AMUSEMENTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 115, 17 May 1930, Page 15

AMUSEMENTS

THE MAJESTIC “THE THREE GODFATHERS” “The Three Godfathers,” the film version of Peter B. Kyne’s famous story opens at the Majestic Theatre to-day. It is all-talking and has a remarkable cast which includes Charles Bickford, Raymond Hatton and Fred Kohler in the roles of the throe godfathers. Six weeks in desert country in the height of summer was the portion of the Universal company filming “Hell’s Heroes.” Universal determined that the scenes shown should be those actually described in the story. This meant taking the entire company into the Mojave Desert in the heart of summer. For six weeks the camera followed the actors through a land of intense desolation, of sun glare on wastes of rock, sand cactus and twisted Joshua trees. For the most part the thermometer stood at more than .120 degrees. The “Three Godfathers” probably suffered most. The roles of Charles Bickford, Raymond Hatton and Fred Kohler called for them to let their beards grow, and to wear dirty, tattered clothes. When they finally came out of the desert, a trio of scarecrows would have looked respectable in comparison. The scenic background of the picture is vivid and awe-inspiring in the extreme. In addition to the striking desert shots, there arc intensely interesting scenes of the famous “ghost city” of Bodie, Cal., once a great mining town now inhabited b* only a handful of oldtimers hoping against hope for “boom times” to come again The exceptional cast of the “Hell’s Heroes” includes Fritzi Ridgeway, Maria Alba, Joe de la Cruz. Buck Connors and Walter James. William Wyler directed the picture which was prepared for the screen by Tom Reed.

In order that the story should be in every degree technically correct, Universal sent Tom Reed to San Francisco to consult Kyne in tho preparation of the story. Several weeks were given to such conferences. The film is one of the best known of Kyne’s many successful books. Universal considered it as exceptional material for a picture, both from camera and dialogue angles, and the belief was more than justified in results. The film is a remarkable blending of romance, adventure, pathos and humour, DUOHESS THEATRE. Lovers of a riotous comedy farce based on an excellent romance, will get a break to-night at the Duchess Theatre, where “The Cohens and Kellys in Atlantic City,” opens. As funny as were Universal’s previous Cohen-Kelly picures they suffer in comparison to this latest joy-epic from Carl Lacmiule’s studios. An unusually noted cast takes part. George Sidney, in the starring role of Cohen, gives one of his funniest portrayals. Vera Gordon, in the role of Mrs Cohen, is as always, an excellent farce comedienne. Mack Swain and Kate Price, as the Irish contingent battle the Cohens to a t’u for comedy honours. William Craft direct-

ed with commendable deftness. “The Cohens and Kellys in Atlantic City’ 7 is the story of a pair of big bathing suit men whose angle on beach wear is as old-fashioned as long dresses. The business is going to the dogs when a snappy son and an equally modern daughter get rid of their parents long enough to bring the styles right up to the present, and oven a little bit higher, thus saving the business. “Varsity,” Charles (Buddy) Rogers’ first starring Paramount picture, showing at the Duchess Theatre tonight, is unusual, in that, although a picture of college life, it contains none of customary embellishments which have hitherto appeared on the screen as characteristic of college life. “Varsity” is a story with a background of college life as it is. SILENT FILMS THE MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES 1 ‘Where East is East,” grim mystery drama of the. Siamese jungles, is Lon Chaney’s now Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer starring vehicle which will open at the Opera House to-day with the character star in the role of a trapper of jungle beasts. The story varies sensational fights with wild animals with a plot, of retribution so startling that it. writes a new chapter in the history of Chaney offerings. Chaney wears an amazing make-up. nis face and body being covered with artificial scars that suggest many a grim battle with some recalcitrant tiger or leopard in the jungles. The compound showing his queer collection of

beasts, is a veritable zoo, and his elephant rides, and shipping of savage animals down the river in canal boats are picturesque embellishments to the big production.

Lupo Velez appears as the daughter of the grim jungle trapper, and Estelle Taylor is seen in the role of a sinister Oriental vamp. Lloyd Hughes plays the romantic lead, a young Westerner visiting the jungles.

Elephants, tigers, leopards, wild birds and a giant, gorilla, all borrowed from a circus, add menace and thrills to the drama, and Chancy ’s sensational trapping of a tiger, his desperate battle with an escaped Bengal, and his battle to the death with the huge gorilla are sensational high-lights embellishing the

entral love theme “Marked Money” will be shown ir. upport of “Whore East is East.”

