AMUSEMENTS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17382, 10 November 1924, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS

Till: THEATRES. ATTRACTIONS I'OR 11 IF vYF.FK. «o3l&h rr ' — " ‘ Cran»l Theatre "The Humming Bird” Brand Theatre "Times Have Changed. AMlliam Russell Queen's Theatre - The Breaking remit Malt Mooie Breater Crystal Palace . 'The Heart Specialist Mary Mileai Mintet Creator Crvstal Patare - Her Hive Foot Hiflin.-ss Hililh Koh. lts I.ibrrty Theatre "Poisoned Paradise” Kennetli Hal l.m T.il.ertv Theatre "Fools of Fortune |, ull . v Kveryl Theatr. .. . “ Lilian ol the Field” Corinne ertffith Strand Theatn "FI Igates ” Cowboy Bowell struml Theatre "Top o the Morning *' 't?e "vil'.slmll Svdrnhatn Pietures "Fools ol fortune 1 >! |> Vf'ess.ll Sydenham Pictures ....” Without < 'ompromise . . Bn'Sainers. JSSrtolweHmi"::":::::::: lilt Herald Revue and Vaudeville.

**Th© Humming Bird,” showing at the Grand Theatre is a. story of the underworld of Paris some ot the action taking place in Montmartre, Le Caveau, the nndergro_.m J . den of Pai'is apaches, and the sce.c.s include views ot the battle trenches, the bombing of Paris by Zeppelins, an I \rmistice Day in Pans, and the vutovy ball. As Toinette, an apache. Gloria Swanson Iras a dual ] art, first ap| caring as the Humming Pird. head ot the gang which frequents a certain inn where she dance-, and later as a youth, when she is seeking to elude the police. In the former role she meets an Anteri can newspaper man and tails in love with him. Me join- the Foreign J.egion and returns to Paris wounded. Toinette discovers his whereabouts, but realising the gulf between them gives herself up to the polite, to find that she has been pardoned for services in enlisting the apaches for the front. Edward Burns lias the part of the newspaper man.

Another First National production, •* Lilies of the Field,” in w hich forinne Griffith, Alma Bennett, Myrtle Stedman. Phyllis Haver. Conway Tearle, Cranford Kent, and Charlie Murray play the leading parts will be presented at Everybody’s Theatre to-day. The story concerns Walter Barker, who, though possessing a beautiful wife and a little daughter, j- in love with another woman. One night, while her husband is supposed to be detained at his office, the wife i- persuaded to go to the home of Toms Milling, a rich bachelor. While in the library she is found by Willing. who immediately falls in love with lier. Later the woman is divorced, and becomes a model. After her former husband has married again. and taken their child with him, Willing, returning from a trip, finds the girl, and proposes. He is refused, hut determines to bring the girl’s daughter back. Ultimately lie succeeds in his task, and then the girl realises that the loves him. Tin* new* programme at Greater Crystal Palace, commenting to-day, is headed bv “The Heart Specialist,” a Realart Production. Mary Miles Minter is the star, anti she has the part of a newspaper writer of special articles. She drops upon a story v hich promises some sensational copy. A returned soldier, suffering from the effects of a gas attack, is the central figure of a plot to poison him for his money, and in her attempts to get at the truth of the matter the newspaper woman meets with many amazing adventures before the plot is fully exposed An excellent supporting cast is headed bv Allan Torrest and Noah Beery. The second feature at Greater Crystal Palace i> a Universal production •‘Her Five Foot Highness,” .starring Edith Huberts. In the beginning she appears as a boisterous ranch girl, and then an unexpected inheritance comI*els her to go to England, where she finds herself in unusual company. •'The Breaking Point.” a Paramount production, heads the new programme whirl* will bo presented at the Queen’s Theatre to-day. The featured players aro Nita Naldi, Patsy Huth Miller, George Fawcett and Matt Moore. The story tells how Beverly Carlyle, an actress. brings all Broadway to her feet. Chief amongst her admirers is Judson Clark, a millionaire, who has only one fault to find with Beverly— her husband. Later the two men meet, and the husband, a born gambler, suggests a game. A roulette wheel is produced, and after a time a dispute arises over the winnings. Just then the lights go out, a shot is heard, and, when the light comes again, the husband is found dead on the floor, while the other man is -landing by with a smoking revolver in his hand. Beverly aids ( 'lark to escape. A thrilling chase in the teeth of a. blizzard follows, and the apprehension of the suspected murderer serves only to deepen the mystery. How the tangled skein is unravelled and happir.e*vs restored to those who deserve it Loins the basis of a thrilling climax

