AMUSEMENTS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18016, 7 March 1924, Page 11

AMUSEMENTS.

PICTUKE HOUSES. GRAND THEATRE. "'The Man They Could Not Hang," a completely new film version of the remarkable life story of John Lee, heads the current programme of motion pictures at the Grand Theatre. -Piccadilly Jim," featuring • Owen Moore, is another fine film. "IF WINTER COMES." When it was decided to present a screen version of A. S. M. Hutchinson's "If Winter Comes," which will open at the Grind Theatre to-morrow, William Fox first carefully discussed the proposed scenes with the author and with his help spent the batter part of a year in England faithfully s.aging those' scsnes. It may almost be said that the fictional characters stepped from between the covers of Ihe book <on to .he moving picture screen. The characters were bo real that it wasn't difficult to find their counterpart in life and the villages were so clearly and faithfully pictured that just such ones were found. And as the picture grew in length the enthusiasm of the author kept apace, while that of the English villagers was no less. Everybody seemed to wish success to the picture. Percy Marmont is the star. Beyond a question of a doubt Marmont is Mark Sabre. "No actor that didn't live and feel his part could possibly give such an accurate presentation aB does Marmont. Hutchinson himself has said that the selection of this accomplished English actor '-.» an inspiration. Harry .the director, told Mr Hutchinson that never brfore had he s:en the cast of a picture t>o thoroughly absorb the spirit of a play. There were occasions where it was necessary for the director, possibly an.hour after the shooting of a. screen, to order certain members of the cast to relapse—to forget their puts. Percy Marmont didn't have to relapse. He was a Mark Sabro before the book was written. Most o. the scenes seemed naturally to work ou', their own finish, so periect.'y did ths actor understand the characters iu the book. "High" and Low" Jinks, the two maids of Mark Sabre, merely kspt their eyes on Percy Marmont, adoring his every word and act, and went thtoueh their scenes Smoothly. They weren't but typical English servants who throughly undeistooi and ap preciated Maria- nt as thj ideal English master. And so it was with the English countryfolk. Everybody entered mt> th 2 spirit of the story. The scenes in the picture are not "stage sets," were filmed on English locations chosen by Mr Hutchinson One of the places is the fa r.cus Chi!hani Castle, with its tow 3 r said to have been built by Caesar "in 5b B.C. So keen was the interest throughout England in the filming of the picture that the War Omce permitted the entire Royal West Ken 1 , Regiment, with its officers, to pjrticipae. The regiment, famous in English history, is known as "The Buffs." Eight different English towns were photopaphed in the" taking of "If Winter Comes." . Those who helped in making the picture are Ann Forrest as Lady Tybar; Arthur Metcalf as.Hapgood; Sidney Herbert as Twyning: William Kolb as Haro.d Twynine- William Riley Hatch as the Rev. Sebastian Fortune; Raymond B oom-r as LoTd Tybar: Virginia Lee as Miss Winfield, Leslie King as "Humpo"; George P«I»rM Old Bright; James Ten Brook as the Coroner- Margaret Fieldin? as Gkd.B Leslie as Erne; Dorothy Allen as H_gh Jinks; Eleanor Daniels as Low Jinks, Eugenie Woodward as Mrs Perch, and Rusself Sedgwick as yonng Perch. A special musical score accompanies the wchHTwhich, owing to its length wil commrace screening each evening at 7.4* o'clock. Sings at the box office are already.heavy, and those intending to secure seats are advised to book early.

QUEEN'S THEATRE. "Yoa Can't Fool Your Wife" is the big Paramount attraction at the Queen's Theatre this week. Two exceptionally good comedy films, "Gift o' Gab' and "The Pest," are on the bill, and are responsible for much fun. LIBERTY THEATRE. "Penrod and Sam,- U» biff picfaw at the Liberty, is likely to eclipse all otiet films of boy life. Booth Tarirington, the author of the delightful book, has won for himself a certain place in literature for hu fine yarns of boys and boyish escapades. Ine Huntress" is anofcaer splendid fiba.