AMUSEMENTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 20043, 4 September 1920, Page 7

AMUSEMENTS.

OPERA HOUSE. The Opera, House has an excellent programme, and large audiences have been the rule_ during tn« current week, items being given by Miss Helen Charles, Miss Ella, Audio, Miss Aileen O’Neill, Ward and Sherman, Herbert Joy, Louis London, Curley Sherwood, and Flaneur and his performing dogs. Ernest Brinkman and the Steele Sisters, and Carlton and his doll Jerry also contribute towards a splendid programme.

QUEEN’S THEATRE.

"THE BANDBOX.” The star is Doris Kenyon- A young man enters Jus cabin on the vessel which is to carry him back <o America, and is puzzled to find (hat someone has sent him a baud box containing a fashionable piece of lady’s headgear. Eleanor Searle.tho heroine, is returning on the same liner, and Ims a hatbox which is the mate to the one in the hero’s cabin. Alison Landis, an actress who owns a valuable necklace and objects to paying the duty on it, hides the pearls inside Aie lining of the hat which is puzzling the hero, in the hope that the Customs officials will not search such an article when carried by a man. The necklace is being trailed by a clever crook, who is related to Eleanor’s father, and who bears such a close resemblance to him that it is difficult to tell ono man from the other. At tbo dock, the two hatboxos become mixed up, and Eleanor gets the one containing the necklace. The crook follows tho other bandbox to the hero’s apartment, then hurries to Eleanor’s room, when he discovers ho is on the wrong trail. There is a series of exciting incidents from then on, which includes scenes iu a cabin on a, deserted island, where Eleanor Ims to fight for her very life with her desperate relative. The arrival of the hero and of her father brings matters to a satisfactory finish, with a marriage iu prospect for Eleanor and the bearer of the mysterious bandbox. additional attraction on Monday will be "The Brand,” adapted from It is a rod blood story of life and adventure in Alaska, full of incident and movement. Th e stirring and powerful features of tho story' arc retained and presented with the full strength of tho realism depicted by the author, ine climax comos with the branding of the villain by the man he has wronged. Supporting films aro Chapter 11. of the serial ‘ Liberty.” *• Dance and DentlSlf (comedy), a Pictorial Budget, and Climbs m the Canadian Hookies (scenic).

LIBERTY THEATRE,

“ SUNNY SIDE ■’ AND “BACK TO GOD’S COUNTRY.” This week's progoxamme at Liberty provides a feast of entertainment in the great double attraction, “Back to Oocla Country.” James Oliver Cnrwood s wonderful production of the btoiy of Wapi, the killer, and Dolores, ® girl, and the one and only Ohnrho Chaplin in his lust mil-lion-dollar comedy, •* Sunnysidc.’’ Charlie, world aniuser, has appeared m some strange roles, but “ SunnyBide ” eccs him in a new onc~a farm hand who is also a. nature dancer tripping the light fantastic among a eroup of dainty elves, but lightly clad. Ho teaches the whole world bow to bo happy though hired-how to ma,ke hens lay fried eggs—how to chauffeur the cows and catch wild oats. , Back to God’s Country ” is unique; it was filmed for tho most part north of 53 degrees, right in tho Arctic Urcloj and one of the cast lost his lire trom the intense cold. Tim lead,ns aro fUkd by Nell Shipman and Wheeler Oakman, and the story is as fo lows:—ln the northern wilds of Canada live Dolores and her father, and she has grown nn among the semisavage beasts of the Hold and woods and has made great pets of them. Sho meets ieter, a Government invest! <mter. and they fall in love. After iTor lather s death, at the hands of a. desperado, a renegade vessel captain who ms temporarily journeyed inland to hido from the officers, she ninnies Peter and they sot sail for the far north on Ins Government mission of investigating the Kskimo. Hyde!!, the renegade aim captain who killed her father, is master of tho vessel, ami alter wounding her husband 1m tries to torco his attentions upon her. Tho Viliam’s partner in tho far north has a savage dog which he constantly beats and keeps chained. Tt is called Wapi, the killer, "When the young wife pleads for a dog foam lo take her husband overland to a surgeon she is refused. Her wonderful loro for wild animals stands her in good stead when sh 0 wins over the Great Dane. For when they finally determine to giro her a doU team for herself and another for her husband sho suspects foul play is contemplated and escapes with her husband on on© sledge, in the mad chase with the villain after her the Great Dane breaks loose from bis chain and' harrossed the pursuer so successfully that sho wag able te make her wav with her sick husband to civilisation.

