INDUSTRIAL FILMS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 10 December 1927, Page 15

INDUSTRIAL FILMS

AMPLIFY LABORATORY LECTURES.

Motion pictures of industrial chemistry allowing the processes and operation of various manufacturing plants are being used to amplify the lecture and laboratory instruction in the department of chemistry at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Tho showings are open to the public. To give the student a view of the possibilities in the engineering field beyond his period of technical training i 8 the purpose of showing the industrial films, according to Dr. Ernest H. Huntress, who is in charge of the programme. The pictures do not replace anv of the regular work of the student, but supplement his reading and take the place of numerous inconvenient and expensive inspection trips.

A film telling the story of petroleum from the wells to the processes of refining is one of the first on the programme. Other films will include the manufacture and use of high explosives. the manufacture of gasoline, the story of oxygen; mining, smelting and refining nickel; the utilisation of waste oranges and lemon s in the production of citric acid; rubber production; the technology of paper and many other subjects.

“THE WRECK.” SCREENING TWICE ONLY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY AT THE MUNICIPAL THEATRE. If you like your screen melodramas to sizzle and speed along nt a breathless pace, then you must not overlook “The Wreck,” the new Columbia production released by Master Pictures. This story races by in exciting sequences to a happy climax, and gives little Shiney Mason one of the best roles of her genuinely successful career. Miss Mason plays an innocent girl, duped into a false marriage with a crook, and subsequently held lor one of his robberies. On her way to prison, the train is wrecked, and she is mistaken for the wife of a wealthy man. At his mother's home, she recuperates and wins the love of the handsome hero—and Malcolm McGregor is decidedly a lovable hero, who does some hard fighting to win the girl from the villain. Francis MacDonald and James Bradbury, Jr., play the crooks, and give forceful performances. $ >*t * $ “THE UNKNOWN.” ANOTHER LON CHANEY SUPER Starting on Wednesday at Cosy de Luxe, “The Unknown, 1 ' a Metro-Gold-wyn-Mayer Special, which conies to the Cosy de Luxe Theatre next Wednesday stars Lon Chaney, the greatest character player the screen has ever kuown, in one of the most amazing roles he has ever attempted. As Alonzo the Armless, star perlormer of a circus in Madi'v.i Chaney, using his toes instead oi hands, hurls knives and axes at Joan Crawford, who, as Nanon, the daughter of the circus proprietor, stands against a target.

Alonzo s Hashing weapons outline the girl's slender form in shining steel, but not one touches her. He loves her, and his prehensile toes are as skilled as any hands. But Malabar, the strong man, also loves Nanon, and he always watches this act with anxious eyes tearing for the safety of his beloved. Thu. begins a chain of dramatic events, which finally culminates in one of the most amazing finales ever filmed. Joan Crawford gives a bewitching portrayal of the dark-eyed Nanon, and is breathtakingly beautiful in her circus attire. Her lithe youthful figure was never shown to better advantage. Her emotional acting is equally noteworthy, and will add immeasurably to her ever-growing reputation. Norman Kerry, as the strong man of the circus, gives a sterling performance, bis rugged strength providing a splendid toil for Miss Crawford’s rare beauty. Among the other players, Polly Moran gives a convincing performance in a brief role. “The Unknown” was directed by Tod Browning, who has directed Chaney in many noted successes. ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ “LOVE’S GREATEST MISTAKE.” STARTING AT THE MUNICIPAL THEATRE ON SATURDAY. The Paramount film, “Love's Greatest Mistake.” bears the directorial stamp of Edward Sutherland, the young director, who made “Behind the Front.” While not looking on the love game with a cynical eye, he does not regard it in a serious light, and though the plot and the story ot this picture necessitate lengthy journeys into the realms of misunderstanding, mulish obstinacy and like attendants on those who play Cupid’s game, he still preserves his saving grace of humour, and flicks even the most intense emotion ot the wandering hero in search of his lady-love with the lights of relieving mirth. The title of the picture intrigues not a lew. Those in love, those married, those who content with platonic friendships (which some inonoclast has likened to painless dentistry), are always making the most colossal mistakes, so enormous that it is a marvel that little Dan Cupid has not thrown up the game in disgust. The players who appear in the leading roles were drawn from the most accomplished ranks. William Powell, who is still rememb-’red lor his work in “Beau Geste.” plays the main role in this picture, endowing it with compelling mannerisms and effective byplay. Evelyn Brent and Josephine Dunn are the feminine stars, who. in onerous roles, perform most creditably.

“DOWN THE STRETCH.” A PLEASING STORY OF THE TURF. Starting at the Cosy de Luxe on Saturday. There is more drama enacted behind the grand stand than before it ,and this is the drama which goes to make “Down the Stretch,’’ the Universal Jewel production, which opens an engagement at the Cosy Theatre on Saturday.. Not that King Bnggot has not provided a thrilling horse race in his picturisatioii of Gerald Beaumont’s last story of the turf for he has, but it is the human drama that takes place out of sight of the paying public that “Down the Stretch” is rich and different. Jockeys are not always whipping their horses across the finish line as winners nor do they wear their bright silks to dinner. The little fellows who ride the big thoroughbreds have hearts and trouble and joys the same as those who crowd tlie stands on Derby day. The east one of the strongest ever assembled by Universal, is headed by those two sterling young players, Marian Nixon and Robert Agnew and includes Ward Crane, Ena Gregory, Ben Hall, Jack Daugherty, Virginia True Boardman and Lincoln Plummer. « « « ♦ “MARRIAGE.” H. G. WELLS’ PLEASING NOVEL STARTING AT COSY SATURDAY There is nothing so uninteresting to a man as a contentedly niarrieii woman. But* contentment was not what made the runaway, idealistic marriage of Marjorie ana her prolessor go to pieces half-way tnrougli, right itself and go on far enough to let the reader see things going smoothly. About marriage there can be no text-books. It is like cooking; une must be born with the knack; theories don’t count, and brains don’t take the prizes. From which one might be justified in gathering that it is rather an alluring, exciting affair, with something surprising every day. It is, it would be. bui there is no one to keep it so, to keep it up, and, therefore, it so often comes that his Honour suspects, politely, collusion, and some counsel swells his bunk balance. Twas ever so, romantic love notwithstanding, but it is stories like this oue ot Wells that help to show things in their proper light, to put a saner construction upon “causa belli.” Not every marriage presents such angles ot dramatic subtelties as “Marriage.'' The couple who provide all the psychological and emotional tare iu ■ Marriage” are typical of domesticity a la mode, which is certainly not of the dull grey variety, and consequently the picture is replete with situations and moments of significance and suspense.