‘‘ The Eagle’s Feather,” the second feature at the Queen's Theatre, though a Western story, is not of the usual type of dance hall, gun play and all that sort of thing. The principal character is Delila Jamieson, played by Mary Alden. a strong-willed woman, w ho owns a cattle ranch and runs it according to her own ideas. The story deals largely with the troubles widen arise between herself and neigh homing ranches, and there is a love romance in which the love of a woman turns to hitter revenge when she finds that the mail loves another woman. James Kirkwood. Lester ('unco, George Seigmami and Elinor Fair arc Miss'Alden’s chief supports. Practically all the French-speaking population of Los Angeles are drawn upon lor the filming ot several episodes in Gasnier’s production. “Poisoned Paradise,” a Master Picture, now showing at the Liberty Theatre. Street scenes in Paris, requiring hundreds of nun and women, were filled by French-

American players in order that no words spoken within the range of the camera would he in any language other than French. “If the illusion of a French crowd is to be carried out. the players certainly must not he talking English.” said the 'irector. Therefore the most unusual car© was exercised in the selection nob merely of the prim - pals, hub of the extras and pi a vers of small bits ordinarily called through agencies without regard to personalities. “ Fools of Fortune.” the second feature at the Liberty Theatre, is a pho-to-play. which has received high praise originality of story content Simple, unpretentious, with no bizarre costume* or gilded settings. “ Foote ot Fortune” is nevertheless an outstanding attraction purely on the strength of the originality of its sborv. To this meric should he added the capital acting of .Marguerite J)t La Motto and Jack Dill in the principal roles, with the able assistance of tho*© screen veterans, Tally Marshall Frank Brownlee and Russell Simpson. With the exception of Ernest Torrence, who will play Captain Hook, Cyril Chadwick. Virginia Brown Fair© and Anna May Wong, the cast of Peter Pan ’ will be composed of “unknowns” (says an American paper). The Laskv eompanv has scelcted Mary O'Brien to play Wendy and Esther Ralston to play Mrs Darling. These are two roles ol great importance, and ii appears that the laskv people are following out Barrie’s suggestions. Charlie Chaplin is still making his greatest comedy attempt (writes an American critic). Charlie started the picture just a year ago thi.. October., and to the picture people this fact is almost as funny as the comedy is sure to be. C’harlie has a habit of taking a rest right in the middle of his pictures. He he just finished a eight weeks’ loaf, and. .it is really believed that he will now finish the picture, unless something else to intrigue his whimsical fancy turns up. Well, it's Charlie’s own money he's spending, and all liis studio f eople stay on salary while lie loafs, so what’s the difference? Rodolph or Rudolph? That is the vexed question, says an English exchange: and it is settled by Valentino’s own signature on a photograph that hangs in the London Pavilion entrance hall. He spells his Christian name w ith a “ u.” According to the American Government’s return of income taxes paid during the past year, that of Douglas Fairbanks amounted to the enormous sum of £45.000. This is colossal alongside the figures of Charles Chaplin, which aggregated only £I2OO. The latter, of course, had not been very active during the period, but his next year’s figures should he considerable in view of at least two big productions to be put out by him, and to be released l here by United Artists.