STRAND THEATRE,

“THE HONOUR, SYSTEM.” Hire© well known still's appear in Ibis pieco—George Walsh, Gladys Uroekffell and Mariam Cooper. It is a gripping Imman story, replete with heart throbs, enacted in that primitive, still, glorious Western country, -this la not the cowpunehcr play of the goatskin or leather chaps. It is the real, present day West of hoots, corduroys a,ud flannel shorts, with the Buffalo Bill picturesquenrss xalegated to the Past. Laid in a tough border town or tho great* soatlMvcst, with crude shanties and dirt roads, it yet pictures the only place whore a mail lives every minute of the dny._ where he is measured for what he is by what ho does and not by his word or wardrobe, where a. man _ thinks, and having thought acts before his enthusiasm acts cold, where a man concentrates with bis brow bent on sinewy hands and not over liqueur glasses and ash tray. In “ The Honour System ” tha hero of the play, who might be any ambitious young man, in trying to do a decent thing in lil' c by holoing a da.ncc-hnll pawn regain the character she has lost is betrayed into a nest of sharpers and rouseabouri, whom lie thinks are enticing the.'girl back to ‘ her old life against her will, Tn a tight which follows he kills the girl’s nude companion in self-defence, but the witnesses to a maji swear that I*, slew him in aaid jealousy. A life sentence follows. vVe have a habit of excusing the fellow who, punished wrongfully "bv society turns and wrests what "he 'can from sweaty, 'fttit in this gtfcat human document w e see that he who Iras once taken the full measure of manhood is not reduced by injustice, misfortune or cruelty. He keen-, his spark of personal honour burning brightly and prores that he Is man to thelast, There is a neat and heartsoni© love interest throughout the story. Additional films are a cartoon and a Ford Gazette,

CRYSTAL PALACE.

“THE WALK-OFFS.” Beb uy.ler Rutherford is divorced by Ins wile, and by the divorce Rutherford., who has lived on his wife's money, i,s reduced, with his sister, JvatheJeen (May Allison] to the penniless state of a walk-otlv Rutherford his -i-ter to niarry a wealthy 'Xew Worker, Van Allen, bill she refuse;:,. At the stgdio of Alary Carter, tvatblgon gvor-

hears Robert Winston, $ wealthy Ken* tnokian, declare that Rutherford’s sister' 1 was a worthless specimen, and should bo disciplined. Under the name of Kate Fordl sue secures employment in Winston’s office as a stenographer, with tho deliberate intent of making him fall in love with her and then rejecting him. Winston in due course proposes, and Kathleen has what she is pleased to regard as her revenge, Sha leaves and lieoomes engaged to Van Allen, who encourages her to gamble, providing tho money. Winston, in a masterful way, takes a hand in showing Kathleen her folly. Van Allen resents Viinston’s interference, and schemes with Mary Carter’s model to compromise Winston, but tho plot fails, aud it is Van Allen who is compromised, and Kathleen breaks her engagement to him. Winston resumes hi a wooing and conquers iu the end. The action of tho play takes place in and about the homes of wealthy society leaders in New York, and nothing has been overlooked in, making tho production a, screen triumph. It abounds in settings done with tho moat regal magnificence, and the gowns worn constitute a. fashion snow of the most advanced style. A strong supporting feature is Three Men and a Girl,” a, PararoounlArlcraft production, in which tho leading parts arc taken by Marguerite Clark and Richard Barthelmess. Oilier films arc Episode 15 of "The Grey Seal,” " Horatio’s Deception” (comedy),, and a Topical Budget.,

GRAND THEATRE.

“ GREATER THAN FAME.’’ To-night will witness the final screening of the week’s programme at the Grand Theatre, comprising " Footlights and Shadows ” (Olive Thomas), “On the Jump ” (George Walsh), and tho Sunshine comedy, • ■ Roaring Lious on the Express.” On Monday another excellent two-star feature programme will bo presented. “Greater than Fame,” featuring Miss Elaine Hammerstein, is the first Selnick production starring this clever actress and screen artist. It is a film adaptation of Jay Kaufmans play, ai«l' carries deep human appeal, besidwes conveying a wholesome lesson. Miss Hammcrstein assumes the role of Margaret Broke, who goes to New York to study for a career, hut eventually finds that a happy heart is gieater than fame, for which she worked so untiringly and against such,odds. The other feature “ The Lincoln Highwayman,” features William Russell, the popular screen athletic star. It is essentially a photoplay of speed. The plot runs through many exciting incidents before it reaches a happy ending in a six-cylin-der romance. Some sensational autodriving will be seen in "The Lincoln Highwayman.” Tie supporting films will include a comedy and topical The box plan is at Tho Bristol, or seats may bo reserved at the theatre, ’phono 2934.

SYDENHAM PICTURES.

On Monday next at Sydenham rictuses a double programme w.il he, screened, Montague T/ovo appearing in “ A Broadway Saint,” and Madge Kennedy in “ Through tho Wrong Door.”