‘STEAMBOAT BILL, JUN.’

Evening Star, Issue 20128, 19 March 1929, Page 7

‘STEAMBOAT BILL, JUN.’

BUSTER KEATOK COMEDY FOR THE STRAND ‘Steamboat Bill. Jun,,’’ called by many who have seen it Buster Keaton’s funniest picture, will bo the feature attraction at the Strand Theatre on Friday The frozen-faced tunny man who gave such farces as ‘College,’ ‘ The General,' ‘ Go West,’ and others, now becomes the well-bred sun of a burly Mississippi River boat captain. ‘Steamboat Bill. .Tun.,’ spells laughter to the tune of half a million dollars, fur that amount was spent in the budding and wrecking of the huge riverside sets used in the picture. Keaton plays the part of a college “ boob,” who visits his father, the owner of o decrepit old river steamer. The day lie arrives a local magnate has put n. new and palatial vessel in the trade. 11 Steamboat Bill, Jun.,” finds that his college sweetheart is tho daughter of his father’s rival, but, nothing daunted, he joins forces with “old Bill” and takes part in the trade war. Things look black tor the crew of the old boat wh-r. a terrific hurricane springs up. The town is wrecked, the wharves are smashed, the gaol is blown down, and tho new steamer is sunk. The only surviving structure is the old steamer, on which BUI, Jun., sails to th,e rescue. Bill, Jun.’s adventures are amazing and his escapes miraculous. Tn each scene, the onlookers will be convulsed again and again. Ernest Torrance and Mary Byron support Keaton in this production. Tho former is hotn a comedian and a character actor of note. His success in ‘ Steamboat Bill, Jnn.,’ is outstanding.