AHOY, THERE!

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18905, 21 January 1927, Page 9

AHOY, THERE!

"THE BLACK PIRATE." Golden galleons, bleached skulls, bold buccaneoiß, scuttled ships, a princess ft distress, and a duke w*bo faces death to save her. These aro the adventurous and romantic ingredients of "The Black Pirate," the latest United-Artists' production which has been secured for presentation at the Grand Theatre next week. There can bo no,hesitation in saying that this is tho finest pirate film ever 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 tho most rascally and graceless villains, the bravest hero, the finest ship, tho most mysterious island, and tho most beautiful lady. Everything receives the dignity of tho superlative; which is just as it should bo in a rollicking foray into the South Seas, marvellous waters where one can find anything, from cabbages to kings. "The Black Pirate" was produced by Douglas Fairbanks, who also plays the name-part, and is characterised by a minute adherenco to detail. 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 those ruthless but courageous sea-dogs. The romance of the tale 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 .actual ity about - the pictur. which deiitinos it to stand out as -jue of tho most entertaining and carefully-conceived film classics over presented to the public. An interesting feature of the production is that it is done in technicolour. The natural colouring has been employed throughout, and it is this, nest to tho 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, never intruding, as it were, the soft and effectivo shades make the picture doubly enjoyable. There 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 tho 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 witness this picture without a quickened pul3e, 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 simplicity, aud is a bright figure in these essentially masculine surroundings. The. box plans lot the reason are now open at The' Bristol Piano Company, where seats may be reserved.