AMUSEMENTS AND MEETINGS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20128, 23 April 1928, Page 11

AMUSEMENTS AND MEETINGS

“THE CAT AND THE CANARY” If the Sighs and shrieks of the womenfolk can be counted as some sort of a criterion, then “The Cat and the Canary,” the Universal Production, which in its initial screening at the New Grand Theatre on Saturday night gave such satisfaction, can be said to contain more mystery, compounded with tragedy and drama, than the usual type of mystery picture. The film adaption of this well-known stageshows conclusively the advantage the camera ha,s over the playwright, who is limited to space to achieve the effects, of his composition. The photography in the production is extraordinarily well executed, and the imaginative observer might easily be led to regard the scene before his eyes as being unpleasantly real.. Those who saw the play will remember the lack of humour there was as the mystery was unfolded in the intensely gripping scenes of the drama. The audience did not dare to laugh. Probably to suit the taste o£ the motion-picture pa-, tron, the producers of the film version have thought it fit to introduce certain features that provide a variation from the original theme. For instance in the play one did not see the hero prostrate under the bed of his hysterical old aunt, watching the process of her undressings. Nor did one se that bespectacled old lady fleeing from the ghostly mansion of the deceased Sylas West on the.milk-waggon accompanied by the equally nervous milkman. The story was taken from the famous stage success by John Willard. It concerns the adventures of a group o'f six people who are gathered together in an abandoned country mansion, at the hour of midnight. They had been brought there by the reading of a will 16ft by a wealthy relative. The attorney reveals that the testament names Annabelle West, played by Laura La Plante, as the chief legatee. Almost immediately after the contents of the will have been disclosed, things begin to happen to those "who had gathered in the spooky old mansion, which had been in the sole care of a negro, voodoo-worshipping mammy. Throughout the unfolding of the dramatic sequences of the photo-drama run all the dements of suspense, mysterious disappearances, murder and emotional climaxes. Paul Leni, who achieved fame as the accomplished dii*ector of “The Three Wax Works,” employed a number of novel situations to heighten the emotional reactions, including many deft camera touches supplied by Flora Finch. Laura La Plant is admirable as the harassed heroine and her supporting cast does splendid work. Hie other featured players are Arthur Edmund'Carew, Forest Stanley, Tully Marshall. Martha Mattox, Lucien Littlefield, George Siegrnann, Flora Finch, Gertrude Astor, all of whom interpret their parts with finished dramatic artistry. Two topical gazettes and a Stern Brothers’ comedy-farce, entitled ‘My Mistake,” form the first section of a splendid programme, which will be continued throughout tbe week.

WANGANUI Y CLUB. A meeting of the Wanganui Y Club was held in the Y.M.C.A. on I'riday night, at which 34 were present. -Lon new members were initiated. The meeting was presided over by Miss M. Kay, and a very descriptive account of th e recent W.C.T.U. Conference was given by Mrs Bathgate. A syllabus for the year, including debating, impromptu speaking and .other interesting subjects, was read. The business was followed with supper and a very pleasant social hour, during which games and items were enthusiastically carried through.