PLAZA AND TIVOLI

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 547, 27 December 1928, Page 15

PLAZA AND TIVOLI

“THE BARKER” When Milton Sills played in "HardBoiled Haggerty,” it was thought that j he had achieved the limit in hard characterisations. But in "The Barker,” which comes this evening to ; the Plaza and Tivoli Theatres, he is ; even more adamantine. In this George Fitzmaurice special production for First National Pictures, the star is one of those vociferous gentleman who stand on a ballyhoo box in front of a sideshow tent with a carnival company, and coax the staring pleasure-seek-ers into the close proximity of the ticket window and fairly conjures the dimes out of their pockets. Sills is hard as nails: but the windup betrays the fact that the barker has a heart after all. under his granitelike exterior. It is said to be ft whirlwind of a picture, with all the colour in the world! Dorothy Mackaill is co-starred with Sills, while Betty Compson plays the girl with whom the barker is in love. Both are beautiful, talented and possessed of remarkable personal appeal. Miss Mackaill is an English girl who has been seen in many First pictures, many of them with Jack Mulhall. Miss Compson plays a hula dancer in the picture. Sylvia Ashton. noted character woman, has a great role. The second picture this evening is a real Irish comedy, entitled "Finnigan’s Ball.'* The story tells of two Irish families, the and the Flannagans, and their life-long feud and family hatred which, after some amusing experiences, is settled once and for all. Charlie McHugh. Rlancie Mehaffey and Cullen Landis have the leading roles.