AMUSEMENTS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19145, 31 October 1927, Page 4

AMUSEMENTS.

" DRUMS OF THE DESERT." OUTSTANDING WESTERN DRAMA CRYSTAL PALACE. TODAY. * Zane Grey. Warner Baxter, and Ford Sterling combine forces to make "Drums of the Desert" the. outstanding Western drama of the year. This production is the successor of "The Vanishing Race,"' a classic in its own style, and "Drums of tho Desert," which will open this week's new programme at the Crystal Palace Theatre, is every whit as interesting and spectacular as its iorerunner. The title is derived from the custom of primitive races of calling the tribes to battle by the dull, monotonous beating of crude drums, making that maddening sound which unnerves soldiers and ruins the morale of settlers and .pioneers. With a cunning and a wisdom . the Red men roll out their disturbing war-crys on the drums, an ominous sound, and an equally ominous sight. It may be gathered from the foregoing that

•'Drums oi the Desert'' is one of those "cowboys and Indians ' pictures with a surfeit of childish fighting, theatrical skirmishes, and a staged finaio wherein some rascally sheriff, seeking the downfall of the hero and the band of the heroine, is gloriously routed from the field, and the two leading characters go into a full-Nelson on a field strewu with Indians and a few pioneers. It is no such thing. It is not so very ofte» that' Zane Grey varies his style of storytelling, but he has worked the oracle in "Drums of the Desert," and has turned out a* clever a romance of the Golden West as any characteristic writer has ever done, a story with a sterling plot, sufficiently original as to be engrossing, garnished with just as much human interest as could reasonably creep into the hectic lives of the Western men and women, and by the grace of Ford Sterling, replete with some wholly delightful humour, he providing the much-needed relief in an otherwise tense drama. In the leading role is seen Warner Baxter, usually seen in polished society roles, bu.t he typifies his versatility by playing the determined hero of "Drums of the Desert" in convincing manner. It is said that Baxter is the possessor of Elinor Glyn's far-famed "It"; certainly he has aD attractive personality that goes far towards snaking this picture as pleasant as it is. "Tom Brown's School Days" might be the sub-title for "Brown of Harvard," the supporting feature on the bill, a light drama of the great American educational institution produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Maycr, in which William Haines plays the bumptious but humaii Brown, and Francis X. Bushman, jun., Jack Pickford, and Mary Brian, play the supporting roles. It is a story of .' youth, for youth, which does not mean that venerable heads will not shake with laughter, or nod in understanding with Brown, as he whirls his way through sportsground, uiooniieht lanes, midnight parties, and suudry other adjuncts of college life. The Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Mr Alfred Bunz, will play the following musical programme: Overture, "Poet and Peasant" (Suppe): "Symphony in G Major ' (Haydn), "Dramatic Suite" (Eugene D'Albert), "Adagio" (Nardini), "Indian Canzonetta" (Dvorak), "Slave Melody with Variations" (Delibes), "Tom Jones" (Edward German), "O What a Pal" (Burke), "Indian Suite" (Mouton). "Madrigal," by special request, (Simonetti). The box plans are at The Bristol Piano Company, where seats may be reserved.- "