PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 20959, 25 November 1931, Page 7

PICTURE THEATRES

‘ Never the Twain Shall Meet,’ Peter B. Kyne’s vivid romance of the South Seas, is proving a popular attraction at the Empire Theatre. The evergreen conflict between the peoples of the East and the West is strikingly presented in this vivid story, and an excellent cast has been chosen. 'lho story commences with the infatuation of a young American for a half-caste girl left in his charge, and it goes on to show the impossibility of a happy union between the 'East and the West with the physical and moral degeneration which inevitably follows such a union. Conchita Montenegro plays the part of Tamea, the wild, untamed girl of the story. Kyne’s story has not lost any of its force in its new form, the producers and players alike having given of their best to make the picture both entertaining and novel. There is a good supporting programme, and the box plans are at the theatre and The Bristol.

EMPIRE

REGENT

Mary Pickford plays the title role in ‘ Kiki,’ the current attraction at the Regent Theatre. Kiki is a French chorus girl, violent, quick-tempered, and exceedingly temperamental. She is in love with Randall (Reginald Denny), manager of a show, “ The Broadway Revue,” in which she is appearing. Randall has an ex-wife who is a star in the show, and the rivalry of the two women for the affections of the harassed manager brings about a continuous stream of comic situations. Kiki does not care how she gets her man as long as she gets him. She spoils a first night of the new revue, and then is invited by Randall to his apartment, where she remains for a week. While there she causes no end of trouble. She fights Randall’s valet, and makes life miserable for his master until the latter eventually succumbs to her charms. One of her many tricks is to feign catalepsy. She is handled as though made of wax, stood up in corners, lain across chairs, and in fact goes through all the actions of a person suffering from the complaint. Mary Pickford reveals herself as a polished and resourceful comedienne. Reginald Denny is excellent as the harassed manager, while Margaret Livingstone, Joseph Cawthorn, and Phil Tead all give good performances.

OCTAGON

From the pages of a Rex Beach novel homes a story packed with power, jammed with drama, _ and driven through with a motivation that is as fast-moving as life itself. Such a story has been transferred to the talking motion picture screen in a Radio Pictures’ production that is better than the novel in its scope and in its strong human appeal. . ‘ White Shoulders ’ heads the bill at the Octagon Theatre, with Mary Aster, Jack Holt, Ricardo Cortez, and Sidney Toler heading a distinguished cast of featured players. ‘ City Streets ’ presents a vivid picture of the sinister influences at work “ running liquor ” in America. The life of these terrifying gangsters is faithfully revealed in ‘ City Streets,’ and the story unfolded depicts many exciting and tensely dramatic situations.

STRAND

An extremely interesting programme is being screened this week at the Strand Theatre. Among .the supports is ‘ The Bottom of the World,’ an unusually fine picture of life in Antarctica. The picture deals with bird life,' the whaling industry, and many absorbing features of the lives of the innumerable sea creatures which inhabit the, icy waters of the Far South. The feature picture is ‘ A Holy Terror,’ in which George O’Brien has the title role. The picture is based on Max Brand’s novel, * Trailin’.’ The story tells of the arrival in the West of Tony Woodbury, looking for his father’s murderer. He finds adventure, romance, and many surprises in the course of this well-told tale. O’Brien has plenty of opportunity to display his many talents, for lie is seen as an aviator, a polo player, a horseman, and a fighter. ‘ THE COSTELLO CASE.’ A large cast of prominent players is seen in the featured roles of the new James Cruze production, ‘ The Costello Case,’ which will be commenced at the Strand Theatre on Friday. Tom Moore, cast as a shrewd, genial policeman, is the prime mover in the solution of a baffling murder mystery around which the plot revolves. Lola Lane, who recently scored so emphatically with her sensitive characterisation of Shirley in. Craze’s ‘ The Big Fight,’ appears in the role of Mollie, an innocent victim of police suspicion, and proves again her startling artistry in dramatic parts. Playing opposite her as the juvenile leading man is Russell Hardie, a recent recruit from the New York stage, who makes an effective portrayal as Jimmy, suspected as . the perpetrator of a baffling crime. Others in the cast are Wheeler Oakman, as Mile-away Harry; Roscoe Karns, as a newspaper reporter; and William Davidson, as Police-captain Saunders. Walter Lang directed the picture.

ST. JAMES

“ Africa reaches out and grips you,” and in ‘ Trader Horn,’ at the St. James Theatre, you lose yourself in the exploits of Horn, who knew more about Africa than any white man living, and young Peru, Ilenchero, (the faithful gun-bearer, “ half bulldog and half watchful mother ”), and Nina (the beautiful White Goddess, who is just as great a savage as the rest, until she learns that “ the way of a man with a maid” is just the same in Africa as elsewhere). You follow Horn and his companions with intense interest as they travel tip river, past the great falls, through the grassland teeming with wild life of every description' (a cameraman’s paradise), into the wild Isorgi country. You wonder how there can possibly be any escape for them from the Isorgi, as fearsome a tribe of cannibals as was ever conjured up by any imagination; and then, when the White Goddess aids them to escape, you thrill each time they face death unarmed among the beiists of the jungle, as they battle back toward civilisation. But they are literally not yet out of the woods; they light with lions to rob them of their food; they cross a lake teeming with hippos; and then the drums start again, and they fly once more from the vengeance of the Isorgi, and the saddest moment of the picture comes when Renchero gives his life to save his master. Then pigmies and more thrills before the trading outpost is reached. By that time you have realised, with Horn and young Peru, that there is beauty in Africa, and terror, top. Intending patrons are advised to book their seats, as ‘ Trader Horn ’ is drawing overflowing houses every evening. The.box plans are at The Bristol till 5 p.m.; after at Hall’s Fruit Shop,

KING EDWARD

Marie Dressier and Poliy Moran have the leading roles m ‘ Caught Short,’ which will be shown at the King Edward Theatre to-night. Both of them are cast as boarding house keepers. Marie Jones (Marie Dressier) and Polly Smith—tho one hard-working, thrifty, and constantly obsessed with the idea that someone has designs on her savings, and the other flighty, determined to reach society, and with a passion for dabbling on the share market. Lifelong friends, but perpetually at loggerheads, the two quarrel their way through life, whilst between Polly’s sou and Marie’s daughter a romance is growing up. With such material to work on the two stars make tho production a thing of joy from beginning to end. Marie Dressier, with her amazing facility for twisting her face into all manner of weird grimaces, does not only act the part of the lovable but fiercely independent old lodging house keeper—she also lives it, and so deftly does she handle the role that one is constrained to forget altogether that she is acting. Polly Moran, although shd lacks the wonderful power of accurate character portrayal possessed by her lead, is none the less effective. She, too, has the happy knack of carrying her audience with her, and her rendering of her part is a capital piece of acting. .