AMUSEMENTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16586, 19 November 1921, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS.

f LIBERTY THEATRE. “ THE OATH.” Miriam Cooper heads the east in this • First .National s*uper-at traction. Hugh I Colman, a spendthrift, and Gerard Merriam are room-mates. Both leva Irene Lansing. Irene chooses Gerard, but j resolves that her marriage shall not ; break her legitimate friendship with j Hugh. Hugh, losing Irene, turns to the iirst presentable woman he encounters to cover his hurt. She is Minna Hart, the only and idolised daughter of Israel Hart-, a wealthy Jew, whose two loves are his daughter and the faith of his forefathers. Minna falls desperately in love with Hugh, and they are j married secretly, knowing full well the | elder Hart’s feeling in regard to his daughter’s marriage to a gentile. Minna and Hugh go on a secret honeymoon and Hugh falls completely in love with his wife. On their retMrn and separation Minna is stung into jealousy by Hugh’s frequent visits to the home of Irene and Gerard. She demands that he tell her father of their marriage. Hugh faces the old man, and at his first words of love for Minna the father’s heartfelt objections to such a union arouse Oolman’s nature to the point where he declares he wishes he never had met Minna. Minna, eavesj dropping, takes this declaration as proof that Hugh is ashamed of his marriage to her. When Hugh seeks her to admit that his nerve had failed him before he could tell her father of the marriage she raves at his cowardice and deceitfuiness. As only th© two of them know that the ceremony was performed, she insists that it can always be kept a secret, and they take an oath. Mr Hart is mMrdered in his library. Circumstances f cause Hugh’s arrest for the deed. The oath prevents him from telling where ho was when th© murder was committed. His conviction seems certain until a chance . remark from Gerard to Irene, as they j sit in the court room, shows her a way [ out for Hugh. In the court she swears j hat Hugh was with her on the night j of tiie murder, during her own hus- | band’s absence. Hugh is acquitted, | but Gerard refuses to believe that she told a lie, and leaves her. The four j voung people are kept apart from hnpoiness by the existence of the oath. Then, to save the happiness of the four, j Minna and Hugh break their oath and the story is brought to a happy conclusion. QUEEN’S THEATRE. "THE CUP OF FURY.” This is a Goldwyn production of Rupert Hughes’s well known story of tho same name. The scene opens in England with the arrest of two Ger-man-born residents and their adopted daughter, Marie Louise, on a charge of having supplied the enemy with information as to the sailings of Allied vessels. Marie is released, as it is shown that sho 13 nn innocent tool of the others. It is discovered that she was born in America and she is permitted to go there. Th© wife Qf Jake, an I.WAV., sees Marie's picture in a paper and declares her to be her longlost sister. Marie goes to live with them, and with Jake secures a position with a shipbuilding firm. There she meets Verrinder, a German spy, who proposes that she should assist him She refuses, but Jake agrees to assist in blowing up th© plant. Through the agency of Mario they are prevented from doing so, and it is then that the owner of the plant realises that lio desires Marie to be something more than a friend. Helen Chadwick has tho part of Marie and others in a very strong cast are Rocldiffe Fellows, Herbert Standing, Florence Deshon and Sydney Ainsworth. The second feature is a Selznick special six-reeler, “Out of the Snows,” tho leaning parts in which are filled by Ralph Ince and Zena Keefe. The story deals with life in the Far North, and opens with n thread of mystery, a foundling girl and a half-bred woman. Into the lives of these two women comes a stalwart member of the mounted police. Outlaw fur traders, Indian runners and all the rif-raff of a frontier trading post furnish the background for a most thrilling drama. STRAND THEATRE. “ THE DEAD LINE.” CTay Boone (George Walsh) and his father are in a fend between the Boone and Harian family. Clay loves Bebe, orphaned by the feud. A rail fence between the two properties is the 4 ‘ dead line ” beyond which a member of either family will be shot on sight. Old man Harlan’s stepdaughter, Mollis, loves Clay Boone. One day