WHAT TO SEE IN CHRISTCHURCH

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17170, 13 October 1923, Page 3 (Supplement)

WHAT TO SEE IN CHRISTCHURCH

SYDENHAM PICTURES. "THE DANGEROUS AGE” AND " MIXED FACES. ”’ , £? latest all-star production • Ihe Dangerous Age,” a First Na. tional attraction coining to the Kind’s Sydenham, to-night and on Monday and IWday next. John M. Stahl has an automobile and train race that is about ton degrees more thrilling thaar anything of the kind ever attempted for the movies. Lewis S. Stone, who heads The cast in this photoplay, drives an automobile in a spectacular chase and on three occasions travelling close to sixty miles an hour, he just misses the big locomotive at road crossings, finally being compelled by the scenario to desert bis auto on the railroad tracks and watch the engine smash it to smithereens. A combination of thrills, adventure, lightning action, political intrigue and red-blooded romance is seen in “Mixed Faces.” the William Fox production starring William Russell which will be seen for the first time to-night at the [Sydenham Theatre. Laid in a. small town just in the midst of a campaign i for mayor, the story starts off with a burst of speed that continues until 'the final title. The theme is wrapped around the adventures of Jimmy Gallop. live wire salesman. who is a 44 double ” for Judge Granger, candidate for mayor of the town on the “votes for women,” and reform ticket. GRAND THEATRE. “KNOW THY CHILD” AND 44 HUCKLEBERRY FINN.” A drama which goes beyond the Veneer of convention, and probes into Life itself, is 4 * Know Thy Child,” an Australian production, featuring Miss Vera James, the Dunedin picture star, and showing at the Grand to clav. It inquires into the laws which govern civilisation and shows that the world passes its hardest judgments on those whose only guilt is their innocence. 44 Know Thy Child ” opens in a typical Australian township in the baekblocks. A man from the city visits the town ship on business, and makes love to an innocent country girl, who lives alone with her mother. Some months after he returns to the town the girl , gives birth to his baby, after waiting day after day for word from him. He. i however, is loved by the daughter of the head of his firm.' and after a round j ©l pleasure and excitement marries her. The years pa*s by, and the young 1 mother, to save her child from the knowledge of her disgrace, leaves the village for a large town, and struggles along under an assumed name. Even tuallv the daughter becomes secretary to the man who had deceived her mother. He and his wife, though prosperous. are lonely without any children. AY hen the mother die*; she leaves a letter for her daughter to take to her employer, explaining their relationship, which she had learnt bv aer-ident just before her death. The letter begged \ btm to look after his child. The girl J as welcomed to their lonely home, and i the man tries to compensate her for Borne of the suffering he had caused. j The second attraction is “ Huckle I berry Finn,” a Paramount production i adapted from the world-famous book by Mark Twain. The spirit of the famous I humourist and of his lovable boy has | lwen faithfully maintained in’ the photoplay. Lewis Sargent plavs the title role. LIBERTY THEATRE. “THE DANGEROUS AGE.” The relations between man and wife 1 have been the subject of many screen dramas, but few- have had such an a| >- ‘ peal as *' The Dangerous Age,” which ; commences at the Liberty Theatre tonight. A man of forty imagines his 1 nufe has become but a household drudge, and carries on a violent flirta- ; tton with a girl of twenty, while on a ! visit to New York. On "the night he j writes to tell his wife that all is over with them, the girl’s fiancee arrives. ! and she expresses horror at the thought ! that her elderly admirer should have understood there was anything serious in their flirtation. John Emerson’s letter is on the train called the Limited, on its way to its way to its destination at seventy miles an hour, and he sets off after it irt a high-powered racer. Tliis is the real thrill of the drama, for the race is filmed at night, and one can see only the great headlights of the locomotive and rar racing through the night. There is only one way to stop the train, and that is to leave the car across the rails. In the confusion, and search for possible wounded, he quietly slips on the train and arrives home in time to see his twenty-year-old daughter married. Despite his instructions to the maid, his wife receives the letter, and believes that he has only come home for the wedding The happy pair depart and husband and wife are left. He attempts a confession, but she asks him to forget the passage of twenty years, and the man who was willing to destroy the happiness of a life time, more willingly submits to the loving ministrations of a vile who is again living through her honeymoon, ft is a wonderful piece of acting, ending in a climax when she consigns the letter to the flames, makirig him believe she has not opened it. The woman who put romance away with her baby’s first shoes became a sweetheart again. This is the theme of a good wholesome picture Of course there are the racecourse scene, and "a brilliant jazz scene at one of New York’s fashionable rendezvous. One is apt to understand from it what marriage makes a man miss, what motherhood makes a wife forget, and that a man of forty, when endeavouring to capture a girl of twenty, is not seeking after her youth, but his own. An excellent supporting programme will bo screened which will include a Hunter Keaton comedy, “ The Haunted House.” a Christie comedy, and •iapaii the Beautiful.” a- scenic of * more than ordinary merit because of the recent, earthquake. The Liberty Quality Orchestra, under ! the direction of Mr Howard Moodv. ■wiU provide suitable musical accompaniments to the pictures. The box plans are now open at The Bristol Piano Co. QUEEN’S THEATRE. “THE MADNESS OF YOUTH” AND • TROPICAL LOVE.” H«- had spent a year perfecting his plans to steal the famous collection of

