AMUSEMENTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20281, 14 December 1927, Page 4

AMUSEMENTS.

EMPIRE THEATRE. When a picture bears the name of Paramount, and Harold Lloyd takes the leading part, it is sure to meet with the approval of all patrons, and “The Kid Brother,” which is now being screened at the Empire Theatre, is no exception. In this production Lloyd is seen as a younger brother of a somewhat timorous disposition, who is in great fear of his two elder brothers. He, however, aspires to be brave like his father, the sheriff of a small village, and while the latter is away he plays the part of sheriff. One day in this role he is bluffed into giving permission for a circus to play in the town. His father, on his return, is very angry with him, and orders him to exert his authority to prevent the show from carrying out its performance. It is this task' that provides Harold with an opportunity to prove his mettle, and in the resulting sequences he gives of his best. In “The Kid Brother” Lloyd returns to the sympathetic typo of characterisation that won him such popularity in “ College Days,” “Girl Shy,” and “Grandmas Boy.” The locale of the story, which was written by Lloyd and his is laid in the mountains and on shipboard; while most of the action takes place in a small town. The third episode of “The Collegians,” entitled “Making Good,” is a good supporting picture. OCTAGON THEATRE. An original comedy of training camp life entitled “Rookies” is at present showing at the Octagon Theatre. The story centres round the activities of a citizens’ training camp and the advenventures of a raw trainee and a very seasoned sergeant. These two are continually coming into conflict over their mutual admiration for the same girl, Betty Wayne (Marceline Day). Betty, an assistant in an ice cream shop, is a girl adored by many, and she cannot be held entirely blameless for the antagonism between the two men. Karl Dane plays the role of the “ tough ” sergeant and George K. Arthur that of the raw recruit, and each performs his part with outstanding success. One _of the most exciting incidents of the picture is that in which the three concerned in “ the triangle ” descend from an aeroplane and a balloon by parachutes. “ Rookies ” throughout has a full meaure of humour, and the plot is interesting from beginning to end. The Octagon orchestra, under Mr L. D. Austin, renders several excellent selections. QUEEN’S THEATRE. “ Secret Orders ” is, as the name implies, an absorbing secret service picture, which is proving a great attraction at the Queen’s Theatre. There is a swiftflowing melodrama in this production, the cast of which includes such well-known players at Robert Frazer, Harold Goodwin, and Marjorie Bonner. Evelyn Brent, playing the leading role of Janet Graham before the man she loves, is forced to pretend to be a spy. Ihe picture is replete with romance, and gives a good delineation of those perilous days when America entered the Great War. “Drums of the Desert,” an adaptation from Zane Grey’s novel of the same name, is a picture of equal merit. EVERYBODY’S THEATRE. “ The Winning of Barbara Worth,” with Ronald Column and Vilma Bankey, has been drawing large audiences to Everybody’s Theatre this week. The story is concerned with the reclamation work on large tracts of waste lands in Western America, and the trials and disappointments of the pioneers who eventually prove successful in the undertaking The second attraction is a master picture, “Lost at Sea,” in which Jane Novak and Huntly Gordon are seen in the principal parts. The tale centres round the complications that arise after the sinking of an ocean liner, and the unexpected return of a husband who was reported to be- drowned. The incidents presented are dramatic, and there is plenty of vivid action. PLAZA AND GRAND THEATRES. The main attraction at the Plaza and Grand Theatres is “ The Wrong Mr Wright,” a rollicking comedy of exceptional merit. Jean Hersholt, Enid Bennett, and Dorothy Devore are chiefly responsible for the success of the production. A finical vice-president of a corset manufacturing company falls a victim to the charms of a modern girl, and quickly forgets, in his new absorbing passion, the past delights of hoarding money, much to the disgust of his elder brother. Miss Bennett, as the fascinating woman detective, and Joan Hersholt give excellent characterisations of their parts, and Walter Hiers must be given credit for a large amount of the merriment. “ THE ROAD TO YESTERDAY.” Perhaps tho most sensational train wreck in tho history of motion pictures is that provided by Cecil B. De Mille in his first personally directed picture production released by Producers’ Distributing Corporation. A firm believer in the screen doctrine that the end justifies the means, Mr Do Mille caused to bo built a duplicate of tho K-4 passenger engine, with 12 driving wheels 7ft in diameter and a length overall of 80ft. As far as is known, no ponderous engine such as this had ever been made especially for one scene in a photoplay, but the results achieved fully justified Mr De Mille’s insistence upon realism despite expense. Tho story of “ The Road to Yesterday,” which features Joseph Schildkrault, Jetta Goudal, Vera Reynolds, William Boyd and Julia Faye, and which will bo shown at the Octagon Theatre on Friday next, is one of unusual dramatic powers. The principal characters aro travelling in a Pullman coach and at night, suddenly comes a crash, the hiss of escaping steam, dense smoke, shrieks of terror and as tins chaotic scene fades away, it is replaced by the peaceful quiet of an old English tavern of the early seventeenth century on “ Tho Road to Yesterday.” Reincarnation' is the theme of the story, which is based on the ptay by Beulah Mario Dixe and E. G. Suther land, and it has been handled by Mr Do Mille with all the subtle artisty for which ho is famous. For the train wreck scone, a special track was built and as retakes were impossible Mr De Mille stationed a battery of cameramen strategically so that when tho spectacular tragedy occurred, it was filmed from every angle. Not a worthwhile feature of the sequence was eliminated. “THE NIGHT OF LOVE.” “ The Night of Love,” which comes to tho Empire Theatre on Friday, should please everybody. In a big scene of tno picture Roland Colman faces death at tho stake with the lighted faggots already flaming around his knees. In one of the opening scones the beautiful Vilma Banky hurls herself over a 500 ft cliff rather than suffer at the hands of the bandit. Tho picture opens with a gipsy wedding ceremony staged in the style, beauty, and colour of 400 years ago. The first thrill comes when tho bandit outlaws, tinder (ho leadership of Ronald Colman, storm tho castle ol tho duke and kidnap their duchess (Vilma Banky) on her wedding night. There is hand-to-hand fighting on the steps of tho huge castle with bandits, and Spanish noblemen hurled through 75ft of space as they aro pushed over the edge of the ramparts. In one of the most unusual scenes ever staged Ronald Colman serves dinnei to the duke and duchess, whom he has kidnapped on their wedding night and taken to his outlaw stronghold The “ burning” scene, staged in the courtyard of the castle before an audience of thousands of soldiers, nobles, and peasantry, is calculated to thrill any audience. Surrounded by four masked and hooded executioners, Colman is carried in and bound to the stake, while the soldiers pile faggots higher and higher round his body. As tho flames shoot up the crowd pushes closer towards the protecting cordon of soldiery. The denouement, portraying the impressive miracle playing on tho religious frenzy of the overwrought peasantry, will long be remembered, and the riot which follows, ending in the rescue of Colman, the reunion of the lovers, will be eminently satisfactory to all who see this great mediaeval romance