old man Harlan kills a Boone. David Boone goes after Harlan and both men are killed. Buck Comery tries to win the stepdaughter, but is repulsed. Clay Boone and the Harlan brothers fight to avenge their fathers’ deaths and are gaoled. Gomery, fearing their trial ’. ill reveal the locality of illicit stills, plans to rescue the Harlans. Clay’s friends plan to rescue him. Gomery sends for Weston, a New York capitalist, and he persuades the Judge to postpone the trial. The courthouse is stormed and the Harlans rescued. Clay jumps from a window and leads his friends in battle against th© Harlans. Mollie. who has come to see Clay, is told to load guns for the Harlans. £he refuses. Little Rehe wanders into the space between the fighters and is riddled with bullets, and tho battle ©eases. Clay vows never again to enter into a feud. Weston tries to get Clay’s land, but Clay will not sell. Westcn advises the Governor that Clay is at large and officers are sent to arrest him. Tho officers arrive and arrest the Harlan bovs and the .Judge frees Clay and orders tho Harlans to he held. In a rage one of the Harlans tells'that Weston is the cause of all the trouble in the county and of the fcMcl. Mollie realises that she loves Clay nnd that he was reallv too brave to fight until . there v.:<s something to fight for. • The supporting films include “ Dabbling in Society” (Sunshine comedy), “ Price of a Good .Sneeze ” (Mutt and Tcff), Fox World's News and Australian Gazette. GREATER CRYSTAL PALACE 11 Bonnie, Bonnie Lassie,” “ Roped,” and the present successful programme of music and pictures will be repeated at Greater Crystal Palace for th© last times this afternoon and to-night, and the Symphony Orchestra of twenty-two solo musicians, under the distinguished conductership of Mr Alfred J. Buna. 1 will play at both sessions. The pictorial port’on of next week’s r-rogramme will comprise an exceptionally fin© five-part comodv-drnma. en-t-itlod “ *2hort fflr ’ —ts ” nnd starring OlTlva Walton. Thc-e a’so a big Goldwyn six-T>nrt mn^temie©" “ Almost a Husband.” with Will Rogers as th© featimed player, and which was adapted to the screen from Opie Read’s widely read novel, “ Old Ebenezer,” and the supporting films are: —Tli© sixteenth exciting chapter of “ Th- Diamond Queen,” ” Hold Your

Breath,” a very laughable two-part Century comedy, and the latest International News film. Particulars or the various musical items will bo advertised in Monday’s newspapers. Supporting Will Rogers in “ Almost A Husband ” ia -one of tho finest ca6ts that has ever appeared m a motion picture, and ©very character is drawn true to life. The i»tcry is laid in a drowsy town along the ban<ks_ of tho Mississippi river, where nothing ever happened until Sam Lyman, the new schoolmaster from down East, hit tho town. Then things did happen with lightning-like rapidity, and there are enough thrills, excitement, heartthrobs, and, good, clean humour crowded into the six reels of film to satisfy the most exacting picturegoer. Besides smiling Will Rogers, the cast includes Chilian Landis, Clara Horton, Peggy Wood, Ed. Brady, and that fine old English actor, Herbert Standing. “ Almost A Husband ” is a picture without a single dull moment. The story of “ Short Skirts ” concerns a seventeen-year-old girl who gets herself and her family into an amazing series of difficulties from which she is extricated only after a dramatic climax. “ Short Skirts ” js considered by Miss Walton to be even better than “ Pink Tights,” “ The Man Tamer,” and “ Desperate Youth,’’ her recent Universal successes, and is for that, reason, elaborately produced. The box plan is at The Bristol, or seats may be reserved by telephoning Greater Crystal Palace, number 8758. GRAND THEATRE. Tiie popular picture actor Charles Ray heads the principal film to - be shown at the Grand Theatre to-day, “ Forty-five Minutes from Broadway,” a picture adaptation of the successful comedj’-draina by Georg© M. Cohan. Charles Ray was specially chosen for tho leading role and in it achieves bis greatest success so far. The character • isation is of an ex-pugilist from the Bowery—Kid Burns by name. Charles Ray has given it his own interpretation successfully. Dorothy Devore, of Christie comedy fame, is the leading lady. Alice Calhoun, in “ Closed Doors,” the second star picture, tells a story of human interest and appeal. She proves her versatility