PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 19664, 17 September 1927, Page 10

PICTURE THEATRES

' EMPIRE ' i Eleanor Glyn says “‘lt’ is that quality possessed-by some which draws all others with its magnetic force. With ‘ it ’ a woman can win all men—and a man can win all women.” That is, briefly, the theme behind tho paramount production, ‘ It,’ which is being screened at the Empire Theatre. The picture is the film adaptation ot Madame Glyn’s latest stdry, and has Clara Bow in tho leading role. The •novel was adapted expressly for Miss Bow, and deals with Betty Lou Spence, a {shop girl who, possesses, that magnetic something which defies .definition, but- attracts with compelling force. With a limited education, no family prestige, and nothing but her fundamental, sweetness of character, she exerts the inexplicable “it” in order to win the love of her employer. First of all, sho meets Monty, tho bosom friend of her employer, Cyrus Waltham, and uses him as a stepping stone to an introduction to the latter, whom she fascinates. In order to save some welfare workers from taking her sick friend’s baby to a homo, she says the baby is her own, and the story appears in the papers, which Cyrus reads; Upset by her supposed infidelity, he plans a yachting trip. Betty, however, makes Monty invito her as his guest, and soon wins everyone, with tho exception of Ad la Van .Norman, Cyrus’s fiancee, with her charm. Finally* Cyrus proposes to Betty, but she laughs iu bis face. Later Monty is at the wheel, and, knowing nothing of steering, rams another boat. Betty and Adela are thrown overboard by the impact, and Cyrus dives alter her while Monty follows in .a boat. At last they manage to clamber up on the yacht’s anchor and make up their differences with a kiss. Tho usual comedies and gazelles arc shown, and tho orchestra, under Mr Chas. Parnell, renders an appropriate programme. OcTnGS.’J ‘ One Increasing Purpose,’ which is being screened at the Octagon Theatre, is the second of A. S. M. Hutchinson's novels to bo made into a fox Films production. The story deals with Sun Baris, who, during tno war, had so many miraculous escapes that ho came to think that his lilo had been spared tor some purpose, the story is logically developed by a cast which includes such screen'lavorites as Lila Lee, Holmes Herbert, May Allison Huntley Gordon, Emily Fitzroy, Jane Novak, Josef Swikard, Lawford Davidson, and others equally well known for their splendid work. Frantically all outdoor sequences were filmed in England, and scenes of English village life as well as many historic spots, such ns Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, House of Parliament, and other notable buildings and places, play a prominent part iu the picture. ‘ One Increasing Purpose is u lino entertainment that is sure to please every typo of audience. . Harry Beaumont, director of ‘Sandy,’ has caught the spirit of tho book, and in bringing the. characters to tho screen seems but to make them walk out of the pages across the silver sheet. Iho photographic effects are wonderful. An entertaining programme is, rounded off by appropriate musical numbers by the Octagon Orchestra, under tho baton of Mr L. D. Austin. QUEEN'S AND KING EDWARD The Pacific fleet in full battle practice, never before permitted to be the target for a film camera, is one of the sensational spectacles at tho Queen s and King Edward Theatres, in the massive production of. ‘ Tell It to the Marines,’ Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s epic of the United States Marine Corps, in which the intimate lives of the “soldiers of the sea ” form the basis for a sensational drama. Through the co-operation of the United States Government, which gave ofiicial sanction to tho huge production, tho regular annual battle practice was filmed in detail, with Lon Chaney, William Haines, Eddie Gribbon, and other noted players taking their places and working in the regular ranks of the Marines on duty during tho big manoeuvre. , Tho actors wero drilled by regular sergeants for weeks before they were placed among tho regulars, _to make them as efficient as tho enlisted personnel of the corps, and, in tact, tho players were under Marine _ discipline throughout the _ eventful trip. The battle practice is one of several sen* sational thrills in the new production; among them the capture of a Chinese village, repulse of a horde of Oriental bandits, and rescue of a mission, in which more than 1,200 men, including nearly 600 regular Marines from the San Diego Marine base, took part. This battle, supervised by regular Marine officers working with Georgo Hill, director of tho play, is one of the mightiest of modem battle spectacles. Lon Chaney plays a veteran sergeant in tho new picture, with William Haines in the romantic lead as a young recruit undergoing his baptism of fire in the service. Eleanor Boardman plays the heroine, a navy nurse, and in this role works with Hie regular nurses on a navy hospital ship. Carmel Myers plays an exotic South Sea vampire in the Oriental sequences of the story, and Eddie Gribbon, ‘Mitchell Lewi’s, Maurice- Kains, Frank Currier, and other_ players of note appear. The story is from an original scenario by E. Richard Schayer, famous war hero and playwright, and was prepared by him with tho co-operation of General John A. Lcjeune, commandant of the Marine Corps. EVERYBODY'S In ‘ Evening Clothes,’ the attraction at the Everybody’s Theatre, Adolphe Menjou adopts a beard and plays tho country gentleman in the French manner. Tho story adapted from the French play, ‘ Tho Man in Evening Clothes,’ by Andre Picard and Yves Mirande, two of Franco’s popular playwrights, is concerned with tho adventures of Lucien, a wealthy member of the landed French nobility and his adventures following his acquisition of a wife who is a Virginia Valli, Noah Beery, and Louise Brooks are the featured players. ‘ An Affair of the Follies,’ the supporting picture, combines an intensely interesting screen story with splendid acting and an unusual array of beautiful girts. Lewis StonCj Billie Dove, and Lloyd Hughes aro featured in the picture, while Arthur Stone, Arthur Hoyt, and Bertram Marburgh contribute excellent supporting roles. Miss Dove appears as a dancer who marries a clerk and tries to _ make ends meet for two on half tho income she was accustomed to-earning. Lloyd Hughes is the husband, Lewis Stone the intruding but, human and likeable, millionaire who admires her. With those and supporting roles, tho plot weaves real drama, suspense, and a number of uupsual situations. PLAZA AND GRAND Those in search of a thrill have only to visit tho Plaza and Grand Theatres this week, and see the latest Master Picture, ‘ The Overland Limited.’ It is impossible in a limited space to describe the rapid action and many exciting moments of this photoplay, but if the reader can imagine a fast express train dashing along, with a maniac creping over tho top of the .engine to attack the engineer, the struggle in the cab, and then the train running wild, with a madman at the throttle. Then shift tho scene to a new steel bridge, with two men silently cutting through tho girders with an acetylene, torch. The train reaches the bridge, and suddenly the bridge collapses, plunging the. steel monster into a raging torrent below. The above are but a few scenes in this remarkable

film. Thou, too, there are romantic love scenes between Malcolm M‘Gregor and Olive Bordon, a now screen beauty, a lot of wholesome comedy, and some moments of pathos. ‘Tho Riding Rascal, 1 starring Art Acord, is also showing. ROSLYN ‘ Wild Justice ’ is tho title of tonight’s attraction at the Roslyn Theatre., Tho chief actor is Peter the Great, the marvel dog of the screen, and the picture was filmed amongst the snowy, high Sierras. Tho picture tolls a dramatic tale of life, love, and adventure in the forests of the lovely snow-clad north country, and weaves a thrilling pattern of _ intrigue and action against the majestic beauty of the perpetual snows. Centred about a mysterious murder, the action moves swiftly and is enlivened by hand-to-hand struggles, in which the dog plays important parts. Special supports aro announced in addition to the chief picture.