ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 20489, 17 May 1928, Page 15

ENTERTAINMENTS

MAJESTIC THEATRE TO-NIGHT. “IN OLD KENTUCKY” FEATURING JAMES MURRAY, ALSO “NO CONTROL,” WITH HARRISON FORE AND PHYUS HAVER. All the thrills, the drama, and the heartr stirring emotion invariably associated with horse racing, “the sport of kings,” are to r be found in “In Old Kentucky,” a Metro- . Goldwyn-Mayer special attraction now showing at the Majestic Theatre, with James Murray, the great young newcomer to the screen in the leading role. This unusual , picture has for its theme the war’s effect ’ through bad companionship on a youth of Kentucky, and the subsequent trouble and heart-breaks he occasions his family, and his sweetheart, is very humanly portrayed. J Helene Costello is the leading lady, while ’ Wesley Barry, Edward Martindel and Stepin Fetchit, famous negro comedian, also appear in the great cast. Chasing lions was the best thing Harrison Ford did during the filming of “No Control,” a new Metropolitan picture production, also showing at this theatre. In this comedy he is featured with Phylis Haver, and is called upon to play tag with not one, but half a dozen tawny jungle denizens. Phylis Haver, as a circus owner’s daughter, makes a decided hit with Ford, who quits playing with the radio long enough to urge his suit for her hand. Tom Wilson, black face comedian, and Jack Duffy, a noted Christie comedian, have the other important comedy parts. E. J. Ratcliffe, Toby Claude and Harry Steers conclude the cast. AT THE POPULAR. ALICE JOYCE, WARNER BAXTER AND | DOLORES COSTELLO IN “MANNEQUIN.” JACK HOLT IN “THE ANCIENT HIGHWAY.” “Mannequin,” the new Paramount photoplay, which made its debut last night at the Popular Theatre, stands out among the current screen productions for several reasons. To begin with, it was produced by James Cruze, whose directorial stamp on a film is a guarantee of entertainment and technical perfection. Secondly, it was written by Fannie Hurst, famous magazine writer and novelist, and if any further proof were needed of the story’s superlative excellence, it is the fact that it won the 30.000 dollar Liberty Magazine prize for the best original motion picture lot. Last but not least, is the cast, which brought together a talented group of film celebrities, featuring Alice Joyce, Warner Baxter, ZaSu Pitts and Dolores Costello. Little wonder then, that the picture grips the attention from the opening flash-in and holds it in a vise-like grip to the final dramatic ending. No story of recent years has contained more of poignant pathos and genuine heart appeal than this tale of a little girl of the New York slums, who battles her way through heavy odds to love and happiness. And no picture of recent years has contained a climax that equals the murder trial scene in this production. It is an amazingly tense and spectacular episode with a surprise finish that will electrify the most blase picture-goer. “The Ancient Highway,” so called because much of the action and romance in this new Paramount screen version of the James Oliver Curwood story takes place on a famous road running through the quaint regions of Quebec, is also a feature at the Popular to-night. Jack Holt, Billie Dove and Montagu Love are featured in the principal roles. Holt, as Cliff Brant, after adventuring all over the world, returns to his home town on the St. Lawrence to square accounts with Ivan Hurd, a millionaire paper manufacturer who had been the cause of Cliff’s father’s death. There’s a fight, tj*- like of which has never been seen on the screen before. Unknown to Holt, Bessie Love had seen the fight and warns him that Hurd, played by Montagu Love, has Set the police on his trail. Brant lights out to safety through the lumber country. The picture goes on to show how he finds romance and adven-

ture along “the ancient highway.” CIVIC PICTURES. ‘FOR THE LOVE OF MIKE” FORD STERLING, GEORGE SIDNEY, BEN LYON AND ZANE GREY’S “THE OPEN RANGE.” “For the Love of Mike” which is at the Civic to-night tells an amusing story of three old men, one a Jew, the other an Irishman, the third a German, who find an abandoned baby on their doorstep and bring him up until he goes to college, and then returns to marry the little Italian girl who lives next door. Ford Sterling, George Sidney and Hugh Cameron are cast as the three foster fathers. The baby eventually turns out to be Ben Lyon, “Mike” of thestory and it is around the events of his college life that the action of the picture’ revolves. He goes to Yale and makes great headway, eventually finishing up as captain of the rowing team. On his twentyfirst birthday Mike’s foster parents arrange a big party for him, but on the journey home Mike falls for the wiles of a designing flapper. And it is here that the story takes on quite a different phase. In “The Open Range” another of Zane Grey’s western yarns makes an appearance in celluloid —a western starring Lane Chandler, one of Paramount’s young leading men, who has little Betty Bronson as his feminine support. The film has Indians galore, a cattle stampede and similar actionful episodes. It has some foolishness mixed with its fireworks, too and makes bright entertainment.