that

the story deals with mass emotions. The protagonist is not the petty hero of a love tale, finely as the love story is unfolded, but it is the great Common People, brought by soulless Greed, to a mechanical daily grind that has eroded all of humanity but the outward form. Like all great things, “Metropolis” is simple in its terms. The son of the great Money Master of the city sees one day a girl of the people, Mary, who has brought some of the children of the cramped workers for an hour’s inspection of a garden of the rich. With dawning love for the only being with a soul he has seen in his pampered life, the boy follows her to the huge underground city, where the people live close to the giant workshops, whose immense machines make man seem puny. His love gives him understanding, and he is appalled at the life of the workers. An appeal to his father, Masterman, is futile. The revolt of the people follows the failure of Masterman to tranquillise them by means of a mechanised human being invented by the crazy Kotwang, who gives to it Mary’s likeness. How peace comes to the city through Masterman’s acknowledgment that the old-time fable of the Belly and the Members is really true, master and man being complementary to each other, is finely told in a series of astonishing scenes that baffle the imagination even while they stimulate it. The technical excellence of “Metropolis” is amazing. That poor, hard-worked adjective, applied to every “super-film” ever screened, and never yet justified, comes at last into its own. This picture is truly amazing. Action follows swift action, yet always subordinate to the artistic grouping that leaves on the mind of the spectator an impression of something cast and true. “Metropolis” shows the cinema to be capable of the finest artistic expression. It is a picture well worth seeing.

DANCE GALA. Judging by the inquiries made, there is evidently going to be a large entry, including con-petitions from other towns, for the South Island waltzing championship, to be decided at the Caledonian dance gala on Saturday night, in the Bay Hall. A certificated judge has been engaged, and the compeitlon will be conducted under correct rules. A night of genuine enjoyment is assured all patrons. CHILIDREN’S FANCY DRESS DANCE. The Bay Hall will present a fairyland appearance on Saturday afternoon next, when a children’s plain and fancy dress ball in aid of the Caledonian Queen Fund, will be held Special prizes will be given for fancy dresses, and arrangements have been completed for the children to have a really enjoyable time. The dance will commence at 3 p.m. To permit of all children attending, special cod cession prices have been arranged for families.