AMUSEMENTS

Northland Age, Volume 19, Issue 34, 24 November 1921, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS

NORTHLAND PICTURES. Programme For November. Nov 26th—" The Speed maniac”—Tom Mix. Nov 30th—“ The Test of Honor ”-\fohn Barrymore. Tom Mix in “ The Speed Maniac ” provides the big sensation at Saturday night’s pictures at the Northland Hall. Speedy stunts and startling sensations are the order of the day (or night). In this picture Mix is a young ranchman, who is keenly interested in a motor invention, at which he is working when the story opens. His brutal step-father is killed by a masked man, who in turn is shot by the hero. The latter then finds out from his mother that the masked stranger (who he believes has been killed) is his father. A mysterious note calls htm to ’Frisco, where he elects himself protector of a down-and-out prizefighter, McClusky. In a daring horseback feat he snatches a baby from under the feet of runaway horses, halts the runaways, and rescues the heroine, lovely Pearl Matthews. He then meets his father, a wealthy man in ’Frisco. He backs his boxing protege to fight “Tiger” Doran, and when McClusky is drugged, steps into the ring himself, and beats Doran, in a whirlwind fight. He presents the plans of his motor mechanism to Prescott, his father, who proud of his son’s courage and ability, gives him the chance to try out his invention in a big motor race. He is the victim of a dastardly trick which capsizes his machine, notwithstanding which he wins the race, fame, fortune, and the girl he loves. A real Mix picture, with Tom in new stunts.

There is a strong supporting programme : Sunshine Comedy, “ Great Nickel Robbery ”; Cartoon, “ Departed Spirits ”; Fox World’s News; Australian News; and Current Occurrence, Ford. The star picture for Wednesday is “The Test of Honour.” John Barrymore, who will be remembered for his splendid acting in “ Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde ” takes the principal part, ably assisted by that clever actress, Constance Binney. The story follows. Martin W ingrave, a Virginian, is madly in love with Ruth Curtis, the wife of a clubman whom she despises. She is loved also by George Lumley, but she favours Wingrave. Curtis discovers his wife being kissed by Wingrave, and a fight follows in which he receives a mortal injury. Ruth refuses to help her husband by offering him a stimulant, and he soon dies. When she fails to reveal the truth, Wingrave is sentenced to seven years’ term in prison for manslaughter. Ruth marries Judge Ferris, and when Wingrave is released he determines to obtain revenge upon her. Judge Ferris has no knowledge of his wife’s past, and she promises Wingrave that she will introduce him in her set if he will destroy her letters. Wingrave is loved by a young woman, Juliet Mollis, and Ruth attempts to place him in a compromising position, without however shaking the faith of Juliet in Wingrave. When Lumley informs Judge Ferris of the truth, Wingrave is recognised as a martyr. Wingrave burns Ruth’s letters’, and tells Ruth to return to her husband, while he returns to Juliet.

The supports are “ Beating Cheaters,” a De Haven Comedy, and “ How California Harvests Wheat,” a Holmes Travels.