AMUSEMENTS, MEETINGS, ETC

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19346, 27 June 1925, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS, MEETINGS, ETC

MUNICIPAL PICTURES SPECIAL ATTRACTION There was a good attendance at the Opera House last evening to witness the initial screening of a Paramount super-production “Wages of Virtue," and the performance of Chun Yuen Tai the Chinese magician. The Foreign Legion, that famous, and tit the same time, notorious, regiment of missing men, enlists the outcasts of every country. Foreigners stranded in France, convicts fleeing from the law, broken down young aristocrats, anyone and everyone who can pUss the physical examination, it takes them all without question, trains them in the most cruel school in the world, and either kills them or turns them into soldiers That are the finest in the world, and possible the most unhonoured for their valour, for well does the Legion know that the mtin who doesn’t care whether he lives or dies lights as no man can who wants to live. A man is free to desert from the Legion if lie can, for the simple reason that nine times out of ten he can’t. Either the Arabs got him land slice him to pieces, bringing in hits enough to get their vulturous twenty-five francs reward, or the desert kills him. If he should be returned alive to the Legion, what he gets will either take his brain or his life, generally both. The Legion can afford to laugh at deserters. Glorila Swanson’s new Paramount production “Wages of Virtue” is a notable story of life in the Legion. Ben Lyon, her leading man. plays the role of a young legionnaire who is condemned to this torturous punishment. In the scene where he is one of the planting, straining, gasping wretches, Lyon achieves what is probably lus finest piece of realism. His next®step will bring him crashing to the ground. His next suffering minute will be his last. Thtat is the conviction of the spectator as he is swept by his emotions from his sheltered civilisation to live for a moment among the broken existence of the men of the Legion. Tn conjunction with the all-star picture programme is a delightful period of magic presided over by Chun Yuen Tai, a young Chinese, who is a worthy member of the conjuring fraternity. He has a quaint humour which adds considerably to the effectiveness of his work. Chun Yuen Tai performed a number of tricks which have often been done by other conjurers, but the fact that even that advantage did not help the audience to discover “how it is clone,” was a compliment to his skill. The turn was thoroughly enjoyed, and is well worth seeing. A matinee will be given this afternoon, and another performance this evening.