KING’S THEATRE

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12465, 5 June 1926, Page 7

KING’S THEATRE

“THE OUTSIDER.” The congratulations of the publle are due to the Fox organisation on producing a great screen version of the sensational stage success, “The Outsider.” and to the management of the King’s Theatre in securing the film for their patrons. It proved a great draw at the initial screening last evening. The play was staged in Wellington last year by Maurice Moscovitch, but the picture has none of the theatre limitations to contend with, and thus it has most scope and oarries out the intentions of the writer to the last minute detail. The opening scenes disclose the triumph of Leontine Sturdee, an English dancer,, who, with her partner and fiance, Basil Owen, is concluding a tremendously successful season in London. The couple start on a trip to Hungary, and the route takes them, of course, to picturesque Budapest—the centre of Hungarian artists of all kinds. Here Leontine meets Anton ltagatzy, leader of a gipsy tribe encamping in the distant hills. The legend of his ability to heal by faith has spread throughout the entire country. Part of his mystic power enables him to cast a hypnotic spell over a less strong-minded person. Ragatzy, already recognising that this beautiful girl loves the Englishman, uses his powers on Basil who lets the girl fall during a particularly intricate step. She is seriously injured and Ragatzy, strong with remorse, later follows to Eng land where through a series of difficult and amazing occurrences he is enabled to accomplish the girl’s cure and change hor hatred for him into love.

The picture is excellently done throughout. To the power of the story has been added the sincere and strik-. ing performance of an aggregation of popular players headed by Jacqueline Logan as the dancer and' Lou Tellegen as the gipsy chief. Their' work gives the final touch of reality to this engrossing plot. Walter Pidgenn does a_ fine bit of acting in the role of Basil while others vain give veil balanced interpretations of their virions characters are Roy Atwill, Charles Lane and Gibson Gowland. The supports to the big film include a comedy and a gazette, while tkri Kina’s Select Orchestra, under Mr A. H. Jerome, plays a specially selected musical score.