PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 19263, 31 May 1926, Page 1

PICTURE THEATRES

OCTAGON Richard Farthelmess, .in his newest feature, ‘Shore Leave,’ is seen as “ Bilge ” Smith, a, care-free American sailor. He, has a girl in every port and can forget them until his ship happens to put into that particular harbor again. Connie Martin, . a little dressmaker in a. Now. England sea town, loses her heart to “Bilge." He goes away with his ship. and Connie seeks to find him. Just when the quest seems futile “ Bilge " drifts hack to discover love and happiness. ‘ Shore Leave ’ is fresh and original in its directorial treatment. It has been described as the mo»t original comedy of the year. Farthelmess gives a striking and humorous performs nee as the sailor, and the role of Connie Atartin is delightfully taken hy Dorothy Alackaill. Other distinguished players in the cast are Marie Shotwell, Ted APNamarn. Nick Long, and Arthur Aletralf. ‘Shore Leave.’ is at the Octagon 'Theatre. HAROLD I.LOYD'S LATEST COATING.

A fine programme is promised for initial presentation at the Octagon Theatre next Friday. Harold Lloyd, the king of comedians, will he seen in his latest joy ju’eture, ‘ Girl Shy.’ Variety is the spied of life, and it is also the secret, of success in making good motion pictures. Alany stars fall into a rut. because they insist upon making the same line of pictures and using the same kinds of characterisations. They never change because they feel the public is used to seeing them in a certain typs of picture. Such is .not, the case, however, with Harold Lloyd. Ho is seen in 1 Girl Shy ’ in an entirely novel characterisation, as a bashful small-town boy, who is an ajiprentiee to his uncle, a tailor. He makes a secret study of girls, although not. a very accurate one, and the more lie studies them, the more ho fears them. EMPIRE The screen version of Thomas Hardy’s immortal hook, ‘ Tess. ol the D'Uriiervilles.’ is (lie attraction at the Empire Theatre this week. The story tells of John Dnrbeyfield, a drunkard, who learns that he is distantly related to the squire of the district, Alec, the last of the great I)’Frbervilie family. Ho sends Ins daughter, Tess, to the D’Urherville mansion where Aloe, taking advantage of her innocence and helplessness, compels iier lo return homo, disgraced. Later, Tess meets Angel Clare, and the two fall in love. Before their marriage Tess writes the story of her jiasf, and sends it to Angel. Ry an accident he does not get it. and only learns the truth when Tess refers to the letter on their wedding night. The shock drives Angel away, and Tess returns home. Slip is in desperate straiU when Alee asks her to divorce Angel and marry him. She consents, hut the night he takes her away ho again ntt.-i'-ks her. and Tess kills him. Angel returns and tries to save Toss from the law. hut cannot succeed .

During the screening. Em Empire Select Orchestra, under the baton of Mr Charles Parnell, renders an appropriate musical programme.

QUEEN'S AND KING EDWARD Thrilling situations are abundant in ‘ Sporting Life’ at the Queen's and King Edward 'Theatres. The story is t,he screen version of the famous play, and deals with different, kinds of .sport in Britain. EVERYBODY’S 1 A Son of His Father ’ is a fast AA'estern story that carries the audience into the centre of a. hand of cattle thieves of the worst kind. The siijiports are headed by ‘ Your Friend and Mine,’ featuring Enid Bennett and Hun fly Gordon." The story tells how a villainous artist is marie to atone for the life of a. young girl. PLAZA AND GRAND T/nn Chaney appears at the Plaza, and Grand Theatres in his latest, picture, ‘The Alnnster.’ and although it is “ creepv " to an intense degree it has a remarkable grip. Lon Chaney himself is splendid. In a fantastic story such ns ‘ The Monster,’ less able players would have overdrawn the part, hm it is a fault of which he rannot he neeused. The second picture on the programme is ‘The Narrow Street.’ Enjoyable music is rendered at- the Plaza, bv an instrumental trio.