ON THE SCREEN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17699, 20 November 1925, Page 5

ON THE SCREEN.

THE THEATRES.

ATTRACTIONS FOR THE WEEK. I.XBBRTY THEATR3 . . “A CA FE IN CAIRO ” LIBERTY THEATRE “ CODE OF THE WEST ” QUEEN'S THEATRE “ WINGS OF YOUTH ” QUEEN’S THEATRE . . “ THE X*AW AND THE LADY ” GREATER CRYSTAL PALACE . . “ THE MEDDLER ” GREATER CRYSTAL PALACE . . “ THE TRUTH ABOUT WOMEN ” EVERYBODY'S THEATRE “ THREE WEEKS ” GRAND THEATRE . . “ THE WHITE SISTER ” STRAND THEATRE “SALLY” STRAND THEATRE “ A WOMAN'S FAITH ” FULLER’S OPERA HOUSE . . YAUDEVILIB

"Nellie, the Beautiful < 'leak Model," which forms the main attraction on the new programme coming to Everybody’s Theatre, is an adaptation of a melodrama of the same name which made a great hit on Broadway. It contains action, comedy, pathos and thrills, and makes first-class entertainment which has a general appeal. There is an excellent tire scene, an auto crash, some exciting fighting, a kidnapping and then the supreme moment, a railroad scene in which Nellie is saved by less than a hair’s breadth. The story tells of a girl who is brought up in poverty,/not knowing that she really is the daughter ol’ a very wealthy man. The girl. Nellie, secures a position as a model in a fashionable establishment. which is run by a man who knows that she is an heiress. The rest of the action deals with her treatment By this man who seeks to destroy her so that he will get her fortune. Claire Windsor has the part of Nellie, and in an exceptionally strong supporting cast arc Edmund Lowe, Mae Busch. Raymond Griffith, Lew Cody, and Hobart Bosworth. “ The Talker,” the second attraction coming to Everybody’s Theatre, stars Anna Q. Nilsson, Shirley Mason, Barbara Bedford, Lewis Stone, tan Keith. Harold Goodwin and Tully Marshall. The story concerns # a married woman whose husband's one aim in life is to make her happy. She is, however, discontented, and sows the seed of discontent in the soul of her sister-in-law. who runs away with a scheming sconndrcl. with almost fatal results Ilow the ” talker ” learns her lesson is told in a convincing drama. “ The White Sister ” will commence its second week at the Grand Theatre to-morrow. The picture is adapted to the screen from the widely read

novel of the same name by F. -Marion j Crawford, and it enables Lilian Gish, las l)onn;V Angela to give a rendition j of tlyc character that enhances her re-pula-ion ns the greatest emotional actress -on the screen. She. dominates every episode in each of the thrilling scenes, but her acting is so clever that she seems just to fit in as naturally as possible to every little incident, as well as into the story as a whole. Honj aid C< iman appears as the soldier lover i and the scenes in which he appears 1 with Miss Gish are played with a na- | 1 uralness that compels the idea that i the spectator is a looker-on at devclopinioni- in a passage of real life. The I theme of the story, the' deep study | in human nature, the wonderful setj ting, the dramatic element the crtip- ! tion of Moultt Vesuvius is jus realistic as the most? exacting patron can demand and the effective Climax com- | bine to make the picture an outstand- • ing production. ‘‘The Charmer.*’ which will be shown at the Liberty Theatre to-morrow, brings Pola Negri to the screen in her first comedy role. The story is one. of a rather uncouth mountain girl of Spain who .goes to America and achieves fame as a dancer on Broadway It opens in Seville, where Mariposa. a dancer in her mother's cafe, is seen by some American tourists. Among those attracted by her is Bayne, an American idicr. and another i ; his chauffeur. The various 'move ; of the two men to win the hand of Mariposa create many comical and dramatic incidents, which end in her finally accepting the poorer, but as it transpires, better man. Wallace MacDonald and Robert Frazer head the supporting cast. Into the Net,” the second attraction on the new programme at the Liberty Theatre is a story of crime detection,

