SCREEN and STAGE

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17009, 6 April 1923, Page 3

SCREEN and STAGE

NOTES ON CURRENT AND COMING SHOWS

There \\-i 11 be the usual weekly matinee at the Opera House to-inorrow afternoon, and a cJiange of programme will be made on Monday night. The .Diggers will give two more performances in Christchurch, to-night and tomorrow night. The comedy “ Scandal,” which was so popular in London and New York, i playing the small towns of Xeu Zealand under the direction of Hairy Cohen. Doris Duane is leading lady “ Blood and Sand.” to be screened at Everybody’s on Monday is a love romance into which have been woven a number of very exciting incidents, foies ample a bull fight in a large Spanish arena. This picture has drawn big business in all the towns of Australasia in which it has been shown. To-night will mark the final appearance of A pda Jo’s Circus at the Opera “The Kid." starring Chaidie Chaplin. and “White Heather.” which shows a thrilling under-sea fight, will be finally screened at the Grand tonight.

The Diggers’ change of programme *t the Theatre Royal last evening drew a large and most appreciative audience. Taken -right through. the show is a very bright one. and is well t aged. " The Ladder Jinx.” to be shown a.t the Grand to-morrow is reported to be :• very entertaining comedy in which •nperstition plays an important part. Forbidden” Fruit, a Paramount production. a Gaumont Graphic and a. short comedy complete a good pro-

“ Please. Got Married,” •• The Jazz "Waiter” and ‘‘The Ordeal" will be screened lor the last time at the Strand to-night. An amusing interlude in the Diggers’ show at the Theatre Royal is a game of whistling nap. in which Joe Yalli. Frank Moran and Stan Lawson provoke much merriment, especially Yalli, who. is the “ mug ” plaver who cannot whistle.

“ STAR ” MOVIE COMPETITION.

WHO’S EYES ARE THESE?

No. 1

No 2

No. 3

A happy ending is the outstanding feature of “ Dream Street/' the Griffith’s nine part feature to he shown for the last time at the Liberty tonight. “‘Broken Blossoms” ended sadly, and although this play lias a similar atmosphere, its denouement is altogether satisfactory. ‘“ The Wings of Pride,” the novel by Louise Kennedy Maine, was particularly well adapted to screen presentation, and the producers have, made itinto a most effective motion picture. The star is Olive Tell, whose recent big successes in the silent drama are well known, and she is supported by a cast that includes John O’Brien Denton Vane, "Kdwards Davis, ida Pardee and charming little Have Dean. This picture forms the star attraction at Greater Crystal Palace nest week. The moonlight scene staged by the Diggers at the Theatre Royal last evening \\ as a vert pretty one. The song “ Pale Moon ” was exc ellentlv sung by Mr .Stewart Chant., and the pretty c ostumes worn by the ballet girls added greatly t<> the effect. “ Her (.ildecl Cage” shows Gloria Swanson appearing in two distinct roles, a Parisian dancer and a Broadway society lady. The costumes and gowns she wears in this picture total fifty in number. Lily Dalglcish, the soubrette of the Diggers Company won hearty applause for her singing .of “ Mu ” at the Theatre Royal last evening, and had to respond to an insistent encore. Later she was again heard to advantage in a pretty duet with Mr Gus Dawson, and the couple were loudly encored for a dance neatly and attractively performed. Letting the public peep behind the screen spoils the fun. is the belief of Rex Ingram, the producer of the million dollar picture, “Tin? Prisoner of Zenda." do acquaint audiences. Mr Ingram holds, with the mechanics of motion picture technique cracks the illusion, of the* screen, and, he adds, people go t:> see pictures for the emotional reaction from illusions it creates. Mr Ingram says: “If people are familiar with technical processes, a couple going to the theatre will feel no pity for the little waif in the rainstorm : they will murmur to each other. “ f know how that’s done. That’s not real ,ain.’ The chances are that it is. Ivut once people' are shown how dcce t cions arc carried out. they remain forever sceptical.” ** The Prisoner of Zenda ’’ is one of the most successful pictures the screen has ever known so Mr Ingram’s opinion is a worthy one.

The change of programme made at the Theatre lioyal lust evening by the Diggers showed tins Dawson Up m a favourable light. He had quite a lot of work to no. as. apart from singing a number of songs, lie assisted .Miss Dalgloish in a clever dance, while the acrobatic dance, performed by him and Diana Tabor drew well merited applause. Theatre-goers at Greater Crystal I'alac-e this week are treated to an exciting series of thrills, including fights, shipwrecks, rescues and a spirited horse race, when 1 ' The Kentucky Derby." a 1 uiversal screen version of the old thriller “The Suburban," is shown. Those who remember Charles T. Dazey’s famous melodrama will find in the? picture all the suspense, the flavour and the entertainment which gripped tne gallerv gods of a decade or so ago, plus a now understanding of the story and more vivid climaxes made possible by screen technique. Within the Law,” .Norma Taln.adge’s picture, has just been completed. Lew Cody is the leading man and appears for the* first time in motion pictures without his moustache. He sacrificed it for art as it were ! The picture was made under the banner of First National.

