GRAND THEATRE

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17219, 10 December 1923, Page 5

GRAND THEATRE

MR MEIGHAN IN “ FRONTIER OF THE STARS.” Mr T. Meighan needs no introduction to movie picture patrons. The hero of “The Miracle Man.” “Male and Female,” “Civilian Clothes.” and “Why Change Your Wife?” would grace any picture story- In his latest success “The Frontier of the Stars,” shown at the Grand Theatre on Saturday, Mr Meighan appears in a story that admirably suits his appearance and his talents. As Buck Leslie, a New York gangster, he has the same class of work as he did so well in “The Miracle Man,” the character of a “crook” who is regenerated. This change in Buck Leslie’s life is brought about by a little crippled girl. Escaping froqi a detective Buck climbs on the roof of a tenement. There he sees Hilda Hoyt, who never has been on the streets of a city, who knows nothing of “crooks” or of evil of any kind. She hides him behind the chimney, and he makes good his escape. He pays several visits to her, is first surprised and then influenced by her views, and turns over the proverbial new leaf. His enemy puts up a “frame-up” against him by arranging that some explosives should be found in Buck’s possession, evidence of his having cracked a pawnbroker's safe. The detective comes up on Buck when Buck is in Hilda’s company on the roof. The final scene, which follows, shows Buck to have great nobility of character. In the fight on the roof between Buck and the detective, the explosives set fire to the building. In the excitement, Hilda walks for the first time. Buck risks his life to save her, and the end comes when the detective leaves Buck and Hilda in each other’s arms. It is a thrilling, carefully worked out, artistic picture story, with a pretty theme, dramatic incidents, and a powerful and convincing climax. Like many other successful picture stories it is an adaptation. The original, a by Mr A. P. Terhune, was a magazine serial. The underlying principle in it, as in “The Miracle Man,” is that in even the worst men there is good, and that only suitable circumstances are required to bring it out- Miss Faire Binney, sister of Miss Constance Binney, the Realart star, takes the part of Hilda with pathos and dramatic effect. The piece was directed by Mr c - Maigne, who directed the “Copperheads,” and it comes with the stamp of the Paramount productions, which alone is sufficient recommendation. The title of the piece is taken from the fancy that the roofs of New York are the city's frontiers to the stars. The best scenes are on the roof of the tenement, and the photography there is remarkably good.

My Lady Friends,” the main support. of “The Frontier of the Stars.” is notable for the appearance in it of Mr and Mrs Carter De Haven, who find a suitable opportunity to display their talents as humourists in thil First National comedy. There were, also, another comedy, featuring Snub Pollard, who always is very popular, a cartoon* a chapter of “The Social Buccaneer,” a Pathe making a varied and highly interesting programme of firstclass merit.