GREATER CRYSTAL PALACE.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18233, 18 November 1924, Page 14

GREATER CRYSTAL PALACE.

LUMBER-MEN. DELIGHTFUL CONSTANCE BINNET. Balance is a very desirable quality in any entertainment and especially in a nisvihij picture show. In the perfect "movie" programme there should be a foundation ot - drama, a good leavening comedy, a sprinkling of thrills and throbs, and enough of romance. The ideal is always unattainable, but Mr V. M. Beebe,- ■ by constant striving after it, has succeeded "this week in coming very close. The nearness of his approach will be borne, out by-the hundreds who patronised Greater Crystal-- Palace last night, and found the fare very much to their liking. The bill is complete with a bi? stirring drama, "Big Timber," an unusual plav, "The Sleep Walker," and numerous ovhsr items. The big Symphony Orchestra, under the conduc torshijp of Mr Alfred J. Biinz, plays music that is worth going some distance to hear. 1 Californian redwood forests make a great background for the attraction that stands at the head of the three-hour programme. "Big Timber" is nothing if not red-blooded. It is a smashing drama of lumbermen, crashing timber, and forest fires, with a few IuLU .for love-making and kisses. William Desmond, of manly build and countenance, is starred as a millionaire lumber king, who goes to the outb3ck3 to find the romance of life. He takes over a "roughneck"" crowd of lumber men and wins their good feeling by the way he tackles the problems 'that confront him. He cornea under a cloud of suspicion, for the previous owner of the timber interest has committed suicide, and there seems to be something underhand about the new man's deal. Poppy Orton, a pretty newspaper writer, goes to the timber company because she scents a story, and because she has known 'the new owner, Walter Sandry, before. Out in the backwoods there is a charming iom-boy, Sally, and Sandry find 3 her originality delightful. The foreman of the rival camp of the Yellow Pine Company, Hampton, delights jn brawls, and Sandry and he are enemies from the start. A curious plot leads up to a big fight in which Sandry floors the villain amid applause. The climax is a raging fire which sweeps through the pines. The lumbermen strive madly to stop ri by felling trees and ■then by dynamiting hugo strips of land. Caught in <the midst of the fire are Sandry and the two girls, both of whom are in love with him. The denouement is most unusual. The forest scenes in the picture are fine and the fire is most, realistically portrayed. Olive Hasbrouk and Betty Francisco both have big parts. Constance Binney, famous emotional actress, has tho big role in "The Sleep Walker," a thrilling' and at tho same time humorous photo-play from the Universal studios. "The Sleep Walker" should appeal to everyone by its novel theme, that of a young girl whose sub-conscious mind takes her strolling round seven-storey parapets, when she is asleep. The picture has a cast that includes Florence' Roberts, Jack Mulhall, Bertram Grassby . and Edytha Chapman. . . Fast moving indeed is tho latest picture of the "Fast Stepper" series. This is the "Christmas Handicap," an entertaining story of racing "down in Virginia." It has an appealing freshness about the plot and an ending that is just what is needed to give it "punch." The way Kmg William was beaten in the big race is very well told. The supports are the tenth chapter of itie Fast Express," a good comedy and a news fil A great reception was given "Morning, Noon and Night'' (Suppe), the °" rt « rc played by the Symphony Orchestra ; lost nio-ht. It opened with dignity and the cell polo by Mr Bate was phrased admirably. The allegro appassionato was up by the violins. The allegro from the Fifth Svmphony (Beethoven) fended perfectly with the forest picture, Big charming number was ploy£ SSfp- ./gfSovT Darling," by Mr Debenham, was a popular number. STRAND THEATRE. "The Clean-Up," heading the current bill at the' Strand Theatre, with Herbert Kawlinson in -the lead, is drawing large hou«*. Every development is a fresh laugh, and it is surrounded with a two-fisted fighting star working out the tale in thrilling adventures. The second attraction is a most fascinatin o drama featuring Ruth Clifford and Mes "Welch in- "Whispered Ivame. 9 th 5, 5 ° tures are "A Regular. Boy," starring Buddy Messingcr, International News, and -Liie Ghoet City," Episode 8.