ENTERTAINMENTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 427, 19 November 1930, Page 11

ENTERTAINMENTS

LON CHANEY SPEAKS’ “THE UNHOLY THREE” HERALDED AS AN OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION Acuriosity equal to that which was occasioned by tho appearance of Greta Garbo in her first talking picture has teen aroused in connection with the showing to-day at the Regent Theatre of Lon Chancy’s initial talking production, “The Unholy Three” in which’ the “man of many faces” will introduce movie audiences for the first and last time to his many voices.

The principal scenes of the picture are laid first in the environment of a circus side show section and later in a bird and animal shop in which Chaney in the disguise of an old woman hides from the police who arc seeking him for murder. In the petshop sequences Chaney reveals a new’ angle of his versatile talents, that ot ventriloquism by which he makes the parrots “talk.” By the same method he make* the dummy in the side-show sequences not only talk but sing “Sweet Rosie O’Grady.” Ii is said that when the side-show scenes were filmed the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio Jots looked like the combined Barnum Bailey and Ringling Brothers Circus grounds what with freaks, animals, trapeze performers, hula-hula dancers and other typical details of a gaudy side-show sector. Chancy, who achieved a distinguished niche in filindom for his impersonations and disguises in such pictures as “Road to Mandalay,” “The HunchlAiuk of Notre Dame,” “Thunder,” and “Tell It To the Marines,” among others, presents an entirely new aspect as a talking player. With a resonant baritone voice and an uncanny facility for imitating characters voices, gleaned from his twenty years on the stage, he can literally “make up” his voice as he does his face so that it is difficult to guess just which of his vocal disguises is most like his natural speech. Dramatic spots in “The Unholy Three” include the fight in the sideshow after the ventriloquist attempts to pick the pockets of an onlooker; the mysterious murder on Christmas Eve; the scene in which the embittered midget sets loose an orang-outang so that he can attack the side-show giant; and Chaney’s final scene in the courtroom where he is revealed by tearing off the old woman’s disguise.

MAJESTIC THEATRE. “SWING HIGH.” MUSICAL EXTRAVAGANZA. Seven of the best song writers in America contributed six numbers to “Swing High,” Bathe’s musical circus romance, which will be seen and heard at the Majestic to-day. Tho result is that this production includes a song cycle that for variety of rhythm, romance and comedy, is the finest that has been presented since the inception of talking pictures. “Happiness Over the Hill,” sung by Fred Scott, was written by Henry Sullivan and Ray Egan. Sullivan also wrote the melody for “The Farmer’s Daughter,” a comedy number sung by Daphne Pollard and John Shchan. The lyrics were written by John Ruskin. A notable feature of “Swing High” is tho remarkable cast of players portraying the various roles in this dramatic love romance of the romantic circus days in the middle seventies. The list embraces among others Chester Conklin and Ben Turpin, famous screen comedians, George Fawcett, Robert Edeson, and Byrant Washburn, popular screen stars, Stephin Fetchit, celebrated negro screen funniaker, Dorothy Burgess, stage star, Helen Twelvetrees, Daphne Pollard, Nick Stuart, Sally Starr, William Langan and Little Billy, famous midget. Packed with drama, novelty, thrill, action, music, song, beauty an-1 charm,’ “Swing High” is one of the most colourful, all-music, all-dialogue pictures thus far produced by Pathe. From the standpoints of colour and spectacle, it is brilliant, while from the viewpoints of art and appeal, it is supreme. An entire circus with forty acts was employed in the various ring scenes enacted before an audience of two thousand men, women and children. From start to finish the action is speedy, and E. B. Deer, the producer, aided by Joseph Santley, the director, devoted all their energies to the task of making “Swing High” one of the finest pictures of its kind ever filmed. Supported by sixteen all-star stage and screen players, who contributed the best their art and talents could supply, the producer, director, author and others identified with the production, are entitled to all the praise a distinctly’ superior screen achievement invariably invites.

WANGANUI MALE CHOIR.

