ROYAL PICTURES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2067, 13 December 1919, Page 2

ROYAL PICTURES.

‘‘Stolen Orders,' ’’ to he screened at (he Hoyal to-night, is a production that, will keep yon on edge from start to iinish. The cost of the production exceeds £50,000, and for Hie English rights alone the sum of £15,000 was paid. Scenes of lighting on the Italian front; were specially lent by the Italian Government, and were most skilfully embodied in the story, while scenes were enacted on battleships of the U.S. Navy. On Monday night the long-looked-for “Mickey” will he shown. The comedy is built upon reality. Beneath every hilarious laugh there is the feeling (hat it is natural. Of course, there are other ingredients besides comedy. Sennett is far too wise a producer to offer such an abundance of footage offering a single type of entertainment. There is pathos, just a little of it, romance in a pleasing quantity, and thrills enough in a wonderful horse race and a. quick and realistic light, followed by a sensational rescue of Mickey, to institute a powerful line of suspense at the finale. In producing these two episodes, the race and the light, the director has shown

his appreciation oC the technique of building up the suspense. The light, which puts an ideal melodramatic climax on the story, is handled with great skill. The scene of (he action is an old country place with winding stairs. The villain has pursued Mickey to the roof, a slanting peak. Here she barely manages to hang. As the men combat. Mickey slowly loses her grip on the top edge of the roof, and begins to slide down. There is a sheer drop of a dangerous height which she seems unable to avoid. And when the villain apparently triumphs and sends the hero falling down stairs, the cause of virtue seems about to he dragged in llifc dust. But instead, the hero dashes to the window am]/ grabs Mickey inside, to safety, just as she is about to fall from the eaves to the ground far below. These light scenes alternating with Hashes of Mickey in. her hazardouspredicament on the roof afford some of the finest thrills imaginable.

Book, and be sure of your seat