AMUSEMENTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18352, 24 August 1929, Page 19

AMUSEMENTS.

DOUBLE STAR PROGRAMME.!

AT THE GRAND.

They thought they knew all about women—but what a lot they had to learn! And it's that education in the wiles of the feminine that carries William Boyd and Alan Hale through one excitingly humorous situation after another in “Power,” Boyd’s new P.D.C. picture directed by Howard Higgin, and which will be shown at the Grand Theatre this afternoon and evening. As two rough-and-ready dam-workers whose great mental problems usually centre around “dames,” these two clever players are said to give portrayals that top even their adroit work in “Skyscraper.” With much of the action laid against the back ground of the Pacoima dam in Southern California, the highest structure of its kind in the world, “Power” offers numerous thrills as well as laughs. Jacqueline Logan, Carol Lombard, Jerry Drew, Joan Bennett and Pauline Curley head the supporting cast. It is a long time since patrons of the Grand Theatre have had such an acceptable entertainment as the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture, “Mumsie,” which is the attraction with “Power” this evening. In addition to a dramatic and enthralling story, Pauline Frederick is starred. This exceptionally fine actress is well known through her appearance on the stage here, as well as in several notable screen triumphs. “Mumsie,” is the picture version of the stage play by Edward Knoblock, which took London by storm. The story centres around a French family which is presided over by a particularly devoted mother, known to all as “Mumsie,” whose best-loved son, a moral weakling, betrays her love and trust, and of the sacrifice she forces him to make in order to retrieve his honour. An enthralling story, built on human interest as each dramatic incident mounts up on its predecessors. The climax is one of the most powerful within memory. Miss Frederick gives the most compelling performance of her career as “Mumsie,” as she is ably supported by Donald McCardie, Nelson Keys, Herbert Marshall and Frank Stanmore, while the rest of the cast has been excellently chosen. Supports include the popular comedian Max Davidson his latest comedy “That Night,” and a lengthy Metro-Goldwyn-News. Seats may be reserved as usual. ’Phone 486. MAJESTIC. STARS OF THE SCREEN. Fuller-H&yward’s will give Majestic patrons a big programme of fine subjects this evening. Both of the main features are of great interest. “Stairs of Sand” is based on the colourful Zane Grey novel of life in an Arizona town. Wallace Beery turns in a fine performance as the good “bad” man of the production. His unscrupulous banditry is cold and calculating, but at the crucial moment he proves to be a man of generous and sympathetic heart, big enough to step aside and relinquish his dream of romance to the young Easterner who comes into •the life of the girl Beery had loved. Jean Arthur and Phillips R. Holmes play the girl and the Easterner. Their work is excellent, and their further fortune in Paramount films seems assured as a result of their splendid performances. Chester Conklin, without his famous moustache, and Fred Kohler, with his customary leer, are strong characters for comedy and villainy in the picture. Their work is above the average for intelligence. Milton Sills brings us a new type of role in his latest starring picture for First National, “Love and the Devil.” For the time being, Sills drops his backwoodsman, wrecking boss and barker types, and dons dress suits and the polished manners of an English lord. His portrayal of Lord Dryan, the English explorer who falls in love with a woman’s picture, is one that will stand out among the finest of Sills’s characterisations for the screen. He carries us through the trials and tribulations that pursue the love affair of the staid Britisher and the temperamental Italian priraa donna with ease and finished artistry, and again demonstrates that Milton Sills is one of the finest actors on the screen today. Maria Corda, the Hungarian actress, who will be remembered for her work in “The Private Life of Helen of Troy,” is well cast as the singer, and her performance adds greatly to the success of the story. Ben Bard, the old vaudeville favourite, is ideal for the other man. The Majestic English and American News and a Bobby Vernon comedy will also be shown. Seats may be booked through ’phone 651.

ROYAL. “CHAMPAGNE” AND “GINSBERG THE GREAT.” Comedy in plenty should suit those who attend the Royal Theatre this evening to witness Fuller-Hayward’s two-feature programme. “Ginsberg the Great” is slap-sticlc, honest, oldfashioned slap-stick. In its hurlyburly, its tomfoolery, there is the universal longing of youth to try new roads and explore new scenes. Johnny Ginsberg (George Jessel), apprenticed to a tailor, dreams of becoming a great magician, and winning wealth and the world’s acclaim. He buys a book on magic, and practices the tricks before the admiring and astonished gaze of Mary, the tailor’s daughter. A carnival comes to the small town, and Johnny applies for a job, and gets one. He not only “doubles in brass,” but plays “Jo-Jo, the Dog-faced Boy,” and “Bearded Lady,” as well as being general handy-man. Though Johnny does not suspect it, the carnival people are sharpers, using the show business as a cloak. When Hubert, a millionaire showman, comes to a performance, they rob him. Johnny spies the theft and returns his wallet, at which the rich man invites him to his New York home. Sappho, Oriental dancer, vamps Johnny, so that he will introduce her to Hubert. When Johnny does so, she robs Hubert, with the aid of the carnival gang. Johnny, furious that he has been the lady’s dupe, waylays and knocks out the crooks, returns the gems, and goes home, believing that his effort has been in vain. Hubert follows, rewards him for his work, and offers him a position in his show as “Ginsberg, the Great.” The tailor changes his mind about Johnny’s fitness for his daughter's life partner, and all winds up as it should. A most excellent English picture, “Champagne,” starring Betty Balfour, the famed English star, is proclaimed to be one of the best comedies yet produced by a British concern. Betty Balfour is a charming little blonde who is sure to make a “hit” with the picture-going public. Her adventures are extraordinarily exciting, Including a thrilling aeroplane flight across the Atlantic, when she finally drops into the seja, and is picked up by a liner. A powerful and brilliant supporting cast is formed oy many popular players, amongst whom are Jean Bradin, Gordon Harker, and Ferdinand von Aiten. An episode of "Tarzan the Mighty,” and the latest gazette will also be shown. Seats may be booked through ’phone 520. The usual matinee will take place this afternoon.

