AMUSEMENTS.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19447, 22 October 1928, Page 7

AMUSEMENTS.

" COLLEGE." <>_ BUSTER KEATON IN CAP AND GOWN. CRYSTAL PALACE, TO-DAY. There are a great number of good American comedians appearing .on the screen at the moment, from the English Chaplin down to the very American and Bssertive Glenn Tryon. But it is doubtful whether any of these commands as great a following, or raises quite so many laughs, as Buster Keaton, invariably billed as "the solemn-faced comedian." Solemn boy he certainly is, who, in the midst of his own most precarious feats and his own most amusing clowning, preserves his wooden countenance. It may be this feature of his acting which appears the most amusing. However, it ib to no purposo to speculate as to just what it is that constitutes his popularity and his success as a comedian. The fact remains that his comedies are comedies, which is "more than can be said of most light films turned out by quasi-comedians by the gross. At tho Crystal Palace Theatre this week Keaton stars in "College," a United Artist picture, n picture with a bright and original story, with not so much of the usual trappings of silly little episodes and the big baseball match that tho college -wins for the first time in thirty years, and puts the herb on the map. This college has none of tliC3o obvious things, but a story that has one guessing, plenty of humour, a touch of Chaplin pathos, and the inevitable, but none the less charming, romance. "College" tells the story of a student with many brains, no brawn, and a certain "cissy" attitude that is not the least humorous part of the story. No one can play the "cissy" typo better than Buster Keaton. But the worm turns, after a period of ragging and heckling, and the picturo becomes very speedy and hectic and quite thrilling, and all tho while remaining a comedy. "College" will be liked, for it is different, always amusing, and it is good to see a comic actor with n new style. Snitz Edwards and Ann Cornwall are both in the cast.

The second picture is adapted from Edna Ferber's widely-read novel, "Gigolo." Miss Ferber enjoys a trcmendouß vogue on both sides of the Atlantic, and her. "Gigolo" is one of her best. The title is derived from a Parisian custom of calling professional dancing men. and professional partners in cabarets, gigolos. Rod La Rocque plays the rolo of an ex-soldier who lost his fortune, and, but ior plastic surgery, his fuce, in, the Great War. Like so many soldiers, he is overcomo-i>y his misfortunes, and drifts to a gigolo. The splendid Story is of his gradual-ascent into the ranks again, . mainly through, V>f courße, a woman. It is a good picture, this, and Rod La Rocque is splendid as the broken-down soldier. Jobyna Kalston, who was Harold Lloyd's leading woman in many pictures, and Louise Dresser, are also in the cast. Patrons of Crystal Palace will remember the Music Masters series ,of films which were screened a few months ago. This week a picture depicting incidents from the life of Richard Wagner will be screened. The friend of many Prussian princes, .Wagner led a life of case, and was enormously vain,' but pleasant. The picture is very interesting. The Symphony Orchestra, under Mr Alfred Bunz, plays the following musical programme:—Overture, "Scottish Patrol" (Williams), "Fifth Symphony" (Tschaikowsky), "The Hunt' (Wildeke), "Andante con Moto (Mendelssohn), "Lyric Suite'/ (Eugene d'Albert), "A Rustic Place" (Pinck), "The Man I Love" (Gershwin), "Coquetry (Leighy), "Giggles and Chuckles" (Finck). The box plans are at The Bristol Piano Company, ' -where seats may be reserved.