TWO LIVE WESTERN FILMS AT QUEEN’S.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18057, 18 January 1927, Page 12

TWO LIVE WESTERN FILMS AT QUEEN’S.

“ FIREBRAND ” HAS MANY THRILLING INCIDENTS.

\Yeslern films alwaya hava an ant-c----tion that is peculiarly thelr own. Picturns of this class. vltnl wllh duhlnt action. tree from tortuoultleu or plot. plunglng with the freshness of the open spacos to :1. clear cut. issue. are I. wolchange from the overdone "soeuty drama" which figures so largely nowadays. Always is vlrtura triumphant and villalny vanquished in than send-:1. wholesome utorles 0! men. horse- and guns, and whlch usually have the temlnlne element as more or less of in ad— Junct to Interest. rather than I. central. figure. This week a‘ the Quun's Theatre, there is a. flrsuum programme. of which the two chief feature. an dash. in: \Vuternu well calculutad to thrill and angel-mtg withoug unquo__bruln_;gu:¢.

Franklyn Farnum stars in the rollick': in: romance. “Firebrand.” which head: the bill. Tha film In full of thrills. comedy and sensation. Frankly melodramatic though the picture In, It In of the well-loved class of Westerns. Telllug I. tale of old dayl. when men wore guns and used them. and the only law for mnny was that of King Colt. of wild rides and dqsporate dmnzs. o! brave men and had men, of “'inchosters and feams. “gnu: all 1:113:15 ingredients

“F‘irehrahd” goes with a swing from start to finish, 1t 1150 contains human interest. an appealing love story. and a. rapid, sequence of breakneck stunts. Farnum is one or the coolest end most capable "action actors " uppeerin‘ on the screen. and he can act in s pleasing manner. The combination produces an effective photo-play well calculated tn entertain. From the standpoint of settings. no luxurious palace ever built in a. studio comes anywhere near the tactful majesty or outdoors. In “Firebrsnd" there is a richness of setting that would be hard to improve on. with ‘some exceptionally ilne scenic "shots,” Flu-nun: makes a likeahin hero. and Ruth Lanxd'ou does excellent. work in support. Hard-riding. hard-fighting. hard-Inv—-ing—Willium Fairbanks appears in “A “Western Adventurer." the second feature on I. very attractive programme. Cowpuncher in cxcclsis, be-chnpped. be—gunned. be-sombrcroed. he rides and fights, and loves turbulentiy—in short. is a. perfect “'estern Adventurer. And adventure. it seems. lingers not fer from the seeker at it. Like “F‘irebrend.” this picture also revels in activities end tumultuous hazards of the kind that eeem to flourish exclusively in the Golden West. Action and romance are the keynotes of this stirrimt film from start tn finish. The outstanding feature of “A Western Adventurer " is its realism end wholesome genulneness. for no matter how vividly sensational the events may be. yet in their transference to the screen they benome plausible. feasible and eminently the correct sort of thing for the climate. A new screen villain is introduced in End Kane. whose methods of being nlausibiy super-vii-ieinous have the virtue of high originality. and savour not a little of keen artistry. A delightful artist 'in every sense. is Bliss Lamont. who is lending lady—and being leading lady to Fair. banks‘ hero end But! Kane's villein takea lot or (icing. _ _

o .v. v- ..v-.. . A good pic-gramme of supporting “£113: m 9130 present-«d.

”flier"; Tia—3}." ‘e'ic'éiic'fit pron-ammo ‘o! lncidcmal music.