ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 19822, 19 March 1926, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS

ALBION THEATRE. “THE DIXIE HANDICAP’ AND “THE SPEED KING.” A PROGRAMME FILLED WITH LAUGHTER, ROMANCE, SPORT AND THRILLS. To-night is the last night of the current programme at this comfortable home of picture lovers, the Albion, and patrons of sport as well as the lovers of beauty and romance should take advantage of the opportunity to see the two-feature pictures, in addition to the hilariously funny and clever cartoons and the Gazette. A picture worth going a long way to see is “The Dixie Handicap.” About the time Reginald Barker began filming “The Dixie Handicap’ for Metro-Goldwyn, the world’s interest was centred in Latonia, Kentucky, where America’s premier racing track is situated. The event was the challenge race between the French champion racer, Epinard, and the crack American fliers. It is now a matter of history that Epinard was badly beaten, but it is not so well known that Mr Barker had his own camermen on the course where they filmed the whole of the exciting race for inclusion in “The Dixie Handicap.” The director thus secured absolute realism for his picture in the most effective way, and with the skilful insertion of a few extra feet of film made with the featured horse at the studios later, he was able to build up the unusually strong climax which brings the picture to a finish. “The Speed King” with Richard Talmadge, the second feature showing at the Albion Theatre, is an appropriate title for most anything Richard Talmadge has done. Love, intrigue, adventure, thrills —a fun-loving American mixed up in foreign politics— Jimmy Martin in “The Speed King.” He had never handled a sword before, but when the time came for him to meet the traitor, D’Henri, on the battlements of Klemport, and save Mandavia for King Charles, Jimmy Martin as “The Speed King” hacked and thrust his way to victory. JOHNNY HINES AGAIN AT THE ALBION TO-MORROW IN “SPEED SPOOK.” “The Speed Spook” featuring Johnny Hines, has been pronounced by reviewers as the outstanding thrill picture of the year. Aside from the many thrills obtained from the championship auto race which was filmed last June at the Altoona Speedway, the speed spook car, which races roughshod without a driver through the village of Westwood, and causes consternation among the townsfolk, is enough to cause any number of thrills to run down the preverbial spine. What with these thrills and another in which an armoured car smashes through the wall of an arsenal, “The Speed Spook” certainly has every right to lie called a real thrill production. Johnny Hines is at his best in this colourful melo-comedy, which means that those who enjoy a laugh and thrills had better not miss Johnny’s latest to-morrow at the Albion. One of the best dressed women of the screen is Mildred Harris, who plays the leading role opposite Lionel Barrymore in “A Man of Iron,” another feature at the Albion to-morrow. In this picture, she wears several new gowns that were specially created for her, three of them being special, recent importations from Paris. CIVIC PICTURES. MUNICIPAL THEATRE TO-NIGHT. “The Tornado,” which is the principal feature on the programme which finishes to-night, is a remarkable achievement of the producer’s art. “The Tornado” tells the story of a qjan who seeks to lose his identity and heal the wounds of his heart by terrific toil in the North Woods. His great strength and forceful temper causes him to be known as “The Tornado.” Gripping and exciting as is the story, however, it is the scene picturing a tornado, and cloud-burst that provides the real thrill of the film. The scene is wonderfully realistic. Not only is the air filled with debris, but a bridge is shown in the act of collapsing just as a train is crossing, train and passengers bring plunged into the river. The star role is taken by House Peters, who made his reputation in “The Storm” and “Human Hearts,” while Ruth Clifford is the leading

woman. The supporting feature is a ninereel super First National production entitled “The Scarlet West.” It is a tale of the thrilling West, when the old pioneers were blazing the trains of civilisation and preparing the land for the generations to come. Everything is on a big scale, over 2000 Indians and a similar number ot soldiers being in the cast. Interwoven with the sterner story of the historical Custer massacre is the inevitable love story, which concerns an Indian brought up as a white man, who falls in love with the daughter of the commander of the post. Robert Frazer has the leading male role as Cardelanche, the educated son of a Sioux chieftian, who. when he fails to bring enlightenment to his own people, accepts a commission in the army as a captain, acting as a scout under General Kinnard, in command of Fort Remington. The plot revolves around his romance with the general's flirtatious daughter, Miriam, portrayed by Clara Bow Also on this programme are a Felix the Cat Cartoon and a Buddy Messenger comedy. RARE MUSICAL TREAT. VICTORIA HALL, TO-NIGHT. Invercargill music-lovers are in for a rare musical treat in the Victoria Hall, to-night, when Mr E. F. Wilks, Sydney, will give a Demonstration Recital of the Gulbransen Registering Piano. Mr Wilks has appeared in Northern cities with remarkable success, and has proved a musician of rare prowess. Referring to the demonstration given in Wanganui, the Chronicle states--‘The musical marvel of the age is the Gulbransen Registering Piano, which does all that the human pianist can do, and more besides. Gone is the mechanical patter of the earlier player-piano, for there has now been perfected an instrument mechanical only in its action, and supremely human in cadence, tone and expression,” Even in the difficult art of following a gramophone record it is facile, and the record is accompanied faithfully in Spirit and measure. Mr Wilks will also be assisted by several local singers and instrumentalists, and a first-class musical entertainment is assured. Proceedings will commence at 8 p.m. and admission is complimentary.