GOOD DOUBLE ITEM COMING TO EVERYBODY’S.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18009, 20 November 1926, Page 6

GOOD DOUBLE ITEM COMING TO EVERYBODY’S.

“ THE LOVE THIEF ” AND “ THE GIRL FROM MONTMARTRE.”

Love Is a fine art—reduced to a business. The latter is by far the more difficult of the two premises, as “ The Love Thief,” the featured attraction at Everybody’s Theatre next week, will endeavour to prove. A popular writer of the present day has stated that

“ most of us are more or less mercenary, especially with regard to affairs of the heart,” and the number of amusing and fascinating ways in which love, the fine art, can be twisted into a rather delightful business, form the seemingly frail basis of this comedydrama. It is a light, frothy story of political intrigue and court lo'vcs—always an interesting subject, and is treated with all the deft airiness and graceful comedy that, charac.teriso most European writers when they turn their facetious hands to royal romances. Most people have an insatiable curiosity concerning things that arc beyond their ken and which very likely will be impossible for them to actually experience. Therefore, for those who love tales of courtly conspiracies, and the private affairs which rock kingdoms.

" The Love Thief ” comes as a most welcome photoplay. It naturally adds zest and piquancy to a picture of this nature when it is learned that these stories are usually actual facts, events which have occurred in European

courts. Amazing things used to happen in the French Royal household during the reigns of some of the more romantic of the Bourbons, and as kings and princes are like the rest of men, what more natural than that a prince of the blood, when commanded to w.ed the dourest of royal women, should arise and assert himself? There is no dramatic tragedy in “The Love Thief.” despite the fact that a deeply dramatic story could have been woven around it. Jt is always a delicate and mirthful romance, the finnl scene even taking ou dimensions of faint farce. A wonderfully authentic atmosphere has been

captured by the director in the making of this picture, the mellow soul of the Old World making its presence felt in

a quietly insistent manner. It is most gorgeously produced, the throne room set being a reproduction of a certain European royal chamber. Norman Kerry, the leading romantic actor of the screen, plays the title role, a gay Lothario who finds the tables turned against him in humorous and unmistakable fashion. Greta Nissen heads the supporting cast, and acts with her customary easy gract and charm of manner. Marc M'Dermott and Cissy Fitzgerald also appear.

The exotic Barbara La Marr heads the cast of “ The Girl from Montmartre,” the second attraction on the programme. This colourful drama of the most romantic corner of Paris is adapted from “ Spanish Sunlight.” a story of the cafes and cabarets of the French capital, and the heavy hearts that are hidden under the bantering masks of dancing girls. It is a very simple matter to wax commonplace over such a theme, but this picture la conspicuous for its absence of the ordinary. Everything from the plot down to the merest detail is brilliantly new. and the superb acting of Miss La Marr accentuates, at every turn, the undoubted power and appeal of the picture. Lewis Stone, the actor who stands alpne in the field of leading-men, appears in support of the star.

The Select Orchestra, under Mr W. J. Bellingham, will play a special orchestra] programme, including the fol-lowing:-—Overture. “ Porta Westfalia” (Von Blon); suite, “Prelude et Cortege” (Debussy): “Scenes Alsaciennes” (Massenet); opera, “ Werther ” (Massenet), “La Bobeme ” ■ (Puccini); ballet music, “La |lvorrigane ” (Widor); entr'acte, “ Tlurfioresque ” (Dvorak); light selections, “ The Gondoliers ” (Sullivan), “Maid of the East” (Neale).

Box plans are at The Bristol Piano Company, where seats may be reserved.