as an picture actress, delineating the heroin© at the ages of fourteen, eighteen and twenty-two. Beautiful settings, dainty gowns and intense dramatic action are features of the production. Miss Calhoun is ono of the younger kinema stars who is rapidly forging to tho front. The two star pictures will have good comedy and topical supports. The box plan is at the theatre, ’phono 2934. EVERYBODY’S THEATRE. It frould have been extremely difficult, in the op nion of William De Mill©, tho producer, to have found an actress more ideally suited to th© rolo of Maggie Wylie in William D© Mille’s Paramount production of Sir Jam. 3 M. Barrie’s noted stage *play, “ What Every Woman Knows,” which comes to Everybody’s Theatre next week, than Lois Wilson, who was chosen for that role. Oonrad Nagel, a prominent screen player, has the leading man’s role in tho production. Maggie is a simple, quaint old-fashioned, prim type of girl, who modestly believes herself tb be without charm, but who is in reality most charming, and gifted with sound wisdom and judgment. Miss Wilson meets all the physical requirements of such a role, and is herself surprisingly like the character sho por- ; trays. It is said that her interprets tion of Maggie Wylie, which is the most important role in tho new picture, will prove her greatest screen achievement to date. Conrad Nagel, who has the ! leading man’s role of John Shand, is a rising young screen, player, who does excellent work in his portrayal in this picture. The part calls for serious acting of the highest order. Others in the cast include Charles Ogle, Fred Huntly, Guy Oliver, Hall, Lillian Tucker, Clair© McDowell, and Robert Brower. Feminine motion picture stars seldom can resist the temptation to show off half a million dollors’ worth of gowns, jewels, and furs in every picture. Even when they play the role of a poor little siumgirl they manage to sho-w the clothes by showing dreams of themselves in gorgeous array. But little* Miss Mary Miles Minter, highest-paid star of her age in the world, and possessor of marvellous clothes, does not wear a single Paris frock in the supporting picture, “ A Cumberland Romance.” Without smart clothes, however, Miss Minter has made a beautiful and appealing figure of “ Easter,” the girl of the wild Cumberland mountains. Another excellent musical programme will bo given by Everybody’s “Select” Orchestra, under the conductorship of Mr W. J. Bellingham, F.S.M. The

following are a few of tho items: —- Overture, “Charlatan March” (Sousa); quartet, “D Major” (Ist movement) Select string quartet; entr’acte, cornet solo, “ Song of Thanksgiving” (Ailitsen), Herbert Fox ; orchestral Buites, “Chant Elegiaque ” (Tschaikowsky), “ Egmont Overture ” (Beethoven), “ L’lmpressario ” (Mozart), “ Scenes Pittoresque ” (Messenet) ; light selections, “La “ Mefoxtroteles ” (Norman), “I’m Wondering if it’s Love ” (Hylton)), “Sweet Hawaiian Moonlight” (JClickma nn). Reserved seats may b© obtained either at Th© Bristol or by telephoning 4925. SYDENHAM THEATRE. A programme that should appeal to all will be screened at tho Sydenham Pictures to-day. Charles Ray, whose acting has made him one of the most popular of film actors, will be seen in a refreshing comedy entitled “ Fortyfive Minuted from Broadway,” and Alice Calhoun, a new star in th© film firmament, will be featured in “ Closed Doors,” a picture for busy husbands and lonely wives. Chapter 3 of the serial “The Lost City” will also be screened. OPERA HOUSE. The well-variod vaudeville programme presented at th© Opera House last night drew another crowded attendance. Billy Elliott, the popular comedian, received another flattering reception and was enthusiastically applauded for the excellent entertainment which he provided. Peter Brooks also earned marked approbativ© favours for his fine singing, particularly of “Take a Pair of Sparkling Eyes.” Successes were also ..gained by Phil Percival, in a sketch of an inebriate person; Carlton and Roslyn, burlesque artists; Alma Roy Duo, female contortionists; Reno and Arta, zyiophone soloists, Bert Coleman, in songs, stories and whistling ; the Richardson Brothers and Clierio, in sketches, patter and song A Kinema Gazette and a new turn by Connelly and Shaw, comedy artists added to the enjoyment of the excellent programme, which will be presented again at an afternoon as well as an evening session to-day.