.jewels. Then lie falls in love with the owner of the jewels, and tells her he is a thief. This but suggests the plot of “ Madness of Youth.” which will be the leading attraction of the excel lent programme to be screened at the Queen's Theatre commencing on Monday. The popular and talented star, John Gilbert, is featured in this at traction. There has rarely been shown a film with so unusual a plot or one so replete with dramatic action. From the very moment he adopts the disguise of a wandering religious fanatic, in order to gain entrance to the- home of the millionaire, his pose of a deeply religious man brings happiness and con tentment into a home that had always been one of chaotic discontent. As evil as was his intention, his every day in the home he came to rob brought i new sense of his benevolent influence. Romance and adventure under ' a tropical sky, where palm trees are swayed by a warm breeze and sea waves gently lap against a coral beach, lures one with its charm and fasoina tion in “Tropical Love,” which will be

the second picture. Ruth Clifford is featured in this story, supported by Reginald Denny. This story is concerned with, the identification of tho daughter, lost gold, possession of land, and the return of the father’s memory. There is romance., adventure and mys tery, made doubly attractive by the beautiful scenery of Porto Rico, where “Tropical Love” was produced. The supports include a screamingly funny comedy entitled “The Eskimo.” featur iug that great comedian, Clyde Cook. EVERYBODY’S THEATRE. “ RUSTLE OF SILK” STARRING BETTY COMPSON and CONWAY TEA RLE. “HOPEFUL HOGAN” STARRING CHARLES MURRAY. A happy motion picture story end that docs not include a marriage or an embrace 1 That is one of the unique distinctions claimed for “ Rustle of Silk,” Herbert Brenon’s Paramount picture, featuring Betty Compson and Conway Tearle, which will he shown all next week at Everybody’s Theatre. This story, adapted from Cosmo Hamil ton’s novel, centres round a humble English girl, who falls in love with a great British statesman, who is already married. The girl, serving the states man’s wife, adores the husband from afar. By accident, the man learns of the girl’s love. Unhappy with his wife and disheartened bv the course of political events, lie offers to get a divorce and marry the girl. But a crisis in the affairs of State requires his whole attention. Tf he resigns,, chaos threatens to engulf the Government. The girl, because of her love for him, sacrifices her love and sends him back to fight his cause against overwhelm ing odds. Her compensation is found m the. fact that the man, who loves tier, faces his duty because of that love He wins his fight, but for the time being, at lea-st. he fails to win the girl who spurred him on to victory. TTi like so many screen plays of the day. Rustle of Silk ” does not introduce* an episode five or ten years later, show ing the principals happily married. L end 3 as real life stories so often end m happiness achieved through sacrifice but with, promise ot happiness to hot' in the future, also “Hopeful Hogan” starring Charles Murray, a Paramount comedy that will make you hold on to ,

