ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Times, Volume XLXI, Issue 3480, 14 December 1926, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS

HILARIOUS comedy at the de LUXE, “THAT'S MY BABY.” Yes, sir, “That’s My Baby,” is now showing at the De Luxe. This new Douglas Mac Lean mirth-quake is heralded as that popular comedian’s funniest film. The supporting cast is not the least of the production’s attractions, Margaret Morris is the lovely heroine, whose ankle is responsible for many of Mac Lean’s rib-tickling trials and tribulations. Claude Gillingwater, Eugenie Forde, Richard Tucker and Fred Kelsey are the others who add to the hilarious fun. Mac Lean’s role is that of a young man who believes that ankles reveal the real character of people—particularly the feminine gender. What more natural than that he should fall in love with a girl whose ankles are perfect! His troubles begin when he tries to locate the girl by identifying her by her ankles. They increase when he finds her and discovers that her father is an old business rival of his. To further complicate his romance, his rival presents him with a baby and tells the girl that it belongs to Mac Lean. Matters come to a head when Mac Lean gives the girl’s father a headache powder that turns out to be poison. When he discovers the mistake, the girl and her father have already started on a motoring trip. Still burdened with the bay, Mac Lean starts in pursuit—the beginning of what is probably the wildest, dizziest and funiest chase ever put on the screen. KOSY THEATRE. Those who like their dramas served with action bubbling over on every side and vivacity sparkling all about have but to go to the Kosy Theatre to have their appetites in this direction satisfied. “The Crims»n Runner,” featuring Priscilla Doan, is a daring, vital story of a young Apache girl whom poverty and oppression turned into a female Robin Hood who, under a clever disguise and with the aid of her crafty henchmen, robbed the rich that the poor might cat. The action of the story takes place in postwar Vienna at the time when this chaotic cosmopolitan city was being torn with the anguish born of a bitter struggle between a freedom crazed proletariat and a proud, cruel aristocracy. The story attains a realism which may be attributed not alone to the splendid portrayal of Miss Dean and her supporting cast, nor yet entirely to the fact that the author know r intimately the life which ho portrays, but also to the unusual fidelity to detail for which credit goes to Count Maxime St. Hilaire, w’ho acted as special technical director. Miss Dean, as the dairying Apache leader who courted death and wooed danger, gives a performance that can honestly bo termed throbbing. Provided with a splendid story she attains great emotional heights such as wo have seldom seen reached on the screen. And she is fortunate, indeed, in being supported by an unusually capable cast which includes: Talyor Holmes, Ward Crane, Alan Halo, Mitchell Lewis, James Neill, Charles Malles and Bernard Siegel. The value of solid business acumen and that good old quality colloquially known as pop is shown in vivid fashion in “On the Stroke of Three,” another attraction at the Kosy Theatre. Kenneth Harlan, who divides the starring honours with Madge Bellamy, has a proposition to put over and ho docs it it approved style. He sets about his task with a will and never gives up until success crowns his efforts. This, together with a delightful vein of romance, makes a photoplay of engrossing interest for persons in all walks of life. An additional novel attraction Is “How to Dance the Charleston, in Six Lessons.” This is the first of a series by the originator of the dance, Arthur Murray, world-famous dancing teacher. Each movement is shown by ordinary camera method, followed by a repeat by slow-motion pictures. This will prove a highly interesting item to those interested in the latest dances. The Patho Newsreel shows glimpses of the tremendous crowds awaiting to pay their last respects to that popular film idol, the late Rudolph Valentino, also a close view of the lying-in-state.

DOROTHY GTSH AS NELL GWYN "SWEET NELL, OF OLD DRURY.” The intriguing romance of the famous Drury Lane orange girl, “Sweet Neil of Old Drury,” who found favour with King Charles the Second, conies to the screen in First National’s British production, “Nell Gwyn.” The title role in this film is most marvellously played by Dorothy Gish, whose piquant personality, and charm of coquetry make "pretty, witty, Nell” live again. The story of Nell Gwyn is known to almost everyone, and it is pleasing to note that the cast, with the exception of Miss Gish, is composed of English players.' Although Nell Gwyn has no conspicuous place in English history, she was, and still is, a popular character in the story of England. This pictuvisation of “Sweet Nell of Old Drury,” now showing at the Palace Theatre, is based on a story specially written by Miss Mar.inrio Bowen, the well-known English novelist, and Mr. Herbert Wilcox, the young English director, has made a. film at once gay and lender from the romantic life of pretty Nell. X-lis work is extremely intelligent and vivacious. The film abounds in incident. Unlike

many who ascended from obscure origin to Koyal favour, Nell Gwyn was always a friend of the people. She never failed to turn her influence over the King to the benefit "of the poor, as is witnessed by her noble effort on behalf of her country’s fighting men, which resulted in the foundation of The Koyal Hospital at Chelsea. In her will she directed that a certain sum of money be devoted every year to securing the release of poor debtors from prison, and she also left one hundred pounds for the use of the poor of the parish of St. Martin's-in-the-Fclds. Strange though it may seem, the new film, “Noli Gwyn,” begins and ends in Trafalgar Square as it is to-day. This is to recall the fact that the spot was once the scene of Noll Gwyn’s triumphs. From the Square the camera moves to the tower of St. Martin’s-in-thc-Fields where every Thursday a peal is rung in Nell's memory. ‘Nell Gwyn’ is the sauciest and merriest film ever produced —the very champagne of screen entertainment. There never has been such a riot and sparkle and effervescence of femininity, nor such soundless peals of irresistible laughter. Dorothy Gish as Nell Gwyn gives a meteoric performance, vivacious rouguish and captivating. The film is a pleasure to the eye, and a tonic to the mind. _________