AHOY, THERE!

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18904, 20 January 1927, Page 7

AHOY, THERE!

"THE BLACK PIRATE." Golden galleons, bleached skulls, bold buccanoers, scuttled ships, a princess in distress, and a duke who faces death to save her. These are the adventurous and romantic ingredients of "Tho Black Pirate," the latest United Artists' production which has beon secured for presentation at tho Grand Theatre next week. There can be no hesitation in Baying that ■ this is the finest ■ pirato film over seen on the screen. Tho story is one of those hoary ones, which so delighted us in our more impressionable years, but which stills holds a glamour and a fascination for the most prosaic—a story full of the most raßcally and graceless villains, tho bravest hero, the finest ship, -the most mysterious island, and the'most beautiful lady. Lvery thing receives the dignity of the superlative; which is just as it should be in a rollicking foray into the South Seas, marvellous waters vhero ono can find anything, from cabbages to'kings. "The Black Pirate" was produced by Douglas Fairbanks, who also plays tho name-part, and is characterised by a minuto adherence to dotail. The picture bears evidence of profound research; everything is typical of tho period in which the story takes place, so that one feels that one is actually leading a hectic life among thoso ruthless but courageous sea-dogs. The romance of the talo is quarried from the richest field, opened, out to the romancist, a colourful age, and an equally colourful people. There is. a vivid quality of actuality about the picture which destines it to stand out as one. of the most entertaining and carefully-conceived film classics ever presented to the public. An interesting feature of the production is that it is dono in technicolour. The natural colouring has been employed throughout, and it is this, next to the manner of the story's presentation, which makes it so realistic. It would seem that the method of film, colouring has been perfected, for it is impossible to imagine any improvement made on the colour work in this .production. Never glaring, nover intruding, as it were, the soft and effoctive shades make the picture doubly enjoyable. Thcra are some enthralling scenes, which simply breathe the spirits of Long John Silver, Captain Kidd, and a few.others of the more exacting representatives of this thrilling profession. Events of individual cruelty, the looting, the firing of the powder trail, the huddled, helpless victims, the red explosion ending all for the captives, convey an impression of clamorous terror upon the screen, which is vibrantly dramatic and enormously exciting. One cannot witnoss this picture without a quickened pulse, even a quickened heart-beat, and the balancing elements of romance and light comedy bring the production up to a very high standard. Miss Billie Dove plays the feminine lead with exquisite grace and-sim-plicity, and is a bright figure in these- essentially masculine surroundings. Tho box plans for the season are now open at The Bristol Piano Company, where seats may be reserved. '. ' '