ENTERTAINMENTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 428, 20 November 1930, Page 11

ENTERTAINMENTS

“THE UNHOLY THREE.” LON CHANEY SPEAKS. A REMARKABLE FILM. The “Unholy Throe.” which opened at the Regent yesterday, with Chaney speaking in five separate voices, and even singing, gives the fans something really new under the sun. The new Metro-Goldwyn-Maycr picture shows Chaney in the role of the sinister ventriloquist, who with strange voices ami a still stranger plot works havoc in many lives. His impersonation of the ol<] woman is one of the most startling things he lias ever done, not only in regard to facial disguise, but to the uncanny voice disguise. Chaney, in his years on Iho stage, played many characters in many voices, and this training enabled ],im to become literally “a man of a thousand voices”—as well as faces. Aside from the -voices—a great story, a splendid cast, and a gripping mystery make the picture one of the most vivid of entertainments. Lila Loe plays the heroine as a hardhoilod child of the side shows, who discovers that she ran love as ardently as her sisters nn the higher strata of humanity (and Elliott Nugent has the role of the clerk she loves') with deft artistry. Jack Conway’s clever direction is apparent in many splendidly done scones. Ono of the real surprises is Harry Earles. the midget, who is the only one in the cast who appeared in the original silent version. Earle irfjects whimsical comedy into his dialogue with the deft facility of a seasoned stage actor, and gives an amazing interpretation of the role Ivan Id now. as the giant, offers a. vivid and accurate characterisation, and his scenes with the giant ape will be long remembered. Cranford Kent, Clarence Burton John Miljan and others in the cast are seen in adequately filed roles. GRAND THEATRE “TEMPLE TOWER” In “Temple Tower,” the new Fox all-talking Movietone offering which features further and more 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 ttie Masked Stranger. This unique melodrama is now showing 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 th<* progress of the narrative. Marceline Day enacts the leading feminine role with Henry B. Walthall, Peter Cawthorne, Cyril Chadwick, Ivan Innow, A. B. Lane and Yorke Sherwood in the chief supporting parts. One of those 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 Spa Rose,” and •’Pleasure Crazed.” The supports include “Hired and Fired,” comedy “So This Is Marriage” and Fox Nows. On Saturday The Radio Comedy, “Ho Know Women.” will ho the star attraction. featuring Alice Joyce and Lowell Sherman. Seats may be booked at the office.

MAJESTIC THEATRE. “SWING HIGH.” ML'SICAL EXTRAVAGANZA. Seven of the best song writers in America contributed six numbers to “Swing High,’’ Pal he’s musical circus romance, which was presented at the Majestic Theatre yesterday. The 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 Shehan. The lyrics were written by John Ruskin. A notable feature of “Swing High’’ is the 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 Edcson. and By rant 'Washburn, popular screen stars, Stephin Fetchit, celebrated negry screen funmaker. Dorothy Burges.-, stage star, Helen Twelvetrees, Daphne

Pollard, Nick Stuart, Sailv Starr, William Langan and Little Billy, famous midget. Packed with drama, novelty, thrill, action, music, song, beauty and 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 Santlcy, 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, arc entitled to fill the praise a distinctly superior screen achievement invariably invites.

SHOP DAY As advertised elsewhere, a Shop Day will be held by the Fordell and Okoia ladies in the late Meat Freezing Co.’s premises on Friday next, the 21st November, from 9 a.m. Large quantities of lamb, produce, home made cakes, jams, etc., will he on sale. The proceeds are for the Convent Jubilee. HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. THE SUMMER SHOW. Arrangements arc well in hand in connection with the Summer Show, to be held under the auspices of the Wanganui Horticultural Society in the Old Museum Buildings, Drew’s Avenue, tomorrow, opening at 2.30 p.m. The entries show 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 exhibits in the decorative and cut flowers sections, and the indications are that the displays under these headings will be of unusual excellence. Excellent entries have been received