PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 19637, 17 August 1927, Page 3

PICTURE THEATRES

EWK ■ | A comedy of the evcr-popular Scot-tish-lrish type, called 1 APFadden s Flats,’ is the current attraction at tho Empire Theatre. The central figures in tho picture are a tight-fisted Scot and an inconsequential Irishman, Jock j j MTavish and Dan MTadden. Despite ■ the fact that the two men arc continually wrangling, they aro fast friends. APFadden is a builder, and his ambition is to erect a huge building, bear- I ing over the door tho words “M bad- j don’s Flats.”' The Scotsman, however, is determined to make a name for himself as a barber. With the two friends | so much together, it is but natural that i j their children should meet each other, | and they finally fall in love. M ith | APFadden’s increasing wealth, he is | | able to send his daughter to a finish- j | ing school, with tho result that she j | imagines herself above the level of her | family. APFadden suddenly finds' him- B self in financial difficulties, and M lay- | ish, to tho surprise of all, voluntarily i comes to tho help of his friend, and j, tho story is brought to a successful s conclusion. This picture has tho ebs- ? „ti notion of having no villain ,in the | | cast. The role of APFadden is played | by Charles Murray, while Chester t Conklin is seen as APTavish. Edna s Murphy has the leading feminine role, j while Dorothy Dwan is also seem to * advantage. Supporting the featured | | piayers arc a number of well-known , artists. , . . | Jack Lnmsdainc, “The Whispering B Baritone,” is heard in a comedy vocal s turn. It is announced that this pqpu- | lar vocalist is to pay a. return visit, | with a further selection of gems from | his repertoire. ’ OCTAGON j In ‘The Scarlet Letter,’ which is be- | ing screened at the Octagon Jheatrc, 1 Lillian Gish ,is seen in one of the | | most convincing performances of her | career. The film version of Nathaniel | Hawthorne’s wonderful sto - ; "ol love, a sacrifice, and intolerance in the days of j | the Pilgrim Fathers is historically cor- i | rect. Technically perfect though the 1 | picture is, it is tho inspired acting of j | Lillian Gish that lifts : t to the heights j | it has reached. Entering with amazing | | whole-heartedness into the theme of the \ | story, she brings before the audience \ | Hester Prynne herself, the girl who, | surrounded by intolerance and repres- ■ | sion, is forced to carry the badge i j of shame through life in order to , ■ shield the man whom 'she loved. I j In such scenes as-the amazing pillory | scene, where her lover, under the pretence of exhorting her, voices his love | and remorse, while she vows deathless love, the poignant drama of the situa- | tion is so intense as to ho almost un- j bearable. Lillian Gish has the inesfi- j mable gift of being able to bo both beautiful and convincing as the ill- s fated Hester. She plays the part of the | Puritan girl, facing life’s greatest tragedy with an appealing wistfulness that j grows into heart-rending tragedy as j tho powerful story unfolds. Leading | literary critics assert that The Scarlet I Letter’ stands alone as a model of fic- i tion; that its theme has served as a | model for countless other stories; and j that for sheer drama, emotional force, | and romantic beauty it still stands un- | rivalled. Playing opposite to Miss | Gish is Lars ‘Hansen in the leading | masculine role, while others on the cast | include Henry 13. Withall, Karl Dane, jf and William Looker. I EVERYBODY’S I Transferred from tho stage to the | screen, ‘The Gay Deceiver,’ the I a mens | legitimate success known as ‘ T oto,’ ol- | fers splendid ontertainment at Every- | body's Theatre. How Cody heads the | cast in tlie title role. He gives adis- | tinguished performance as a Parisian | boulevardicr. | Dorothy Phillips plays opposite Cody | in the role of the wife who was folor- fj ant enough to forgive the flirtations | of ho,r husband and begin all over again, i Others in tho cast include Carmel m Myers and Roy D’Arcy, Malcolm | APGrcgor and Marcclino Day. ‘Hie | Potters,’ which tells of father’s ndven- I Hires in oil bonds, and features TV. C. a Fields, Joy Harris, and Alary Aldcu, | is also shoe ing. _ j IS Another double-feature hill is jironi- j | ised patrons of this theatre on Friday, ! | ivlien Alice Terry and Paul Wegener j | appear in ‘The Magician. 1 and Monte ( a Bine and Dorothy Devore in ‘The Man j a Upstairs.’ | | QUEEN’S j I ‘ Tumbleweeds, ‘ a William Hart pro- i r, duction at the Queen’s Theatre, cqu- | tains many amusing and eiitei-tnlning | features not usually associated with | Western drama. Bomancc, wild comedy | and lino “townie’ character studies | form a big part of the entertainment, | and pretty Barbara Bedford is fea- I | lured prominently in the leading role. [ | Man’s battle with the desert, his never- | | ending light to wrest a living Irom the , | arid wastelands, is the background into i | which is woven Zanc Grey’s story, ‘The I I Mysterious Rider,’ which opens at the j | Queen’s Theatre on Friday. The fast-1 | riding Jack Holt plays the title role I of Bent Wade, whoso life is in danger | at the hands of tho homesteaders, he- j | cause of Ids suspected duplicity. The ■ | sequences in which he proves his inno- , | ccncc, at tho same time gaining tlicm qs back their meagre lands, which they were in danger of losing, is said to form one of tho most exciting motion pictures of the year. PLAZA AND GRAND Apart from being a splendid romantic conception, ‘Hue,’ one of the attractions at the Plaza, and Grand Theatres, suggests itself to everyone as being eminently suited to screen representation. The production, by G. B. Samuolson, of tho late Sir H. Rirler Haggard’s story is attracting very wide attention. The selection of Miss Betty Blythe for tho title role of ‘She,’ the white and wonderful Queen, is singularly happy, combining, as she docs, youth and beauty with high, histrionic ability. Carlyle Blackwell is in the role of Leo Vincent, who embarks with a friend in search of tho legendary ami mysterious Queen, who, defying death and time, has ruled for countless ages over a, barbarian people in the heart of blackest Africa. Billie Dove and Huntley Gordon arc co-starred in ‘The Sensation Seekers,’ the second picture. KING EDWARD An unusual comedy programme is, to be presented on the screen at the King Edward Theatre to-night, when ‘ APFadden’s Flats’ ami ‘The, Potters’ will be shown. In the first picture tho well-known comedinms Charlie Murray and Chester Conklin arc the stars, while W. C. Fields, Joy Harris,, and Alary Alden appear in the second feature. RGSIYN The double-feature programme to he screened at the Roslyn Theatre tonight, will be headed by Harold Lloyd in the hilarious production, ‘Hot Water.’ He is seen as a young man who is trying to navigate the stormy waters of matrimony, with charming Jobyna Ralston as his wife. The second attraction will be a thrilling Western entitled ‘Driftin’ Through.’ The story tells of Dan Brown, who breaks the bank in a gambling casino. He is later accused of murdering the owner of the casino, hut manages to escape, and is later instrumental in helping to protect a young girl from being defrauded by her foreman.

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