Reel Life

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 87, 5 January 1918, Page 10

Reel Life

f| s Of r3EWSOF iwli IFIWS

"THE THOROUGHBRED." 'J swiftly-moving story of life in the Ulct bouth, with "the sport of kinds'' i Pjaymg a leading part, and Frank Keenan heading the cast-chat's "The Ihoroughbred," the newest Triangle play. Here is a feature where there is a great cast to start with. He appears .as a Southerner of the old school-r----courtly, well-bred, cultured. Fortuno deals bitterly with Major Ainslee, but he meets every situation with a smile and a gentle word. He makes a friend or a man who is prejudiced against mm—so strong a friend that it is this very man. who comes secretly to his . rescue in the great crisis of his fortunes. Keenan's playing of this part is a wonderful delineation, and will establish this already popular player still more firmly in the public's favour and affection. In the part of the old Southerner's daughter, Margaret Thompson appears to excellent advantage, and finds herself in the embar~ rassing predicament of being in We with.a handsome young man who, with the best of intentions, is working her father's ruin.'

Our patrons will remember Frank Keenan for his marvellous impersonations 111 "The Sin Ye Do," "The Crab," and "The Bride of Hate" at Everybody's. -Frank Keenan, as the star in ' : 'Tho Thoroughbred," will "entertain you as you have never been entertained before. You'll share his troubles, and his joys. THE "DIME" NOVEL. This is an Americanism for the story which deals in hairbreadth escapes and wild adventure. Accordthis test the Rev. Cyrus Townshend Brady is guilty of such a novel he turns out "Sunlight's Last Raid." However, the author of "The Island of Regeneration" and other famous "best sellers" writes a iattling story whatever type it is, «*md this Greater Vitagraph tale is one of the best.

"SUNLIGHT'S LAST'RAID." this is, of course, a Western story, but what a good one it is! Mary Anderson, displays her uncanny skill on horseback in scene after scene. The < plot is most ingenious. Sunlight is a, bad man of the worst type. His fiendish exploits make him the terror of the district, ' and he' does every misdeed "with the exaggerated politeness common to the Mexican halfbreed. Into his power falls the little heroine. She makes her escape, but again on a lonely ride she falls in with a handsome horseman; and she makes sure that it is Sunlight. Her misunderstanding leads her into plenty of trouble, but. all ends'happily. POINTS OF VIEW. "Someone has grossly deceived you, sir," is. the quaint way in which the horse-loymg old Southern colonel in The Thoroughbred" answers' the preacher who has just expounded his , views on the evils of horse-racing. This •Triangle story is a gallant defence of a tme- sport, which, although it has been corrupted by gambling, still has attractions for men of sterling worth. .Frank . Ke«nan, in the role of the Cblonei, has one of.tho. great roles of his career. His grim, though jovial face, positivcly_ beams when he looks at "Miss Minta," his gallant mare. There aro some genuine surprises in the plot, and the love romance is a particularly fine one. Special mention should also be made of "Doc Witherspoon," the grand

old chum of the Colonel, a part which is taken with rare skill by J. J. Dowling. RACES ON THE SCREEN. There is a rousing delineation of a race in "The Thoroughbred"—one which reminds one of the great race in "The Whip." The horses aro seen starting, and the whole race is shown in detail.. A fine touch is added when the little village, the dwelling-place of "Miss Minta," is shown congregated about the newspaper office waiting for the judge's verdict. The expressions of old Colonel Ainsleo and his chum . are also a wonder of variety. 3'A GREAT, ACCRECATION OF 'TALENT. . Here's something to digest! Mary Pickford has decided to leave her own company, and play in motion pictures for Pathe. Douglas Fairbanks and William S. Hart will probably do the same

[ thing. Frank Keenan, Bessie Love, Antonio Moreno, Irene Vernon Castle, Fanny Ward, and Bryant Washburn have already done so. Morose about to follow the same course, and there's a reason. Pa the have recently, been backed np by the French Government to the extent of some twenty million francs, and the idea behind this all is to bring some of the money into Franco tlmt at present is being expended in America. Pathe are the pioneers in film craft, and have' now commenced to take .everybody else's stars. They have purchased no fewer than four new studios, bought out the Kalem plant, and .with the stars' names above, and thoso already under their wing, viz Pearl White, Molly King, Frederick' Warde, Jenne 'Eagles, and 50 others, they will surely reap a just reward in the future. .

It is worthy to note that Pathe Freres are associated in the Dominion with the N.Z. Picture Supplies, Ltd., from which the King's, Everybody's, Empress, P.P.P., Crown, Star, and Our Theatres draw the best selection of films. A COAT WITHOUT HORNS. 10TH EPISODE OF "THE SECRET KINGDOM." Princess Julia was about to i:o sacrificed on the Voodoo altar. A hush— the maxim silencer had spoken. Backward falls the treacherous Voodoo priestess. Havoc reigns. The frenzied worshippers are terror-stricken. They

disperse, and the white captives escape through the maze of dank, swampy underbrush. See the rites of "The Sacred Goat." bee the howling, chanting, dancing Voodoos. See wliy Julia is to bo sacrificed. You will De surprised at the weird, strange, fascinating and spectacular tram of events. You will he entranced by the newness, the originality, aiuHhe highly dramatic quality of this episode ' which leads to "The White Witch," the next adventure. MORNINC CALLOPS. The morning gallop by wav of a preliminary test is an old and tried racing institution, and there is a,typical one in "The Thoroughbred,' the Triangle drama dealing with tho "King of Sports," now screening at Everybody's. When "Miss Minta" has nnisherl her trial, the old black groom in huge excitement says, "Sho .went

DIRECTORY flKfe OF THEATRES | j/m

so fast, sail, that she dono caught herself up going round." Everyone is in 'si high state of excitement, and all faces are wreathed in smiles. ROKEBY'S PAST. "Fifteen .years ago," said Donovan, "I was on the New l r ork police i'orco, and I surprised two cracksmen robbing a safe. One of them I caught and ho got sent up, but the. other oue jumped into the Hudson and was thought dead. But five years ago I saw him. lie is Rokeby. Since then he has been paying mo money to keep quiet, and now I've got him cleaned out, and I'm looking for another source of income." And Hokeby is "The Guardian,' the respected proprietor of a prosperous banking house, and trustee for the wealthy young heroine of this fine World Film drama.

JUNE ELVIDCE. Pretty, fascinating, and capable June Elvidge has a splendid part in 'The Guardian." Supporting her are Montagu Love and Arthur Ashley, the latter at his best in the delineation of the role of an evil young scamp angling for an heiress's fortune. The climax of this story is full'of blazing excitement. Back to the seamy side of life, and haunting the slums that he knew so weli, the "guardian" gets evidence of a plot to kidnap his ward and iorce her to pay ransom. He tracks down the author of this conspiracy, and in a tremendous tussle manages to rescue ■her. COLDWYNS. All the /'heads" in the film world of Australia have been much exercised over the arrival of the Goldwyn brand •of film in our part of the world, and bidding for the Australian and New Zealand rights has boon something to remember. Mr. Bolster has come out from New lork as a special envoy.

It may be mentioned that anions thn recent visitors to Sydney is Mr. Henry Wayward, chairman of the I\ T .Z. Picture Supplies. A communique as to tlio latest developments on this front may be expected shortly.