THE REGENT A DOUBLE STAR PROGRAMME .Said by reviewers to be one of the most dramatic and thrilling synchronised pictures in which charming Phyllis Haver has been seen since her success in “Chicago,” her new P.D.C. star picture, “Sal of Singapore,” will be on view at the Regent Theatre to-day. Alan Hale and Fred Kohler are featured in her support. Miss Haver has the role of a dance hall frequenter in a Mexican port and two husky he-men ship captains fall in love with her. They engage in one of the most thrilling fights ever screened. A babe in arms wins the love of Sal and through this purifying influence, she is regenerated. The picture, directed by Howard Higgin, is packed with highly colourful scenes. The supporting cast includes Nobel Johnson, Dan Wolhcim, Jules Cowles and Pat Harmon. In support of “Sale of Singapore,’’ “High Voltage” will be shown. Commencing on Tuesday will be 1 ‘The Laughing Lady,” said to be Ruth Chatterton ’s greatest film. THE GRAND “THE DELIGHTFUL ROGUE” The attraction at the Grand to-day and to-night is Radio Pictures’ alltalking feature “The Delightful Rogue,” featuring Rod La Roque and and Rita La Roy, which is recommended us being more suitable for adult audiences. La Rocque is seen as Lastro, tho Latin Pirate, who steals a yacht “The Golden Rule,’* and turns to plunder a group of tropical isles. There he meets and kidnaps Nydra, a beautiful red-headed dancer, who is the delight of an inland cafe. How he aids her in a unique test of another love, and how he and his crew of colourful vagabonds settle an affair with the police of Tapit, is from a yarn by Wallace Smith, adapted from his own original cosmopolitan story “A Woman Decides.” Rita La Roy, a tall titian beauty from the vaudeville stage appears as Nydra and sings the beautiful theme song ‘‘Gay Love,’* which already lias become a radio and dance orchestra favourite. This popular star is tho daughter of an English nobleman, Sir James Stuart, and was a great favourite on the Canadian stage before talkies attracted her. The supporting cast includes Charles Byer, Edward Brady, Harry Semesis, Sam Blum and Bert Moorehouse. The settings in the tropics are magnificent, and the story is a true vivid picture of romance and adventure that will delight, all who see and hear it. The recording is excellent. The featurettes include Fox News and a very amusing all talking comedy entitled “The Setting Sun,” and another thrilling chapter of tho sound and talking picture, “The Ace of Scotland Yard.” THE GRAND “THE COCK-EYED WORLD” Long awaited but well worth the waiting for, “The Cock-Eyed World,” Raoul Walsh’s masterful Fox Movieton effort, will come to toxvn next Monday and commence an extended season ' at the Grand Theatre. i Since the advent of talking pictures, Ino production has come to this city with such glorious acclaim from all parts of the country as this achievement of Movietone, which by the way is an all-talking picture. Based on a story by Laurence Stallings and Maxwell Anderson, who coauthored the memorable “What Price Glory,” it features Victor McLaglen, Edmund Lowe and Lily Damita—Lowe and McLaglen again the fighting marI ines but now, in times of peace, confining their chief battles to passages at | arms over their v?r : °'’ c ’ h'lv loves.

The trend of the story takes the spectator to Russia, to the tropics, and to New York and Coney Island. Lily Damita, more fascinating than ever, is their girl of the tropics; Leila Karnelly their Russian girl, and Jean Bary their New York girl. Quelling an uprising in the tropics is their only opportunity to do tho battling the marines are noted for, and Walsh has, even in his comparatively minor engagement, eclipsed for drama, force and thrills any battle of “What Price Glory.” “The CockEyed World” has every ingredient that makes for real pastime: humour, sparkling dialogue, hectic love scenes, tense drama, and a happy combination of all those things that appeal, from the screen, especially to the feminine sex. The supporting cast is excellent, with El Brendel, former star of musical comedy and vaudeville, reaping plenty of honours with his incomparable portrayal of a Swede marine. “Olson.” Joe Bro', n, Bobby Burns, and Ivan Liow also have important roles. In this massive super attraction the following additions give an excellent idea of its elaborate production. There were two U.S. navy bands, Russian Balalaikai orchestra of twelve soloists, famed Mexican Marimba Band of Agua Caliente, also Jose Arias Spanish String Band Screnadcrs; ‘‘hottest” California jazz orchestra, in coney dance sequence and U.S. Naval Barracks orchestra; three song hits, “So Long,” marching song of U.S. marines, sung by 600 lusty “leathernecks,” “Elenita,” delightfully sung by exquisite Lily Damita, “So Dear to Me,” theme song beautifully rendered by Bobby Burns. That author of a hundred vaudeville and musical comedy successes, Billy K. Wells, xvrote the dialogue, while none other than Director Walsh wrote the scenario. Intending patrons are advised that owing to the exceptional demand for seats it would be wise to make application at tho b x office e"- 1 1 disappointment.