PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 19784, 7 February 1928, Page 9

PICTURE THEATRES

QUEEN’S * The Unknown.’ the chief attraction at the Queen’s Theatre, is a gripping mystery drama, with a Spanish circus as a background. Lon Chaney plays a simmer creature, ruler of an underworld, while playing a double role as a circus tiickster. and working out a strange series of plots. Through the mystery runs a delicate romance, in which his love for Estrellita, the dancer, transforms him, and leads to the astonishing sacrifice that marks the dramatic climax of the story. The cast is notable, including such phi,vers as Joan Crawford, Norman Kerry, John George, and Nick'De Ruiz. Tod Browning, author and director of the play, gave the world ‘The Unholy Three’ and * Tire Road to Mandalay ’ —but both fade into almost, insignificance beside the daring originality of Chaney’s newest triumph. ‘The City,’ the second feature, was adapted from the great melodrama by Clyde Fitch, which thrilled audiences ton years ngs Tt is Said by many to be the greatest work of'the gifted playwright, being a tense drama of human beings woven together by a master hand. EVERYBODY'S lu ‘ Convoy,’ the chief attraction showing at Everybody’s Theatre, an attempt was made to set down in dramatic form an accurate history of the navy’s part in the World War, through which is woven the story of a girl’s sacrifice in bringing about the apprehension of the head of the German Secret Service in the United Stales. Dorothy Mackaill, Lowell Sherman, Lawrence Gray, Buster Collier, lan Keith, and Jack Ackroyd arc featured with an impressive cast. Included on the same programme is 1 The Lawful Cheater,’ a rapid-fire action romance which gives full scope to the dynamic personality of Clara Bow. ‘ The Lawful Cheater ’ is a picture with punch and action, an excellent cast, and well directed. PLAZA AND GRAND ‘ Fainted Ponies,’ a. Universal-Jewel starring Hoot Gibson, which is the chief attraction at the Plaza and Grand Theatres, provides another important leading role for the pretty and vivacious Ethlyiie Clair. She has an especially sympathetic part to play in the character of a girl who runs a merry-go-round in a rodeo town. The carved wooden steeds of the carousel give the story of its name, ‘ Painted Ponies.’ The picture was directed by Reaves Eason from tile story by John H. Hamlin. The cast includes “ tSlim ” Summerville, William Dunn, and others. ‘ Sunshine of Paradise Alloy,’ a production of Denman Thompson’s famous play, is the supporting picture, and is a comedy of merit. Set in the most interesting of locales, New York’s East Side, it is a swiftly moving story of the life problems of the alien peoples who are huddled together in the slums. KING EDWARD ‘Damaged Goods,’ the screen version of Eugene Bricux’s novel, is hilled for presentation at the King Edward Theatre to-night. It is not a sensational picture, ns may be supposed by the average citizen, but a drama, with a message. By order of the New Zealand film censor mixed audiences are prohibited, and it has therefore been decided that women only will be admitted to the dress circle and men only to the Stulls The censor lias made anothei proviso—viz., that no individual under the age of sixteen years is to be admitted. ‘ The Lawful Cheater,’ starring tbs vivacious Clara Row, is on the samo bill.