"ISLE OF RETRIBUTION."

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19170, 29 November 1927, Page 13

"ISLE OF RETRIBUTION."

STIRRING ALASKAN DRAMA. AT QUEEN'S THEATRE. "The Isle of Retribution," a story of the frozen wastes of Alaska, adapted from Edison Marshall's famous novel, is the headliner at tho Queen's Theatre this week. It stands out head and shoulders over the melodrama of the biting north of recent memory. It is superbly acted by a strong caste, headed by Lillian Rich and Victor McLaglen. There aw some gripping situations, and the scenery of the frozen north ia very fascinating. Ned Cornet, son of Godfrey Cornet, an old, hardened pioneer of the north, who has made millions in fur, is all but a wastrel, the typical rich man's Bon. His life is a round of wild parties. At tho conclusion of one, he hits Bess Gilbert with his car as she is trying to save a child from being run over. Cornet, sen., takes a liking to Bess, and she becomes his secretary. The father, in order to bring Ned to his senses, makes up a party to inspect his outlying trading poet. Lenore Harden worth, a society fortunehunter, after the Cornet money, joins the party, taking her mother with her. Owing to Captain Knuteson getting drunk, the schooner runs into a gale, and, striking an iceberg, goes down. Ned, Lenore, and Bess get off with a.mate in an open boat and reach an island off Alaska. Here tb*y find Docrrasdorf, a forbidding figure, living close alone with an Indian squaw named Sindy. Doomsdorf, a refugae from the Siberian salt mines is a brute, and shoots the mate down on the beach when he disobeys an order. Bees has seen this, but is unable to warn Ned in time to head off Doomsdorf. The latter rules with an iron hand, thrashing Ned twice, and threatening Lenore repeatedly. Bess has a strong will, and after a while Doomsdorf gradually admires her for it. Ned and Bess try to escape, but Doomsdorf catches them, wed leads him across a bear-trap and he is trapped. In an excitipg- part of the story Sindy is about to hurl a etone at Ned, but he dodges it and Sindy's foot starts an avalanche which buries Doomsdorf forever. Ned and Bess escape serosa thfl ice, leaving Lenore and her mother until help reaches them. Lillian Rich has a very suitable part as Bess Gilbert, and does it well. As Doomsdorf, Victor McLaglen gives a P«nect characterisation of a "brute Robert Frazer does good work as Ned Cornet. "Gun Shv" is a breezy ■Western story, which has all tho charms of a film of this kind Franklyn Fanner makes a good marshal, and gets through his fighting tasks liks a Toia Mix. Florence Gilbert has a charming manner, and the rest of the cast are well suited to their characters. Shore Shy" is a good comedy, and the rest of tho films are well varied and complete an all-round star programnio.