AMUSEMENTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 October 1929, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS.

W EVERYBODYS PICTURES. REX BEACH STORY FRIDAY. Rex Beach never wrote a more romantic, exciting novel of Alaska in gold rush days than “ The Michigan Kid,” the film version of which will open at the Princess Theatre on Friday with Conrad Nagel and Renee Adoree costarring. Universal has turned out a thrilling photoplay from the..story set in the colourful times l of gambling houses, dance halls and rough men \yhen the gold tfever gripped the coun-

try. Nagel-enacts the role of a famed t gambler and Miss Adoree of a girl from the States. The story is essentially a romance. “ The Michigan Kid ” is a special, made at great expense, with an extensive location trip and tremendous sets. Many weeks were spent' in the forests near Sacramento, California, where the pine trees are the same species as found in Alaska. Here the vast panorama ’of California’s mountain splendor was captured on the screen at a time of the year when the ltffty peaks were snow-capped. " .The'film.is a combinas tion of the highest cinematic beahty of locale and Rex''Beach’s most powerful drama of the Northern; wilderness. The company spent several weeks quartered in a tiny hdtel in a small town on the edge of the National Forest Reserve near Sacramento.. Here every type of outdoor hardship was endured,, from cold, stormy weather to lack of food on forced over-night camps far from the hotel. Two men who actually participated in the great Alaskan gold rush in 1898 acted as technical advisers on the picture, their work being to sfee that every ' detail of clothing and setting was a faithful reproduction of the real thing. The photodrama was directed by Irvin Willat and contains among other outstanding sequences, the most thrilling forest fire ever filmed. J. Grubb Alexander prepared the adaptation of Rex Beach’s novel. Peter Milne did the scenario. Supporting Nagel and Miss Adoree are Lloyd Whitlock. Fred Esmelton, Athhih • Milmr, Maurice Murphy, Virginia rind Dick Palm. Further chapters off the popular f‘ Collegiaps;,’’ together with the serial and, a good' comedy will complete a fine display.