THE PICTURE HOUSES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 8 December 1927, Page 9

THE PICTURE HOUSES

COSY DE LUXE. Tim McCoy’s forte for virile, adventurous, outdoor roles is finely demonstrated in his newest pi-oduction for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, “Foreign Devils,” now at the Cosy Theatre. He takes the part of Captain Kelly, attached to one of the Pekin Legations, and falls in love with Lady Patrician Rutledge, played By Claire Windsor. Shortly after they meet, however, the Boxer rebels start the first rumblings of the 1900 upheaval. Consequently. Kellv begs Lady Rutledge not to leave the Legation at this unsettled time. However, she persists in visiting a temple some distance from the city. In the meantime riots break out in Pekin, and he dashes on horseback to rescue her. Thus starts their pretty toinance. A very dramatic high-light of the picture is the concentration ot the European colony in the Legation quarter under seige by the Boxers; soldiers, civilians, and their womenfolk fight shoulder to shoulder in the forlorn hope of keeping the invaders outside their flimsv barricades. Then the Boxers deliver a concerted blow-, and Captain Kelly decides to take the life of the woman he loves rather than leave her to the victors. Frank Currier, Cyril Chadwick, Emilv Fitzrpy and Sojin are among the supporting players, who do good work The picture was directed with unusual success by W. S." Van Dyke. Good supports are also shown. MUNICIPAL. For picturesqueness of setting and costuming “Michael Strogoff,” at the Municipal Theatre, is unique hi him productions. 1 Quaint Russian inns, peopled with dancers, singers md accordion players aiiparently just stepped out of the “Chauve Souris,” wretched peasant hovels unfit for animals to live in, gorgeous State balls staged with the extravagance of an Oriental potentate, and lastly, the great camp of Feofar 'than, leader of the savage Tartars. This Tartar camp is the most extraordinary sequence ever seen in motion pictures. Brilliantly fined tents, gaudy banners, thick, rich Oriental rugs, jewel-trimmed costumes, these are al! shown in their original colours by the new French stencil process, which is said to be vastly superior to any coloured film ever before shown. The lithe brown dancers dressed in the costumes which only the East could conceive, strive to please the great Khan. They dance to the music of a strange band playing on great potato-shaped drums, long tubas and strange wind and string instruments. The musicians i with their fierce black moustaches, high fur turbans, and barbarically | coloured robes, would frighten less hardy entertainers. Nevei before has such atmosphere been created for a picture. It will cany the patron to another land, and send him back again and again to “Michael Strogoff.”