'SHANGHAI BOUND'

Evening Star, Issue 19892, 14 June 1928, Page 5

'SHANGHAI BOUND'

RICHARD DIX'S LATEST EFFORT. ‘ Shanghai Bound,’ as well as ‘She a aheik,’ is billed for presentation at the Regent Theatre to-morrow. ‘Shanghai Bound,’ starring Richard Dix and Mary Brian, is said to do the first feature-length production laid in iho surging, tempestuous land that was once the placid nation of the dragon. Chinese river pirates are attacking ships to-day as they have for centuries. The only diflerence is that they have improved their methods. Organised bands of marine marauders operate up and down the Yangtse River from Shanghai, stripping luckless vessels they capture. They even attack ocean-going steamers. Authority for these statements is Edward S. (Tex) O’Reilly, former member of the International Police Force at Shanghai, and later drillmaster for the Chinese Imperial Army. Observations along the Yangtse River over a period of three years were set down recently by O’Reilly and offered to Paramount. His story ‘ Shanghai Bound ’ was snapped up at once as a Richard Dix starring vehicle. It has proved ideal material, _ according to critics. Dix plays a captain of a Yangtse River steamer in the picture, and his clforts to take a cargo of American lefugees down the river to Shanghai and safety form the skeleton of the plot. River pirates, spurred on by hunger, greed, and revenge, are the obstacles m his path, and ho overcomes them only after hard fighting all the way down. Alary Brian is the American girl Dix saves. Jocelyn Leo, Charles Byer, George Irving. Arthur Hoyt, Tom Maguire, Frank Chew, and Tetsu Korn a i appear in other important roles. Mose than 150 Chinese appear in the light scenes. ‘ She’s a Sheik ’ is the brightest comedy m which Bebe Daniels lias yet appeared. It is a riot of laughter from beginning to end, and has a French Foreign Legion setting. An elaborate stage presentation, ‘ln a Persian Garden,’ has been produced for this special programme by Mr Maurice Guttndge.