“WINGS.” Not only did “Aces” of all nations participate in the making of “Wings,” the Paramount epic of the air, which comes to the Majestic Theatre next Wednesday, but the picture itself reveals the supreme fight on both sides of the air lines during the titanio struggle of nations from 1914 to 1918. When the organisation responsible for the production of this picture first conceived the idea of transferring to the screen the life of the World War aviators, plans were started more than a full year in advance of the camera work. The picture was planned to encompass all phases of the war in the air, and for this reason, all of the nations who had participated in that war had to have representation in the picture. The initial campaign in the production of “Wings” consisted of the sending abroad of men whose mission it was not only to collect data on actual air battles, but also to secure genuine British, French and German aeroplanes, and to engage actual veterans of the war in the air to go to Paramount’s Studios and to there supply technical advice on the production. These plans were carried still further to the extent of having the aces actually participate in the picture, where they give remarkable creditable accounts of themselves. “Wings” has thus liVaome thoroughly international. Britishers fly British ships, Germans are in the Fokkers and Taubes, and in the memorable decoration scene in the picture, honours are bestowed upon Frenchmen, Englishmen and Americans. The picture was produced by Lucien Hubbard, and directed by William Wellman, who saw air service with the Lafayette Escadrille of France, and who was aclaimed an “ace” after shooting down seven enemy ’planes. Heading the cast of players are Clara Bow, Charles Rogers, and Richard Arlen, who was a sublieutenant in the British Air Force during the War. Box plans will open at the Bristol on Tuesday. HEUGHAN.-'TRAVEL ANp FITNESS. One hundred and fifty-thousand miles of travel! One can hardly realise what that means. Equal to six times round the earth! To have given more than 850 recitals in that time—what a test of physical fitness. That is the record of William Heughan’s world tours up to date. Not only has he successfully carried that through, but Miss Gladys Sayer has accompanied him all the way, and has always done her part at the concerts too. Since the company left* New Zealand in September last year, Australia and the Orient have been visited, the return journey being through Australia again. Now they return to New Zealand en route to Canada and the United States of America. Over and over again Heughan is asked how he does it? Fitness of course, is essential, so like athletes they both keep in training. Heughan likes a pipe, sometimes a cigar after the concert, but never cigarettes. But when all is said and done, the work of all those recitals could not be done if he had not a wonderful method of singing. He is quoted in the press as follows: “Although I am a British artist, I give full and due credit to the old Italian school of singing. Under Vincenzo Sabatini in Italy I learned how to use my voice. By always practising on the lines he taught me, my voice goes on developing year by year just as he said it would. He himself was singing beautifully in the studio when he was over

seventy. To Sabatini’s teaching and advice I owe what powers I possess.” His concerts here are at the Theatre Royal on Thursday and Friday next. Box plan at Bristol next Monday. DANCE CARNIVAL. A dance gala is to be held in the Bay Hall to-day, commencing at 3 p.m., with a children’s plain and fancy dress ball. At 8 p.m. there will be a carnival for adults, when included in the competition will be the South Island Waltzing Championship, which will be conducted under correct rules and with a certified judge. The waltzing championship will commence at 10 p.m. ALLAN WILKIE SEASON. REVIVAL OF ENGLISH COMEDIES. By arrangement with Sir Benjamin and Mr John Fuller, Mr Allan Wilkie will initiate a short season of eighteenth century comedies at the Theatre Royal. The repertoire will consist of the three most famous English comedies ever written, namely, “The School for Scandal,” “She Stoops to Conquer” (or “The Mistress of a Night”), and “The Rivals.” This production of eighteenth century comedy is not an entirely new departure on Mr Wilkie’s part, although his activities have been confined mainly to the works of Shakespeare, in the presentation of which he has earned the high reputation he now enjoys. The three productions in question were included in the repertoire of the company some years ago, but all the scenery and effects were destroyed in a fire at Geelong, and only recently has Mr Wilkie been able to replace them on the same elaborate scale as previously. It is some years since any of them have been seen in Timaru, and their revival is an event of outstanding theatrical importance. The first production will be Sheridan’s brilliant masterpiece, “The School for Scandal,” a delicious satire on society of the eighteenth century, when dazzling fashion was at its height, and romantic intrigues were the order of the day. Miss HunterWatts will take the part of Lady Teazle, the young country girl married to a baronet many years her senior (a role in which Mr Wilkie has won unstinted praise), round whom the plot revolves, with a tender affaire de coeur between her husband’s pretty ward, Maria, and the dissolute and impecunious Charles. In support of Mr Wilkie and Miss Hunter-Watts is a strong cast, including Alexander Marsh. Join Cairns, Arthur Keane, Milton Sand John Cameron. Herbert Sheldricv Lorna Forbes. Mildred Howard. Marjorie Carr, and Hilda Scurr. Box planopen at the Bristol Piano Company on Thursday.