AMUSEMENTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 18763, 30 December 1930, Page 11

AMUSEMENTS.

“THE BORDER LEGION.” AT THE MAJESTIC. “The Border Legion,” a well-known Western novel by the popular author Zane Grey, is the current attraction at the Majestic Theatre. “The Border Legion” is Zane Grey at his best. It has swift, breath-taking action, hardriding, shooting from the hip, and romance that brings a lump into the throat and a tear to the eyes. There is great suspense as Arlen, Holt and Stanley Field face each other with guns in their hands and fight is out, man to man, for the love of Fay Wray. There is comedy with that droll character of the S. S. Van Dine murder mysteries and “The Virginian,” Eugene Pallette, leading the fun. There are magnificent vistas, gorgeous backgrounds, vast herds of cattle, horses by the hundreds—and always “The Border Legion,” riding, joking, fighting, terrorising. “The Border Legion,” with its stellar cast of lead and character players, is, without doubt, one of the most ambitious and best of the Western outdoor talking films produced to date. “The Virginian,” Paramount’s first audible action drama of the outdoors, initiated a great series of Westerns, filled with entertainment and true to the old and new traditions of the screen. This picture is particularly noteworthy because it brings back to Zane Grey dramas the outstanding portrayer of Zane Grey roles of silent picture days, Jack Holt. His speaking voice is as virile as his action has always been. This combination of Paramount, Zane Grey, Richard Arlen, Jack Holt and Fay Wray means virile, vivid, thrilling outdoor action. A special matinee will be held at the Majestic this afternoon, when Colin Campbell will present new and bright numbers on his concertina, and the film programme will be headed by William Boyd in “His First Command.” A special session is promised for New Year’s Eve.

“HIS FIRST COMMAND.” AT THE ROYAL. William Boyd and a uniform are becoming synonymous. The Pathe star’s latest appearance is as a young khaki cavalier of the United States Cavalry in “His First Command,” a hew a'll-talking picture written especially for him, and now at the Royal Theatre. It will be recalled that some of Boyd’s most successful roles have been those in which he wore the distinctive garb of some branch of civil or military service. These include such pictures as “Dress Parade,” “The Midshipman,” “The Cop,” “The Leatherneck,” and “The Flying Fool.” Gregory La Cava, who was placed under contract by Pathe following the success of his production of “Big News,” in which Robert Armstrong and Carol Lombard are featured, directed “His First Command,” and Ralph Block was the producer. This is the first of three important pictures in which William Boyd will be starred on Pathe’s new programme of all-talking and silent pictures. Dorothy Sebastian is featured as leading woman, and the supporting cast is unusually imposing. ‘‘THE GAY NINETIES.” AT THE GRAND. A breath of a brilliant, if somewhat faded past sweeps across the screen of the Grand Theatre, where Marion Davies’ newest all-talking vehicle, “The Gay Nineties,” is now showing. For here is a panorama of the “good old days” of the 'AO’s, when even bathing suits had high necks and long sleeves, and a trip on a “bicycle built for two,” a tandem, was decidedly more delightful than a car ride is to-day. The picturesque scenes, quaint costumes, and strict morals depicted in “The Gay Nineties” offer a similar diversion to that of looking through grandma’s family album with the added interest of the droll characters coming to life. The plot, which is delightfully and entertainly punctuated with hearty laughs, and many old famous songs, concerns the love of Daisy, a chorus girl, for Jack Vibart, a young well-to-do man, famous for his racing stables. However, Jack’s luck on the turf does not last out, and his mother tells Daisy that he must marry a rich society girl to maintain the family’s social standing. Unhappy and worried at the position, Daisy decides to try and convince Jack that her love for him has flown with his money, but Jack will not believe her, and in spite of further actions to try and turn him away, he eventually learns of her sacrifiqe and, in a fitting climax, all ends happily.