PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 19050, 19 September 1925, Page 9

PICTURE THEATRES

OCTAGON * Ashes of Vengeance.’ the most pre» tentious photoplay in which Norma Tal» maclge has ever been starred, and one of the biggest and most magnificent of productions, was initially screened at the Octagon Theatre last evening. ‘ Ashes of Vengeance 1 is a dramatic romance of turbulent France under the treacherous dominion of Catherine De Medici, power behind the throne of weak-willed Charles IX., in 1572. Norma Talmadge and Conwav Tearle are the central figures in its beautiful love story. The chief of the beautiful outside scenes are filmed in the gardens of William Millard Graham, a Santa Barbara millionaire, and some real triumphs in photography are obtained. There are also shown the grand ballroom of the Palace of the Louvre and other scenes of Paris down to the very slums. The picture is, apart altogether from the interest of the story, a tribute to the outstanding work of the kinematographio producer. The Octagon Concert Orchestra plays the following selections: —Massenet’s ‘ Suite of Three Pieces,’ Beethoven’s ‘ Symphony , No. I,’ first and second movement, Haydn Wood’s ‘ Three Famous Pictures Suite,’ Bozet’s ‘Petit Suit© d’Orchestra,’ Lambelet’s ‘Ballet* from the romanttic ' comedy-opera ‘Valentine,’ Fonld’s ‘Suite Fantastique,’ Suk’s ‘Minuet,’ Fletcher’s intermezzo ‘ Demoiselle Chic,’ from ‘ Parinien. Sketches,’ EMPIRE ‘ The Spoilers,’ which was shown for the first time at the Empire Theatre yesterday, is a stirring picture of Rex Beach’s celebrated novel of thojhistorlo clash that occurred in the Klondike when crooked politicians tried to rob the miners of their properties. Thi« book was a sensation in its day, and when a decade ago Selig made a film of it, that, too, was a big success. This version of ‘The Spoilers,’ which was produced by Jesse D. Hampton for Goldwyn, is declared to be one of the finest and most thrilling photoplays ever made. There is a remarkable cast of stellar players, headed by the manly Milton Sills, the beautiful Barbara Bedford, and with blond Anna Q. Nilsson as the sympathetic Cherry Malotte. Noah Beery, the powerful villain or many a movie, is at his sauve worst in ‘ The Spoilers.’ Robert Edeson, Mitchell Lewis, Ford Sterling, Rockcliffe Followes, Robert M‘Kim, and Same De Grasse are some of the other wellknown players in the cast. Miss Bedford is the girl from the. States with whom Sills, as Roy Glennister. falls in love. Miss Nilsson, a girl of the dance hall, who roams from camp to camp in the Northland, “ asking odds of no man.” The director has adhered closely to Beach’s story, which was founded on historic facts as viewed at close range. Critics have said that if anyone wants to see before his eyes the rough, reckless, and ready life of Alaska as it was in the days of the gold rush he can see it in ‘ The Spoilers.’ The Empire Orchestra plays selected music.

EVERYBODY'S AHD KING EDWARD The story of ‘The Tomboy,’ which is showing at Everybody’s and the King Edward Theatres, concerns an enterprising young lady called Tommy Smith, who has long been recognised as the village tomboy. It is common knowledge that a gang of bootleggers is operating in the village, and Tommy has reason to suspect her father, who is subsoquentlj' accused by the sheriff. Meanwhile, a stranger has come to the village, and Tommy, although she has fallen in love with him. accuses him of being in league with the bootleggers, and shows him the door. In the morning the sheriff is discovered dead on a lonely road with a bullet in his chest, and Tommy’s father is arrested. It is then that Tommy enters on a dangerous mission that nearly robs her of her life, but which ultimately clears up the mystery and wins her the stranger, who turns out to be a revenue officer, as a husband. ‘ The Galloping Dude ’ is the title of the main support at Everybody’s. QUEEN'S Richard Barthelmess is back on this screen of the Queen's Theatre in hit' latest photo drama, ‘ New Toys.’ Incidentally ‘ New Toys ’ serves to introduce Mary Hay (Mrs Barthelmess) to photoplay patrons as a leading woman. Since her marriage to Dick, back In the day when ‘Way Down East’ was being filmed, Miss Hay has given her work to tho speaking stage. She returns to tho screen, however, in the role of ■ the errant wife, lured from homo by stage ambitions and false friends. Her excellent work assures her a permanent position among the screen’s luminaries. The story of ‘New Toys’ is appealing because of its sheer realism. It presents a young couple in the early stages of married life, settling down to a future of apparent happiness with their little homo and baby. These are the “ new toys,” as they call them. The “ toys ” "begin to pall upon the wife, though, and niter a couple oi years she succumbs to the lure of tho stage. In this she is secretly encouraged by a former suitor and a former sweetheart of the husband. ‘ Tho Man Next Door ’ is the title oi tho companion picture. PLAZA AND GRAND Showing at tho Plaza and Grand Theatres is a double feature programme of unusual merit. The chief attraction is a Paramount comedy, entitled horty Winks.’ Tho story is one of Chumley, a titled Englishman, who is so funny that nobody takes him seriously. However, through a series of adventures, ns dangerous ns they are laughable, _hc succeeds In solving a mystery, vanning a society beauty, and saving her brother from disgrace. Hie leading roles are in the capable hands of such firm favorites as Viola Dana and Theodore Roberts, while considerable _mirth is created bv Raymond Griffith in tho part of Chumley. The second feature is The Folly oi Vanity,’ and Betty Blythe, famous as the Queen of Sheba, appears in this thrilling drama of modern life.