PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 19793, 17 February 1928, Page 1

PICTURE THEATRES

OCTAGON The Navy comes into many strange episodes. And the men of a battleship who may one day be engaged in a war, may a few short months later find themselves on an errand of mercy to a late enemy, or engaged in mock battle for the movies. True, it is seldom that the British Fleet is seen as a real integral part, ol a film, particularly if that film does not happen to contain any Navy propaganda, but it sometimes happens nevertheless. In the late war the H.M S. Tiger, a companion ship in many an escapade with the Great Fleet to the H.M.A.S. Australia, waged with, the rest the fleet war against Germany. Years passed, and war gave way to the pursuits of peace. Her once companion battle cruiser, the Australia, was destroyed to meet the demands of peace treaties, but the Tiger carried on. A few years ago fighting the Germans, and this year the same battleship played the Good Samaritan to the Germans aboard the doomed ship Hela Again we come to another phase of the life of the handy man Jack Tar The Tiger also played an important part in the British-made Paramount release ‘The Flag Lieutenant.’ This battle-scarred ship played the background for the action of 1 his stirring melodrama of the Navy. The men and officers entered into the spirit of the making of the picture, and ,’eiit every assistance to the actors, who, for the short time of the making of the film, became British* naval officers. ‘The Flag Lieutenant’ tells the story of the friendship of two men, one a naval officer successful and decorated, despite his short career; the other an officer of marines, faced with retirement after a service of no outstanding merit. Then comes the big chance for the marine, and his friend keeps a silence which, if broken, would have meant a dashing of hopes to the ground. The picture is finely acted by a capable cast headed by Henry Edwards and Dorothy Seacombe. 1 The Flag Lieutenant ’ opened at the Octagon Theatre to-day. To-night a special orchestral presentation, with Mons. Da Rose as the musical director, is announced, and also as a prologue Misses Babs Saul and Tris Gordon will dance a number of sailors’ hornpipes. On the same bill is a film of the story of the Prince of Wales from boyhood to manhood.

EMPIRE ‘Naughty But Nico’ opened at the Empire Theatre to-day, with the vivacious Colleen Moore in the title role. In this picture the popular star has the role of Bernice Summers, a shy young girl who is sent from the comparative isolation of a Texas ranch to a finishing school. At the school she blossoms from an unnoticed wallflower into the school’s most popular girl, and arouses the interest of Paul Carroll, a handsome .young batchelor. One day the principal of the school surprises Bernice and a friend in the lobby of an hotel, where they have gone to meet Paul, and they say that they are there to meet their parents. In order to keep up the pretence they are forced.. ,tp.. which is occupied "by T&flph as they are about to leave, however, the parents of Bernice’s friend arrive, and on the spur of the moment the Texas girl introduces Ames as her husband. Through a series of coincidences they again meet that night at a party, at which Carroll is also present. He is stunned when Ames is introduced as Bernice’s husband. Every eflort is made to induce the bride and groom to enter the bridal suite. Finally, however, the tangle is cleared up and Bernice finds happiness with Carroll, in addition to Miss Moore, the cast includes Claude Gillingwater, Hallam Cooley, Kathryn M'Guirc, Edythe Chapman, and Clarissa Solwynnc. An added attraction is the new scries of “ Stereoskopics.” To the ordinary picture we have length and breadth, but the figures have no actual perspective or depth. AVith the stereoskopics, however, the figures stand out from the screen and walk right into the audience. Stereoskopics are a screen miracle. Every person—except the blind—will seo stereoskopics, for they are actually a new invention.' Special colored glasses must bo used to gain the real sensation of stereoskopics. They will be distributed to patrons as they enter tho theatre.

The Empire Orchestra, under the direction of Mr Chas. Parnell, is heard in its usual bright musical programme.

QUEEN'S AND KING EDWARD

llin Tin Tin has become such an institution among screen stars that the announcement of another Kin Tin Tin picture is always enough to bring out his faithful followers. But the Bin Tin Tin picture now showing at the Queen’s and' King Edward Theatres is not just another llin Tin Tin picture, but a picture that .stands on its own lorn - feet, with a gripping story, excellent direction, and a splendid cast. The picture is ‘Hills 6f Kentucky,’ adapted from Dorothy Yost’s story, ‘ The Untamed Heart.’ Kin Tin Tin appears as “The Grey Ghost,” a dog who leads a hungry ■pack upon depredation through the mountain hamlets. His story, which in-, eludes a wonderful dog romance, is entwined with the history of a young mountain school teacher (Dorothy Dwan), and two brothers of the Cain and Abel variety (Jason Robards and Tom Santsoni). There arc beautiful backgrounds, brilliant photography, and a scries of tense episodes. A 1 Wilson is literally and figuratively “up in the air” in his latest thrilling airplane picture, ‘Three Milos Up,’ a Universal-Western, which is the second feature. This is one of a series of four airplane pictures which Universal is making. The story is. from an original by Bruce Mitchell, who also directed the picture. In the supporting cast arc Ethlyne Clair, William Malan, Frank Rice, William Clifford, Billy “ Red Jones, Joe Bennett, Archie Ricks, and Art Goebel. GRAND AND PLAZA The popular stay, Reginald Denny, plays the title role in ‘ What Happened To Jones,’ which is hilled as the major attraction at the Plaza and Grand Theatres this week. The story tells of Tom Jones, a, wealthy Bible manufacturer, who, on the eve of his marriage, promises his fiancee to travel the path of strictest rectitude. Unfortunately for his promise, ho is inveigled into a poker game, which is raided by the police in his efforts to escape from the law, he exits via the fire-escape, only to find himself in a women’s Turkish bath. The steam room becomes too hot lor him, and he sheds his clothes. Discovery being imminent,, lie purloins a woman’s dress, in which , disguise he manages to make his way into the street. Eventually he reaches the home of his friend, but the friend’s clothes do not fit him, being made for a man weighing about JOG pounds. Just then the announcement is made that his friend’s brother, a bishop, is on his

way to the house, and he had sent his clothes on in advance to be pressed. Tom scir.es on the clerical garments, and finds them a perfect lit. Just as lie is about to leave, his friend’s wife enters, and mistakes him for the real bishop, she never having met the latter. From then on the fun is fast and furious. The hapless hero becomes involved in more and more trouble. Eventually, of course, lie just manages to clear himself, and the final fade-out is a riot of laughs and chuckles. ‘Hills of Peril,’ featuring the popular western star, Buck Jones, is oa the same bill.

EVERYBODY'S Lilian Rich plays opposite Rod La Rocquo in ‘ Braveheart ’ one of the features at Everybody’s Theatre. She has the role of the daughter of a powerful fish canner, who ignores the fishing rights of an Indian tribe, and involves himself and daughter in serious trouble. Braveheart, son of Standing Rock, aa Indian chief, fails in love with the girl, and this is responsible for the heart interest in this most absorbing story. Miss' Rich vests her role with sweetness and charm, and her portrayal is at once artistic and captivating. The frequent appearance of Nonna Shearer and Lew Cody in the same picture is rapidly identifying them as a team ol screen stars that is unbeatable for comedy. ‘ The Dcmi-Bride,’ the second feature, which is a farcical French comedy, shows Miss Shearer in the role of a saucy and mischievous Parisian schoolgirl, who succeeds in winning a sophisticated bonlcvardier after a series of mirth-provoking incidents. Lew Cody plays the part of the boulevardier. Other members of the cast are Dorothy Sebastian, Lionel Behnore, Tenon and Carmel Myers.