PLAYS, PICTURES, PEOPLE

Northern Advocate, 19 June 1926, Page 9

PLAYS, PICTURES, PEOPLE

(By Alphonse.)

Richard Barth el mess, as Tony Gillardi in First National's “The Beautiful City,” shows what a really versatile actor he is. As the Italian flower seller, dreamer and idealist, he plays a distinct type of character, that is totally different from his happy-go-lucky smilor in “Shore Leave.” Dorothy Gish is his Irish sweetheart, and she helps Richard to light against his unscrupulous brother and his gang, and bring happiness and love back into his beautiful city. A tremendous tight in a real Chinese theatre in Now York’s East End Is one of the highlights of this thrilling picture, which reveals Richard Barthclmess and Dorothy Gish as the ideal lovers of the screen.

If you like the sea with, its cruelty and beauty, if you wish to got away from the ordinary photoplay of society life and the hustle of the cities, if you appreciate great acting and marvellous photography, Universal’s “Storm Breaker” will more than supply your needs. House Peters plays the part of self-sufficient John Strong, who has ruled the fishing village and all its inhabitants for so long, that he begins to regard himself as an uncrowned King. Wonderful storm scenes supply the thrill of this picture—the story is built round human, lovable folk, and the climax is a huge natural piece of realism that will send you home glowing with the remembrance of its intensity.

“Temporary Marriage” is the story of a. couple who had come to “the parting of the ways.” Even the daughter they both loved could not keep them together, but when divorce threatened and a blackmailer saw a fancied opportunity to gain sudden wealth, many thrilling things happened. Myrtle Stedman, Kenneth Harlan and Mildred Davis are featured in this First National drama, Avhieh is a reflection of family life when the husband and wife approach the dangerous ago of forty, and one or the other grows bored of the monotony of matrimony. But real love can always solve a difficulty, and the climax is thrilling and satisfactory, and a perfectly natural solution of an everyday matrimonial problem.

“When the Door Opened” is James Oliver Garwood’s most widely-read romance, and William Fox has made a splendid picture of this vivid tale of Canadian Northwooda. Jacqueline Logan, Frank Keenan, Robert Cain,

Margaret Livingstone and other stars appear in this production, and a big part is played by Prince, a clever German police dog. The story centres round a man who returned home to find his wife unfaithful. In a moment of anger he shoots this man, and then seeks forgetfulness with Ids dog-com-panion wandering in the beautiful Canadian Northwoods. His adventures make a thrilling story, which culminates in a. rich and stupendous revenge for the wronged man.

Fox news have filmed a very interesting film of Madame Melba’s family life. Tho recent triumphal progress through Great Britain of the world’s greatest soprano on her farewell tour, makes this picture of double interest. Melba is a mother as well as an artist, an# this charmingly intimate record of her home life is welcome indeed.

The breaking of comic operas into pictures has been such a success, that it is little wonder that Franz Lobar’s delighful “Count of Luxembourg’’ has at last been filmed, and has proved splendid entertainment. This story of an opera singer who married an artist without'seeing him—a screen dividing the pair—this certainly makes for a lot of amusing situations and later complications'. George Walsh is fascinating as the Bohemian count, and the carnival scene is a most lavish stage sotting, There is also a wonderfully realistic duel and the terrific crash between a speed boat and a yacht is thrilling in the extreme. Quaint comedy and a delightful love theme, with the music of the opera throbbing through should make the “Count of Luxembourg” something to be remembered.

Against a picturesque background of cattle ranges, riverbeds and rugged mountains has been filmed a dramatic story of red-blooded action. Alice Calhoun plays the part of a girl who inherits a new’Mexican ranch, and incidentally falls in love with the ranch boss. John Bowers is the hero and Allan Hale is the villain, and this fine western story as called “The Code of the Wilderness.” “One man’s life is as good as another—but it ain’t any better”—this is Rex Anderson’s rough code of life in this country of strongmen and brave women.

“My Dad” is a thrilling story filmed among the eternal snows of Northern Canada, and some beautiful scenes are the settings for virile action and thrilling events. Johnnie Walker and Ruth Clifford are the principal actors, although excellent comedy work is supplied by Les Bates, a prominent vaudeville artist. “My Dad” starts off very quietly, but .the story gathers pace and finishes up in a veritable whirlwind of thrill. The photoplay is particularly satisfying and the story very entertaining.. Rudolf Valentino captured all hearts in “The Shiek,” and there has never been another actor to hold the imagination handsome Rudolf has done. Paramount has featured him in “The Sainted Devil,” and in this story he is more fascinating than ever. Those who remdnjfcer him in “Monsieur Beauoaire” revel in his acting as “The Sainted Devil,” and look forward to “The Eagle” in which lie co-stars with Yilma Banky, a bewitching Hungarian actress.

I Fox films are making an interesting I scries of instructive pictures that ■will appeal to every class, young and old. “The Making of White Paper” is an industry that has boon filmed from the growing of the trees from which the pulp is made, and every process is carefully pictured till the finished article is shown. The day is not far_ off when every school will have its cinematograph, for instruction through this medium is interesting and easily absorbed by slow and quick brains alike.

Patriotism is"* beautiful in every country and among people of every class, and Edward Everett Hale's novel “A Man Wthout a Country” is the story of a man's love for his native land, against all the wrongs done him by his own country and his own people. William Fox has made a beautiful picture from this story and he has called it “As no man has loved,” and those who like sincerity in pictures as in life, will revel in this splendid story.