ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 18967, 14 June 1923, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

LAST NIGHT OF RACING SPECIAL “GARRISON’S FINISH.” The comfortable Albion Theatre was crowded at an early hour last night when the racing picture “Garrison’s Finish” was endorsed as the finest racing melodrama ever seen locally. A capacity audience last evening testified to the consensus of opinion that Jack Pickford has made a truly notable return to the screen in his latest picture, “Garrison’s Finish,” an Allied Producers and Distributors Corporation release, which opened a week’s engagement at that popular playhouse. From start to finish, “Garrison’s Finish” is exhilarating entertainment of the highest class, being that sort of photoplay which contains every element the general public likes, including romance, intrigue, thrills and well-sustained suspense. The story has to do with Billy Garrison,a jockey, whose successes and failures on the race-track form the crux of the intensely interesting plot. As played by Mr Pickford this title role is most winning and in the several fine love scenes he has with Madge Bellamy, his leading lady, he displays an admirable ability as a romantic actor of real finesse. The supporting cast is exceptionally strong. Besides the good work of Miss Bellamy, there are illuminating performances by Ethel Grey Terry, Clarence Burton, Charles Ogle, Dorothy Manners. Audrey Chapman, Charles A. Stevenson and Tom Prior. It is interesting to note that Arthur Rosson directed the picture while his brother, Harold Rosson, photographed it. Elmer Harris wrote the photoplay, basing it on W. B. M. Ferguson’s novel by that title and also supervised the production. “Garrison’s Finish” is what most “fans” will call a perfect picture. It has charm, dash and everything the regulars like to see projected on the screen. The first part of the evening’s performance is supplied by the Myrtle Reed story “At The Sign of the Jack O’ Lantern.” The latest news from the world over coupled with Fashion’s latest fancies from gay Paree complete this bill which screens finally to-night. Seats may be reserved by telephoning the Albion (73£).

CIVIC PICTURES. ‘THE KENTUCKY DERBY” AND “GRANDMA’S BOY.” Big as the Municipal Theatre is there was not nearly enough accommodation for the huge crowds that clamoured for admission last night to see the big programme that has been creating quite a furore. The management has been for some time enthusiastically proclaiming the merits of the pictures comprising this programme, claiming that the combination represents the acme of motion picture entertainment—and so it proves to be. The ardent picture goer and the blase cynic alike cannot but be impressed with the powerful attractions put forward. To-day’s sessions will see the screening at 2.10 and 7.45 of Harold Lloyd’s first five reels “Grandma’s Boy” and at 3.5 and 8.45 the big racing special “The Kentucky Derby” featuring Reginald Deny, the popular hero of “The Leather Pushers.” “The Kentucky Derby” is welcome melodrama with plenty of action and an interesting story that tells of the son of wealthy parents condescending to love the daughter of the head stableman on his father’s estate.. The irate male parent, anxious to avoid all possibility of a marriage between the young couple, drives the son away. The pair are secretely married, and a baby girl comes to add further re sponsibilities to the young wife, for her husband is missing, having been shanghaie' aboard a vessel; he is away three years, when he returns to Louisville, Kentucky, in time to save his father’s fortune, which is in peril from the nefarious practices of crooks. Most of the interest centres around the horse-racing. The Derby, the scenes at Churchill Downs in Louisville during the running of the turf classic, the exteriors of some typical Southern background - these “shots” give the story a fine pictorial value. The real thrill comes at the climax when the youth bobs up in Louisville and exposes the imposter. The racing scene is well done and carries suspense and great atmosphere. The detail here is excellent, for the director has apparently used the classic for his background. The colonel’s horse wins after an exciting race and the son wins his father’s forgiveness. The picture is well acted by Reginald Denny and a competent cast, with Lillian Rich playing opposite Denny. “Grandma’s Boy” is certainly Harold Lloyd’s best and most ambitious production to date. Lloyd must be ranked among the very few who are to be found at the top of the comedy ladder of fame. He is an artist every inch of him, and most of his work in this fivereeler is really superb, while the old “grandma” strikes a human note that puts the production on a plane by itself. A Torchy comedy is also on the bill. Such a programme is worth an extra special effort on the part of every man woman and child of the community. It should be seen and the last two sessions will be this afternoon and evening. Box plans are at the Bristol and day sales at Mrs Gawn’s.

BOTTLE FOUND AFTER TWENTY YEARS. Recently a party of explorers opened pu a cairn that they discovered on Cathedral Peaks, Lake Manapouri. To their surprise, they found an empty bottle of Baxter’s Lung Preserver, with a note stating that it had been placed there by a party over twenty years ago. Included in the name were Messrs S. H. Moreton, C. White Parsons (now of Masterton), and Leo Jacob sen (of Wellington). Apparently the merits of “Baxters” were realised by these ttampers two decades back. To-day, Baxter’s Lung Preserver is in greater demand than ever, and is now the favourite cough and cold remedy from one end of New Zealand to the other. “Baxter’s” is free from harmful narcotics, and is good for grandchild to granddad, and all the ages in between. This rich, warm, soothing specific, which possesses wonderful tonic properties, can be obtained from all chemists and stores, in generoussized bottles, at 2/6; family size 4/6. Better order a bottle of Baxter’s Lung Preserver to-day.— (Advt.).