GREATER CRYSTAL PALACE SIR ANTHONY HOPE’S “ RUPEBT OF HENTZAU.” HERBERT RAWLINSON IN “RAILROADED.” ‘ the Common Law,” “ AY hen Husbands Deceive,’ and present recordbreaking programme of motion pictures will be shown at Greater Crystal Palace for the last times this afternoon and to-night and the world-famous Symphony Orchestra, under the distinguished conductorship of Mr Alfred J Bums, will play at both sessions. Heading the new programme for next week, commencing Monday, is a massive and lavish ten reel production of Sir Anthony Hope’s famous novel “Rupert of Hentzau” which is a spectacular sequel to the same author’s “Prisoner of Zenda . ” and introduces the same set of characters as well as a similar plot development having to do with court intrigue, adventure, conflict and romance. In “.Ru-

pert of Hentzau” playgoers will see a colourful production—one carrying lavish sets and details—one expertly adapted to tho demands of the screen by Edward J. Montague. Indeed. Mr Montague has emphasised the salient points of tho story in such a manner that every scene is perfectly dovetailed. The characters stand out boldly in settings which command admiration and respect. The big photoplay follows the novel in a faithful manner and should be much appreciated for this fact. The story is well known to all readers of good fiction and treats

of the romance between the queen of a debauched king who sends a letter to

her lover. This is intercepted by the wily Rupert- nbo is bound by no ]aw of decency and possesses no code of honour, combining the reckless daring

of a criminal with the charm of a f courtier. The, letter is used by Rupert j in an attempt to establish himself on j the throne. He kills the king, and | the queen and her loyal suite are apprehensive lest the letter will be made public and that her lover will be exposed as a pseudo king. Eventually the latter kills Rupert in a duel. The

cast is an allicelebrity one and is claimed to be the first of its kind ever assembled in any picture. It includes Elaine Hammerstein as Queen Flavia, Lew Cody as Count Rupert of Hentzau, Bert Lytell as Rudolph Rassendyl and King Rudolph of Ruritania, Claire Windsor as Countess Helga, Bryant Washburn as Lieutenant Fritz- Hobart Boswortli as Colonel Sapt, Marjorie Daw as Rosa Holf. Mitchell Lewis as

Bauer, the spy, Irvine Cummings as Lieutenant Berensteiu. Elmo Lincoln as Simon, Adolph Menjou as Count Rischenbeim. Gertrude As tor as The Baroness Shaniz and Josephine Crowell as Mother Holf. Herbert Rawlinson, whose name is symbolical of dramatic action and colourful romance, is the star in “ Railroaded.” the second big picture on the new programme, and the role lie essays is one of the strongest he has ever played. Tt is that of the crook son. of one of the most famous judges in England, who leaves the oppressive atmosphere of his father’s household to deliberately live “outside the law. - ’ This photoplay was adapted from the popular novel “Richard.” b\ Margaret Bryant, which received excellent criticisms. The supporting films ai-e a- very funnv Century comedy and the tenth chapter of the thrilling serial “Around the World in 18 Days.” Following the established custom particulars of next week’s magnificent musical programme will be announced in Monday’s newspapers. The box plan is at The Bristol, or seats may be reserved by telephoning Greater Crystal Palace, number 37.58. FULLER’S OPERA HOUSE. Another very strong programme is iremised for Monday night at Fuller’s Opera House when the deservedly popular Con Moreni Musical Comedy. Co.,

will enter upon the last week of their season. Their final production is an entirely new show entitled “The Island of Love” and will afford plenty of scope for the mirth making proclivities of this talented organisation. Special costumes, and new music have been prepared and a really enjoyable production may bo confidently anticipated. In the vaudeville section a first appearance will he made bv Mable and Wolfe, two English musical comedy specialists. Gardner and Dunham, those sensational horizontal bar experts will enter upon the last week of their season, while fresh items will be presented by Nat. Hanley, wizard ot' the piano. Keith Desmond monoloquist. and M'lvor and Scott. Scotch entertainers. Seats may now he reserved at The Bristol.