ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 19895, 14 June 1926, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS

ALBION THEATRE. "WRECKAGE” AND "BROADWAY GOLD.” There is enough thrilling action in the Banner Production “Wreckage,” which opened at the Albion Theatre on Saturday night to a packed audience, to supply two or three average pictures. And yet, the wealth of movement does not crowd' out the plot, or overshadow the beauty of really artistic photography. The great scene presents the Pacific in anger, with a vessel going down. This shot is one of the finest ever caught by a camera. In order to make it, Ben Verschleiser, the producer, and Scott Dunlap, the director, took the entire cast into the Pacific on a small yacht fitted out to represent a liner. They sailed in the teeth of an ugly gale. The result is realism of a most thrilling kind. May Allison and Holmes Herbert, the principals, caught in a small life boat, were thrown into the sea when the craft capsized. They nearly died before the bland crew of a Japanese fishing smack picked them up. The story describes the affairs of a girl whose father is suspected of gem smuggling, a bogus count who is the guilty party, another girl for the jealous atmosphere and a clean-cut American. In “Broadway Gold,” a romance of the Great White Way into which are woven all the thrills of night life in the great metropolis, the story wends its way from “back-stage” of a Broadway Revue, through midnight scenes in a Gilded Palace, a wealthy bachelor’s apartment, a mysterious murder, a thrilling auto smash-up, into one of the strongest love stories ever told. In this picture Elaine Hammerstein and Elliot Dexter, who have been married for. some time, awake to the realisation that they love each

other, and some friends from the great white way send the couple a beautiful baby carriage so that their household equipment may be complete even to the remotest requirements. Marshall Neilan breaks in upon the pair, who are engaged in a session of mutual adoration common to newlyweds. Behind him he drags in a nonchalant manner the full wheel symbol of happy matrimony. Without a smile upon his face he confronts the surprised Elliot Dexter. His matter-of-fact earnestness as he struggles to convince the pair that the carriage belongs to them is as fine a bit of delightful comedy as has ever been shown on the screen. The supports, too, were of the best, and in addition, the Albion “Select” Orchestra, under the able leadership of Mr J. Aldridge, rendered some excellent selections, which added, in no small measure to the excellent entertainment provided. The programme will be repeated to-night and tomorrow. VALENTINO AGAIN APPEARS ON THE SCREEN. ROMANTIC STAR SEEN IN THREE GUISES IN “THE EAGLE,” NEW FILM PLAY. Rudolph Valentino will make his first screen appearance in some time in “The Eagle,” a glamorous picture of Russia before the revolution, which will be shown at the Albion Theatre beginning on Wednesday next. This is the star’s first production since he ailigned himself with the United Artists Corporation. Valentino appears in three distinct guises in this fastmoving action story, which is also filled with comedy. He is first seen as a Cossack lieutenant, garbed in dashing uniform, then as the mysterious bandit, known as the Eagle because of his swift and marauding movements. While a bandit he masquerades as a French tutor and enters the home of his mortal enemy. In “The Eagle” the star is supported by Vilma Banky, the beautiful Hungarian actress whom Samuel Goldwyn discovered in Budapest and brought to America, and by Louise Dresser, for many years a stage star, who has recently scored a great success on the screen, following her appearance in “The Goose Woman.” Even the minor roles are played by actors of distinction. Valentino was fortunate .in having such a capable director as Clarence Brown for this production. Brown has made notable progress in the last two years, and has definitely established himself as a master with such pictures as “Smouldering Fires,” “The Goose Woman” and “The Acquittal.” “The Eagle” is based on “Dubrovsky,” a Russian classic by Alexander Pushkin, “the Shakespeare of Russia.” Th/ screen version was prepared by Hans Kraly, who wrote “Passion,” “Deception,” “Her Sister from Paris” and many other notable successes. CIVIC PICTURES. LAST NIGHT OF “A SON OF HIS FATHER” AND ‘THE TROUBLE WITH WIVES.” The leading attraction at the Civic tonight is “A Son Of His Father,” starring Bessie Love and Warner Baxter. This is a colourful and thrilling version of Harold Bell Wright’s famous novel, directed by Victor Fleming, who was responsible for many of the big Zane Grey successes. The action takes place in the West, with a hero making a fight against smugglers running contraband across the border. It is brimful of thrills and romantic interest, much hard riding, gunfights, and attains a rattling climax that will please the most enthusiastic admirers of Westerns. In support of the principals are Raymond Hatton, Walter McGrail, Carl Stockdale, Billy Eugene and other screen favourites. Also featured on the programme is ‘The Trouble with Wives,” featuring Florence Vidor, Tom Moore, Ford Sterling and Esther Ralston. This is a delightfully frothy comedy of errors, well played by the four principals,

particularly by Ford Sterling, who seems to develop a new and more subtle style at each reappearance on the screen. Jerry (Tom Moore) has a shoe store, and a pretty designer of new shapes (Esther Ralston). They are both too wrapped up in their business to realise that their constant conferences might be misunderstood by anyone who does not understand business enthusiasm. The arrival of Ford Sterling as the pal and backer complicates matters when he is introduced to the newly-married wife of Jerry (Florence Vidor), and arouses her suspicions by his well meant efforts to be facetiously friendly. Needless to say, he falls all along the line, and only makes matters worse at each effort to convince the wife that her husband’s interest in his pretty designer is quite innocent. A really clever comedy, full of delightful subtleties and farcical situations. The work of the four principals is excellent, and the minor scenes are well carried out. “Samson of the Circus” is also on this bill, which will be shown for the last time to-night, as there will be a complete change of programme to-morrow. “THE IRON HORSE.” AT THE CIVIC TO-MORROW. William Fox has again done the seemingly impossible and smashed all past records with a supremely great, soul-stirring, realistic drama which rings true as the sound of a silver bell. This picture, “The Iron Horse,” opens a four-night season at the Civic to-morrow, and judging by experiences elsewhere, will be one of the most sensationally successful pictures ever screened at the Civic. ‘The Iron Horse” is real, every bit of it, and to the fact can be attributed much of the success which it has so far achieved. It deals essentially with the great pioneering feat of carrying the first railroad across the great American Continent. The trials, troubles, tribulations and joy* of the pioneers are most vividly set forth. The intrigues involving rival interests, the opposition by hostile Indian tribes, the stress and trials of extreme climatic conditions, privations and hardships endured are all here, and there is a wealth

of comedy to lighten the most serious moments. It is in this connection that a trio of veterans known as ‘The Three Musketeers” achieve great fame. And then the very sweetest of love stories follows the advance of the iron horse just as simply and surely as must some real love story have followed the real pushing on of the metallic steed to the golden-spike in Utah. There are two gorgeous fights in this one continuous battle with sleet, sun and hunger. And there is not one villain but TWO. One is just plain villain, and a very good one, too —but the other, the two-fingered Indian, the dark-skinned blueeyed renegade, is a dream villain out of a mastermind of romance. And yet he is absolutely real. Which proves his genius. There is a very lovely little—we might call it “foreword”—the beginning of the dream of clasping hands from East to West. Made beautiful by its simplicity, the child-love of a girl and a boy—a boy of singular, haunting beauty, and the picture of the younger manhood of Abraham Lincoln, tenderly done—homelily done. ‘The Iron Horse” makes you think, though the contrast of the exquisite comedy of J. Farrell MacDonald, “Corporal Casey,” with the tragedy and beauty of history keeps you doing too much of it, one realises having seen a beautiful picture, a great one, a thrilling one, in four words, a very fine picture. Plans for the season are now open at The Bristol.