written by R. E. Enright, Commissioner of Police, of New Vork, who lifts the lid from the seething crime pot of New YArk, shows how innocent girls arc kidnapped and held for ransom. shows the operations of a gang of kidnappers, murderers and smugglers, and then reveals how New York’s “Finest” spreads its dragnet, earmarks the criminals, and rounds them up in one grand and gorgeous effort, wherein arc utilised all the latest and cleverest methods of crime detection and all .the powerful resources, of the . New York Police Department. The story is graphic. Its happenings arc true to life. They are pages from the notebook of Commissioner Enright himself. Edna Murphy and Jack: Mulhall portray the leading roles. The new programme at the Queen's Theatre next week will be headed by a Hoot Gibson pictureCthe management of the' thca-tre having contracted to screen Universal productions. The picture is entitled ‘Taming the West.” and lloot has the part of John Carlton the jazz-crazed son of a wealthy New York business man who tired of his son’s escapades, sends him off to his Western ranch in the hope that roughing it will make a real man of the soi!. The son tries valiantly to overcome the many difficulties that arise, and he succeeds in gaining the esteem of the ranch hands. But he cannot avoid getting into scrapes. lie falls in love with the daughter of a neighbouring rancher, who happens to be the enemy of his father. He kidnaps the girl and then the action becomes fast and furious. Edmund Lowe has one of the best roles of his career in “ The Kiss Barrier.” the William Fox production which will be the second attraction at the Queen’s Theatre. Tho storv concerns an army aviator who forcibly kisses his nurse while she is attending him after a “ crash.” That creates a barrier, but it is swept aside and happiness comes to nurse and soldier. In the role of Richard IVl4rch, war aviator and actor, Lowe, is first' the virile soldier, then the suave matinee idol of the theatre, and then the ardent lover. It gives him the opportunity to portray many different emotions. Claire Adams is Lowe’s leading woman. , “Don Dave Devi"" a*Universal Blue Streak Western to be shown at Greater Crystal Palace next week, stars Jack Hoxie in a colourful picture play in the midst of the mountains and "ranches of romantic South America. It is full of thrills and action and is a splendid starring vehicle for the popular Tbiiversal stor. “Don Dare Devil” is,a gripping picture piav in which lov e fS; Punctuated now and then by thrilling gun fights and wild rides.' It is the story-of an American cowboy who quits his Wyoming ranch to take over the South American estate he has inherited from his Spanish mother. Ho takes i with him to South America a 'group of his old pals of the plains. Trouble comes the first day „ « :-t Daytime W ives," the second attraction coming .to Greater Crystal Palace next week, concerns a brilliant young contractor, who is aided by a self-sacrificing office girl. Unfortunately. however, he has a frivolous wife who extravagantly wastes his moneyr as fast as he can earn it. There are a number of thrilling scenes in the picture. the chief being the dramatic collapse of a great sky-scraper that is. in the course of erection in a busy street. The film has been produced on a most sumptuous scale, and features an exceptionally fine, cast, ho: ded by Derelys Perdue, Wvndham Standing Grace Darmond, and William Conklih’

EVERYBODY’S THEATRE. Nothing more beautiful than Elinor Glyn s Three Weeks” has ever been presented to C hristchurch movie-goers. A othing more tensely dramatic or more artistic in its , presentation could be v ished for. Three Weeks ”is a screen triumph. Tt stands out among the many notable productions which have been brought to —sth e screen in recent years as a masterpiece of the producer’s art, a photographic gem which reflects the greatest credit on everyone concerned in its production. ' Produced under the personal direction of the novelist herself, this film version of a popular story is true to the book. --.tv detail rings true. The actors and actresses fit. into their parts just as it the charactets they interpret had been created to suit their individual a exits, .and the backgrounds are just those backgrounds that every leader of Ihe hook nuist have visualised. To ' T \ J M capacity for the proper - mng of constructive detail the pro/ licor has added the results of mi.cn careful preparation, and with the i,° f a Ca 'l t of * ;a ßented screen ne oas produced a screen tri--o 1 i 1 ?* 10 repossessing queen, ,n character, so fervent in her love, Aileen Pringle stores the greatest triumph of her thL C< o. r ' C> ' hc T te , rprets her Part with all Ihe grace and charm, all the sweetness and dramatic intensity that have won ; J ‘ cr a name amongst the greatest hf«hlfcn t eA ai7 ,i^ s l^ !3 g 7 i amme '<- "u keep,n = the aisphere of the photo-play. GREATER CRYSTAL PALACE A modem romance of the vivid type 1 s place on the programme lu V a r^ r rTstal Palace. “The Truth About Women is nothing if it is not oo.otiTful and absorbing and those •- o see it follow its development irom ~ts opening scenes of happv marned life to ns unusual end, with obyirms interest. Miss Hope Hampton “l "f" S - part of the heroine.. The ( .' Jl> 7! C33R, and ah members O, it work well topetbeir. Mr WTTliam ■ J esmor.d. one of Ihe most popular p ayers at C.reate-r Crvs.tal Palace is back there again as an amateur bam wh " nnris it necessarv to imprison a ranch owner and his daughter in order to save them from outlaws, and vho brings about the arrest of a gvmg of cattle rustlers.”’ The amateur •andit is really an American -millionaire who becomes a bandit to show .1' sweetheart that he is worthy of her after she j*eturned his ring, with the biting remark that he was too colourless to Icat. A Century corned v and an International News film complete the picture programme. The Symphony Orchestra contributes a number cf delightful selections of music. LIBERTY THEATRE. H THE CHARMER.” "FEATURING POLA NEGRI. •'INTO THE .NET.’' "FEATURING! JACK MDTHALL AMD EDNA MURPHY.'. Liberty patrons during the coming week are again well assured of witnessing a programme right up *o the standard required by them. Riila -Negri .appears -for the -first: time .

