PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 20320, 31 October 1929, Page 9

PICTURE THEATRES

EMPIRE Richard Barthelmess is the star in * Weary River ’ at the Empire Theatre. It is the story of a singing convict, and contains an abundance of action and sentimental dramatic interest. It was directed by Frank Lloyd from the short story by Courtney Ryley Cooper, and introduces Betty Compson as the -feminine lead opposite Barthelmess. Others in the cast include William Holden, Louis Natbeaux, George Stone, Raymond Turner, Robert O’Connor, and numerous others of cinematic note. OCTAGON One actually lives in Switzerland while watching Emil Jamnings’s new masterpiece, ‘ Betrayed ’ (the Octagon Theatre feature to be finally shown tonight). Mighty mountains form inspiring background for a majestic story. Emil Jannings is. mayor of a mountain village. Beautiful Esther Ralston is his girl wife, and Gary Cooper, “ the man’s man of the screen,” is the third member of the triangle. Andre Frey, handsome, young, romantic Viennese artist, comes to the little Alpine village, where Vroni, a beautiful Swiss peasant girl, lives with her parents, and when the spring comes he has won her. heart. They are deeply ia love, and Andre, forced to return to Vienna, vows that he will return to make her his wife. Until that time they promise to keep their love a secret. When Andre does return to the village he finds Vroni has been married to Poldi Moser, the mayor of the village, a well-to-do, good-natured man in middle life. Vroni explains to Andre that her father insisted that she marry Poldi and that she could not put him off. She introduces Andre to Poldi as an old friend who has just lost his sweetheart. Poldi is most sympathetic, and welcomes Andre to his home. Things do hot run smoothly, however. There is tragedy and a pleasing climax. Excellent short features are shown, including an all-talkie comedy and a Paramount sound news. The “ Octagon Storyteller ” has a number of new jokes to “crack.” REGENT A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer all-talking picture, ‘ The Idle Rich,’ is the principal attraction at the Regent Theatre. The film is interpreted by a large cast of players headed by Conrad Nagel, Bessie Love, and Leila Hyams. Mr Nagel appears to advantage in the leading role, that of a young American millionaire. Miss Love appears as a typical New York “flapper.” The picture deals with the. career of William Van Luyn, a leading young business man, who falls in love with his pretty stenographer, Joan Thayer, a member of a middle-class family. Although the Thayer family live in humble surroundings, they are happy, and keenly resent William’s : suggestion that_ >e should take Joan to live in a fashionable locality. The manner in which he overcomes their scruples makes an unusual theme for the film. ‘ The Shady Lady,’ a tense drama of Sn-running in Havana, which features yllis Haver and Louis Wolheim, is the supporting attraction. STRAND At once a searching study of man’s w-and woman’s—secret motives and a fast-moving drama with a rapid succession of-big moments, brilliantly actvU, Rex IngramV United Artists’ produc tion of Cosmo Hamilton’s ‘ '.I ho Throe Passions,’ now at the .Strand Theatre, is as striking-a piece of work as this great director has ever given us, while entirely different from any of his earlier achievements. The leading roles are portrayed by Alice Terry, Shaylo Gardner, Ivan Petrowitch, and' Leslie Faber. GRAND AND PLAZA ‘Smashing Through,’ the Biitish Dominions motor racing film, which has been a big attraction at the Grand and Plaza Theatres throughout the past week, will be shown tor the last time this evening. The film has a very good story of a British motor company’s effort to beat foreign compet ; tors in the face of difficulties and misfortune, and interwoven with tjiia effort is an intriguing romance. Eve Gray and John Stuart appear in the leading roles of this picture, dedicated to the age of speed. The audience is taken behind the scenes in an underworld night club in ‘Come Across,’ a drama of society and gangland, which is also showing. The relationship between _ wild night life and crime is realistically ■hown. In the cast are Lina Basquette, Reed Howes, Flora Finch, and Gustave Von Seyffertitz. TO-MORROW’S CHANGE. Amateur vaudeville trials, for which large entries have been received, will be the feature of the new programme at the Plaza Theatre to-morrow evening. This class of entertainment was popular in another local theatre some time ago, and patrons who enjoyed vaudeville with tlie picture programme saw some good programmes. At the Plaza Theatre the vaudeville turns have been carefully selected, while a splendid pictorial bill will also be presented. ‘The Alley Cat,’ proclaimed as British Dominion Films’ greatest triumph in the movie field, will be the chief picture at both < the Grand and Plaza Theatres.. It is a story of the London slum area, with Mabel Poulton in the role of Polly, the little slum girl. She is well supported. Short films will also be shown at the Grand Theatre. EVERYBODY'S British Internationa] Pictures ‘ Widecombe Fair,’ adapted from Eden Philpott’s novel, and ‘ The Far Call,’ a Fox Films special, will be finally screened at Everybody’s Theatre tonight. The former attraction gives to the public in the form of an enjoyable story peeps at glorious Devon, with its magnificent scenery, so dear to every Britisher who has wandered overseas. The hunting scene with the South Devon hounds, “ Widecombe _ Fair,” and all the characters essential have been depicted faithfully, and the director has succeeded in catching a real atmosphere in this sterling production The, cast is headed by Marguerite Aden and'William Freshman. The other film is a story of a beautiful girl brought into, the camp of seal fur poachers, and bow she prevents them from carrying out a good many of their plans. Charles Morton and Leila Hyams are starred. KING EDWARD The current programme at the King Edward Theatre will receive its final presentation this evening. ‘ Cheyenne,’ giving all the thrills of a real Western rodeo, starring Ken Maynard is the principal feature, the other being ‘Widecombe Fair,’ an old English film, with Marguerite Allan and William Freshman in the leads.