PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 19659, 12 September 1927, Page 3

PICTURE THEATRES

EMPIRE According to Frank Tuttle, who directed ‘Kid Boots/ the current attraction at the Empire Theatre, Eddie Cantor, who is playing his first role on the screen, will undoubtedly be as great a success as he was on the stage. The greater part of ‘ Kid Boots ’ is set at a lashionablo holiday resort, where Clara Bow has the part of a swimming instructress, who falls in Jove with Cantor. Lawrence Gray is seen as a golf professional, and Billie Dove, who bus the part of the hotel proprietor’s Slighter, falls in love with him. The love entanglement between these two couples, with the comedy supplied by Cantor and Hank Wann, makes this production one of the most hilarious. Thu story deals with the attempts of Laurence Gray’s wile, whom he is trying to divorce, to have the divorce broken off when her erstwhile husband inherits a fortune. Through the intervention of Eddie Cantor, however, this attempt is frustrated. Later, when they meet and fall in love with two girls, complications set in. The scheming wife is limilly outwitted, however, and the romances between the two girls continue successfully. The programme is rounded olf by excellent music by the orchestra, under the baton of Mr Cbas. Parnell, and an atmospheric prologue by members of the Otago School of Dancing. GGTAGQN “ Honor thy father and thy mother” is the theme that has been chosen for the latest Universal production, ‘The Fourth Commandment,’ which is being screened at the Octagon Theatre. The story covers a period of many years, with the characters traversing the span between youth find old ago. The subsecpicut transformations on the part of the cast arc triumphs of make-up. Bello Bennett enters the story a young girl, and successfully grows older as the story unfolds. In the final fade-Out she is magnificent in the disillusionment of fifty. When the story opens Mary Carr is seen as a mother in her twenties. Her son is four. The real Mary Carr is the mother of six, the eldest is over twenty, yet she appears very youthful in the picture- Again in a later sequence she is seen as an old grandmother, weary and feeble. June Marlowe likewise proves lier ability to portray difficult character roles. Her story in the picture parallels that of Miss Bennett, and demands the same ago change. Make-up is thus the face costume of the screen, and is one of the most important details of brilliant character delineation. Among flic supporting cast are Hubert Agncw ? June Marlowe, .Frank Elliott, Kathleen Myers, Brady Kilnc, and fonr-year-old Wendell Phillips Franklin. ‘The Fourth Commandment’ is from an original photoplay-by Emilic Johnson, As an overture a selection from ‘Faust’ is rendered by the Octagon Orchestra, under Air L. D. Austin. PLAZA AND GRAND Tom Mix is the star in ‘The Great K. and A. Robbery,’ Paul Leicester Ford's story, now showing at tbo Plaza and Grand Theatres. Supporting the popular Alix in the photoplay are such favorites as Dorothy Dwau (who dies some daring horseback riding), Harry Gripp, William Walling, Carl Miller, Edward Poll, sen., and Curtis AlTlenry. Uproarious comedy touches vie with spectacular stunts in ‘ Hands Across the Border,’ the supporting picture, starring Fred Thomson nd Silver King. The background of tbe whole picture is ablaze with color, romance, and speed, and it gives Air Thomson perhaps the most picturesque role he has played since ‘That Devil, Qucinado.’ QUEEN'S AND KING EDWARD Few comedies have come to the screen during the past twelve months that can compare in plot, interest, or swiftness with ‘ A Kiss in a Taxi/ Bebo Daniels’s new starring picture, now showing at the Queen’s and King Edward Theatres, in it the vivacious comedienne plays Gillette, bewitching waitress of the Parisian Montmartre. All patrons seek to kiss her, but she is untouchable, answering each advance with a fresh shower of glassware. Chester Conklin, Maraval, treasurer of the Artists’ Society, has one of the best opportunities of his long moustached career Douglas Gilmore, Paramount’s latest leading man, gives a splendid performance as Lucicn, Bchc’s sweethen rt. EVERYBODY’S f Coi'inno Griffith’s powerful drama, ‘ Three Hours/ a screen version of May Edginton’s story, heads the bill at Everybody’s this week. In some respects Aliss Griffith’s newest picture resembles her famous success, ‘ Black Oxen.’ As in the previous picture, one of the_ high lights of the story is the heroine’s transition from plainness to beauty. In ‘ Black Oxen ’ the change was duo to pathological rejuvenation, but in the new film the transformation is accomplished by a stolen wallet! A brilliant array of screen talent supports the star in this latest offering, including John Mowers, Hobart Bosworth, Pa 1 Ellis, Ann Schaefer, and Alary Louise Aliller. ‘The Exquisite Sinner,’ starring Conrad Nagel and Bence Adoree, makes an excellent supporting feature.