PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 19638, 18 August 1927, Page 5

PICTURE THEATRES

OCTAGON Piclurogocrs will be given_ their final opportunity to-night of seeing Lillian Gish in her latest masterpiece, ‘ The Scarlet Letter.’ Entering with amazing wholc-heartcciness into the story, she ■ brings before the audience Hester Prynno herself, the girl who, surrounded by intolerance and repression, is forced to carry the badge of shame through life in order to shield the man whom she loved. In such scenes as the amazing pillory scene, where her lover, under the pretence of exhorting her, voices his Jove and remorse, while she vows deathless love, the poignant drama of the situation is so intense as to bo almost' unbearable. Lillian Gish has the inestimable gift of being able to be both beautiful and convincing as the illfated Hester. She plays the part of tho Puritan girl, facing life’s greatest tragedy with an appealing wistfuluess that grows into heart-rending tragedy as the powerful story unfolds. Playing opposite to Miss Gish is Lars Hansen in the leading masculine role, while others on the cast include Henry B. Withall, Karl Dane, and William looker. EMPIRE The final screening of ‘ M‘FaddciTs Flats’ will take place at the Empire Theatre to-night. In this picture, Charles Murray has the role of an Irish hod carrier, wiio aspires to be a famous builder, while Chester Conklin is ; ‘ seen as an economical Scottish barber. Despite the fact that they are continually wrangling, llior two men are last friends, and when the builder’s funds run low, the Scotsman, to tho surprise of everyone, makes a voluntary offer of financial assistance. Owing to the two men being such fast friends, their children are thrown together, and fall in love witli each other. When the girl is scut to a finishing school, however, she gains false ideas of her own importance, much to the disappointment of Her parents ami her fiance. Finally she sees her mistake, and is once more welcomed by her old friends, and finds happiness with the son of her father’s friend. Jack Lumsdainc, “Tho Whispering Baritone,’’ will also make his final appearance. To-morrow a double programme will bo featured. The lust attraction will be ‘ The Silent Lover,’ a tale of the French Foreign Legion, while the second will bo a story of adventures in tho African jungle, entitled ‘The Gorilla Hunt.’ QUEEN'S Though brimful of thrills and incident, the most entertaining phase of 1 Tumbleweeds,’ which will have its final showing at the Queen’s Theatre to-night, is its plot, which contains a lot of clever comedy, as well as some delightful romance. William S. Hart and Barbara Bedford have tho leading roles. ‘The Mysterious Bidcr’ is the attraction for to-morrow, and is one of the greatest /ane Grey pictures that lias been made since ‘To the Last Han.’ Filled with a last moving action, the story is oik; of the rugged outdoor Western type that is popular everywhere, Jack Holt, as Bent Wade, who is also the Mysterious Rider, from whom the picture gels its name, is excellently cast under tho direction of John 'Waters. Betty Jewel is the leading lady. David Torrence and Tom Kennedy, well-known screen players, arc also to he seen in the east. Others tire Charles Scilou, Guy Oliver, ivau Christie, and Arthur Hoyt. EVERYBODY'S ‘The Rotters,’ which will have its final screening at Everybody's Theatre to-night, tells the story of tho ups and downs of tho average family, and of its struggle through life. W. C. Fields is tho star, and with Ivy Harris and Mary Alden, tire well cast:. There are two love stories in ‘The Gay Deceiver,’ the supporting picture, one the re-established romance of the estranged parents, and tho other is of warm and vigorous youth, fighting its way through obstacles to a glamorous goal of destiny. Both are finely done by Cody and .Miss Phillips .as the adults, and by Malcolm M'Grcgor and .Miss Day as the youngsters. Tho story has a background of Paris and France, and there arc particularly interesting scenes of hack-stage theatre life in the French capital. The most notable international cast ever assembled lor one picture was brought together by Rex .Ingram for his production of ‘The Magician,’ which will have its first .showing at tin’s theatre to-morrow. Alice Terry, who enacts the leading feminine part, is the only American in flic large cast. Among the famous European artists in the cast are Paul Wegener, the noted Gorman actor, Firmin Gemicr, tho leading actor and stage director of France, and (van Petrovich, the brilliant young Serbian actor. The story of ‘Tim .Man Cpslairs’ concerns the love affair of a young man in search of romance and a girl in search of adventure, which has its beginning in the personal column of a newspaper, and which is carried ihrough a tangle of mystery by a thrilling murder. Monte Blue ami Dorothy Devore aro tho stars of the cast. PLAZA AND GRAND ‘.She’ ami ‘The Sensation will he finally screened at the Plaza and Gram! Theatres to-night. From the famous novel by Sir H. Rider Haggard, ‘She’ is a photoplay worthy of its subject, and tit to take its place among the finest pictures ever produced in England or abroad. Betty Blythe and Carlyle Blackwell are well placed in their respective parts. Billie Dove and Huntley Gordon are the stars in the other picture. RING EDWARD The excellent comedy programme at the King Edward Theatre will bo brought to a close this evening when ‘ M'Fadden’s Flats ’ and ‘ The Potters ’ will have their final screening. Tho first picture is an exceedingly funny one, with the well-known comedians Charlie Murray and Chester Conklin at the head of the cast. W. C. Fields is the star in the second feature, and ho is said to be at his best in his role of “Pa Potter.” Mary AI den and Ivy Harris are also featured.