A recent cable from London stated '■ l hat the management committee of the ; T'.mpire Lxli ibitien has .rejected an application to produce foreign, films. j The committee *tipnlat -d that both tlio j apparatus and the films 11ns! he oi : imperial manufacture. whilst the snh- i jects rant also he of an Imperial * nature. The committee rejected a pro. | pasal from Hongkong to con struct a |j typical village with Chinese restaur- | ants. |

A» ;• general rule the b ( .u!t\ of ; iiitj. stars i'- not open to argument. • i Perhaps some In tie criticism* might be ■ indulged in dining a rcte-a-Lcte Holly vi ood. but )j(M>ji’f within the movie profession have aiv.iys rel rainei i i; o?n saving anything publicly in disparage- ! ment o» eaeJi other. An exception to : this rule comes in the form <n a verv i ref reshing ei i*icism I>« Ponrbyn Stan laws ihe noted artist, who has leccutK been directing motion picnms. fie ! obviously sets out to iin-tl sonu 'deleels in tile beautiful ladies of the screen and Ids observations are printed in Holly wood's ” screen land." He denie- | that any of them have physical per- ‘ lection, and sets forth his Vmieism as 1 follows : .Hufch Ilolfiml has a “ moon taco, and her hips arc too large. Oish sisters have imperfect noses. ! and their lips are too large Betty #ißlythe is' muscle bound in tlit- hips, and she has •* horse nostrils.” Pin Hi.. Haver has a face like a dia . mon-d with too many facets. It is ! ” over modelled.” Norma Talmadge has a “ bulbous ” nose. Xaziniova's eyes are too small for he: - face and her head is too big. Mary Pick ford shares the common blemish of having too big a head. Pola Negri--- her lace is too .square. i lula Hoe’s figure is too stocky and her face is Ci too flat.” Shirley Aiasbnks faults are “ deepset eyes’" and ” horse nostrils. Claire Windsor’s eyes are set too high in her head. Be he Daniels" figure is good, but she keeps her mouth open too much. fßorin Swanson's head is too short and her figure is slightly heavy. Betty Compson s lip. are too prominent and are fnuscle-bound. Constance 'Talmadge lias an inadequate mouth and chin. "\ iola Dana has a big nose, too heavy at the end. Jawbones are too wide and chin too prominent. Wanda Hawley is too fat. her ankles are too large, and her mouth is too big. Agnes Ayres is {i gawky.” Claire Windsor and Phyllis Haver, in interviews, admitted the possible but the other ladies arc “ suffering in

Priscilla Doan had a narrow escape J wlion an incipient tony war broke out on the set in which she was working in Drifting,” the William A. Brady | stage success in which she is playing : Alice Brady’s role. Cnssie Cook, of the 1 Yellow Sea. Miss Dean was not hit. ; but a bullet smashed a Chinese teapot ; on the table in front of her. Toot j Browning ordered work to he suspended j for the day. The Cniversal City • police force is still trying to tint! out j who started the Avar. Houdini. who will he remembered in j ),'c\v Zealand as the king of the handcuffs, will he hero soon in "The .Man , From Beyond.” i his i.-- a remarkable j photoplay and much of the action takes • pi are in the ice hound regions of Ice- i land. One of the most daring acts over I performed before tire camera shows j Hotidini braving the terrors of i lie .Via- | gara Falls in the cause of the heroine, j WHOSE K\ KS ABE THESE? The competition being conducted by the moving pn-turc editor of the *• Star ” this week is similar to that j of last week, except that the eyes | printed are those of three well-known l .’.etors. Readers must <-ut out the ’ photographs, li 11 in the names and for- 1 ; ward their answers to the moving pic- ! lure editor of the “ Star.” Full names and addresses must , be given. The forwarding of initials only will lender competitors liable to disqualification. The competition will close at 10 o’clock on Monday morning next, and the results an ill be published m tlie •Star’* e‘. that day. Similar prizes AA'il! be given lor this competition to those offered last Ayeek. TO-NIGHT'S SHOWS. Theatre Royal —The Diggers’ Revue • Tip Top." Opera House.—Walter George’s Sunshine Players and Vaudeville Greater Crystal Palace.—" The Kentucky Derby " and ‘ Cecilia of : the Pink Roses." Everybody's.—" Her Gilded Cage ’ and “ A Private Scandal." Liberty.—‘‘ Dream Street " and " The Branding: Iron." Grand.—The Kid ” and " White HeathStrand.—" Please Get Married,” " Jazz Waiter ” and " The Ordeal.” Queen’s. —" Shirley of the Circus.” " Gleam O’ Dawn ” and " The