THE PICTURE HOUSES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 220, 4 September 1929, Page 9

THE PICTURE HOUSES

MUNICIPAL. An enthralling story of an amaxing love, set amid a background of rare splendour is ‘ ‘ The Man Who Laughs,” which opened yesterday at the Municipal Theatre. This Universal super-production, co-starring Mary Philbin and Conrad Veidt, was directed by Paul Leni, continental screen genius. A love story as beautiful and as sweet as anything ever captured for the enjoyment of audiences has been built with clover hands into this Victor Hugo story, following closely the action of the’ novel. The exaltation of love and its ability to overshadow the hardships of life is ably portrayed. The stoiy concerns a little blind girl played by Miss Philbin and her love for Gwynplaine, a clown maimed in his youtii by a fiendish surgeon who carved a perpetual grin on him. All the world laughs nt his face except the blind girl and tie fears that she woulu too, could she but see him. The story bac a slm'.ing and daring denouement. Misj Philbin has never appeared more beautiful nor played her role with greater emotional finesse than in ‘ ‘ The Man who Laughs. ’ ’ COSY DE LUXE. “The Viking” is the first featurelength motion picture in Technicolor to be given a special presentation at a Broadway theatre, where the critics acclaimed this production the most beautiful and faultless ever produced by the motion picture industry. As the title indicates, the story is based on the major exploits of the old Vikings, who in the Tenth Century ruled the seas in their picturesque galleons and raided every country in Europe for loot, love and slaves. The old spirit, of shopr adventure that seized men when the world was young, the quest for greater personal possession, the thrill of the unknown, the old, old story of man and maid and, above all, the vivid drama brought by those swift and merciless raiders, at daggers drawn with tho spreading gospel of Christianity, have been re-created with must realistic and enthralling effect. Paulino Starke as Helga, Viking maid gives a splendid performance which her beauty in the old costumes vastly enhances. Le Roy Mason as the young English aristocrat taken into slavery by her people, and with whom Helga falls in love, is also another fine tvpe that fits bis role magnificently. Donald Crisp anil the rest of tho huge enst which, without exception h«s been hand picked for the right Nordic type, perform faultlc sly.