in a comedy-drama, “The Charmer,” a Paramount production directed by Sidney Olcott, who gave us “ Monsieur Bcaucaire ” and “The Humming Bird. The story deals with the career and love adventures of a beautiful Spanish peasant girl, who is discovered in a Seville dance hall by a prominent theatrical producer. Her inimitable dancing and undeniable beauty appeal to the showman in him; and in spite of her lack of education and refinement, he makes her an offer to go to New York. Billed as “The .Charmer,’’ Tier success is instantaneous. Two men meet and fall in love with her Ralph Bayne, scion of wealthy parents, and his chauffeur, Dan Murray. Wallace MacDonald, last seen in the Paramount picture, “ New Lives for Old,” plays Bayne, and Robert Frazer, who appeared in support of Bebe Daniels in “Miss Bluebeard.” has the role of the chauffeur. But Mariposa’s butterfly nature will not permit her to tie herself down to any one man permanently, until disaster threatens. All through the picture Bayne and his chauffeur try to outdo each other for the girl’s affections. There are some big laugh scenes—and real drama, too. A fascinating story of master minds and the underworld, of mystery, intrigue and romance, is told in “ Into the Net,” the new Pathe picture showing with “ The Charmer,” With Edna Murphy and Jack Mulhall featured. “Into the Net” is as real in its action and incident as .the .sensational abductions that often happen in real life and till the columns of .the newspapers—but it shows details that the newspaper cannot reveal. Written by Richard E. Enright, Commissioner of Police of New York City, “ Into the Net ” shows not only how girls are lured into the net of a gang of master criminals, but it shows, step by step, and in thrilling detail, the efficient methods of the police for catching these offenders against the law and recovering the missing persons. Every branch of the New York police department is shown in operation- —the strong arm and riot squads: the underground telegram system: criminal identification by fingerprints and photographs: and police dogs, patrol waggons, boats and airpi anes. As an introduction to “ The. Charmer.” two pupils of Miss Bessie M'Donald will dance a Spanish tango. Mr Howard Moody’s popular orchestra will supply the music, and reservations may be made at The Bristol, or at the theatre., by means of the telephone^

GRAM} THEATRE. Many -ptattao-os -o£ the pictures who like t(P »ee the latest and best developments., and who failed to see ‘‘‘The White "Sister"" at Liberty Theatre last ■week, will be pleased to have an opportunity t© see it at the Grand Theatre, where it now is berimg shown. Miss Lillian Gish, who takes the part of the White Sister., is the object of unstinted admiration. This js called forth not only by her prepossessing appearance and her very charming personality, which is reflected from the screen into every theatre in which her pictures are shown., but also by her clear emotional acting, the result of high training on a foundation of natural talents. She has been in marry notable pictures, but never in a .character in which her brilliance shines forth -as it does in the Metro-Goldwyn masterpiece now' showm at the Grand. She dominates every episode in each of the thrilling scenes, but her acting is so clever that she seems just to fit in as naturally as possible to every little incident, as well as into the story as a whole. Another remarkt able featurE of r “ .The White Sister ” is

the way in which the atmosphere of tne story is reproduced on the screen. This has been worked out so cleverly that those who see “The White Sister." after the first few feet of film have run through, lose the sensation of looking at a story, and seem to be actually lookers-on at developments in lives of real men and women. Added t.o Miss Lillian Gish’s amazing interpretation are the acting of many other raver players, the. theme of the story, the deep study in human nature, the wonderful setting, the dramatic element—the eruption of Mount Vesuvius is as realistic as the most exacting patron can demand—and the studied immense and most effective climax. The prologue is staged again with marked success. Mr Arthur Frost, formerly of the J. C. Williamson “ Spring Cleaning” Company, has been specially engaged. to conduct the orchestra for The White Sister.” QUEEN’S THEATRE. Two excellent features are screened at the Queen's Theatre this week. The first attraction is “ Wings cf "Youth,” and how the wings of youth were clipped is shown in tin’s production. II is the story of three girls, who have been left independent fortunes by their father The mother has implicit faith in her daughters, and they are allowed to pursue their separate courses, while the mother devotes her life to her pet charities. The girls indulge in a series of riotous parties with their college friends, until their actions are finally revealed to their mother. Madge Bellamy, Marian Harlan and Katherine Perry portray the daughters. and Ethel Clayton is seen as the mother. The second attraction is “The Law and the Lady.” It is a picture crowded with thrills" 1 ad exciting situations. The supports include a bright comedy and the latest News. Incidental music is rendered by the Queen's Orchestra under the direction of Mr IT. Ellwood.