The above society arc presenting to honorary members their second concert of the season, “The Desert,” Fclicien David’s now famous symphonic ode, is being performed by the Choir, whose rendition of this piece is second to none in the Dominion. The Orchestral Society arc assisting the Choir, having shown a desire * again take part. Mr Hubert Carter m the soloist. Box plan at H. I. Jone J,

FAREWELL RECITAL. Interest, by variety of the items, will be maintained throughout the programme of the farewell recital by Hubert Carter, the eminent tenor. A large group of songs by modern English composers, songs of Schubert, Mendelssohn, Beethoven and Schumann and the great cycle of gipsy songs Dy Dvorak are included. A novelty will be the Russian songs of Igor Stravinsky. These are from the ‘ultra modern school, and will have their first New Zealand performance at this recitai. The operatic arias are taken from operas of Mozart, Rossini, Massenet and Tschaikowsky. The latter composer’s opera, “Eugene Onegin,’’ has one of tho most difficult but appealing arias written for the tenor voice and this will be another item to be heard for the first time here. Instrumental items by Miss Dorothy Hughes-John-son, Messrs Alpha Ramsay and Gordon Mcßeth will meet with most popular acceptance. The exacting accompanying will be in the capable hands of Mr

GRAND THEATRE “TEMPLE TOWER” In “Temple Tower,” the new Fox all-talking Movietone offering which features further and mure exciting exploits of H. S. McNeile’s fearless adventurer, Kenneth Mac Kenna plays the role of Captain Hugh /Drummond and, among other things, throws lariats, climbs walls and chimneys, dodges falling weights, engages in various gun-battles, outwits several desperate criminals, including tTio Masked Stranger. This unique melodrama opened last evening at the Grand Theatre. Donald Gallagher who directed the production is said to have combined a ra-pid-fire and highly breathless story with a novel form of treatment which provides a delightful alternation of thrills and roars throughout the progress of the, narrative. Marceline Day enacts the leading feminine role with Henry B- Walthall. Peter Cawthorne, Cyril Chadwick, Ivan Linow, A. B. Lane and Yorke Sherwood in the

chief supporting parts. One of these men, by the way, is the Strangler himself. Previous notices hail Mac Kenna’s work as equal to the performances established in such outstanding notable Fox Movietone successes as “Adventures of 513,” “Love, Life and Laugh,” “South Sea Rose,” and “Pleasure Crazed.” The supports include “Hired and Fired,” comedy “So This Is Marriage” and Fox News.

SUMMER SHOW. WANGANUI HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. Arrangements are well in hand in connection with the summer show to be held under the auspices of the Wanganui Horticultural Society in the Old Museum building, Drew’s Avenue, on Friday next, November 21, opening at 2.30 p.in. The hon. secretary has already received intimation that growers in the rose section will be well represented and this branch of the show alone will reward the patronage of the general public. Strong committees have been appointed to attend to the exhabits in the decorative and cut flower sections and the indications are that the displays under these headings will be of unusual excellence. Prospective exhibitors are again reminded that entries close with the hon. secretary, Mr V. B. Willis, to-night at 8 o’clock. Lady friends are requested to bring gifts of food for the afternoon tea stall as arrangements have been made to continue the serving of afternoon tea, which has met with such approval in tho past.

WANGANUI EAST. ST. ALBAN’S HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. The annual report and balance-sheet to be presented to the annual meeting of the society to-morrow evening, is of an interesting and encouraging character. The balance-sheet shows an income of £lOB J3s 4d and an expenditure of £lO7 6s sd. About £4O worth of trophies have been donated during he year, so that the society, which

was resurrected three years ago, is now able to offer valuable cups for competition at each show. One of the chief successes of the year was the inauguration of the Daffodil Show, when the exhibits were of a high class. The lecturettes on horticulture also marked a new and popular departure. An important matter to be considered will be the proposal to drop the connection with the Methodist Church and work as an independent society. The church authorities have agreed to a plan submitted by tho executive, which if carried by tho meeting will give the society greater freedom of action, although all through finance has been oni firely separate from church accounts. The meeting will be held in St. Alban’s Hall on Thursday at 7.30 p.m.