MAORILAND PICTURES.

Shannon News, 2 September 1927, Page 3

MAORILAND PICTURES.

“THE RETURN OP PETER GRIMM.” Of great interest to local theatre patrons is the announcement that Fox Films version of David Belasco s outstanding stage triumph, “The Return of Peter Grimm,” will come to the Shannon Theatre on Saturday. Can the dead return and commune with the living?” This is the question with which the intense drama deals. The picture is bound to cause considerable controversy, to say the least. In addition, there is as tender a love story as has ever been unfolded on the silver sheet.

Alec B. Francis, who knows no peers in the realm of character actors, plays the title role. The selection of Mr Francis by the Fox officials was indeed a happy one. Critics who have previewed the production declare that the veteran character actor rises to great heights as Peter Grimm. An interesting sidelight is that Francis has always cherished the opportunity of bringing to the screen the role made famous on the speaking stage by David Warfield.

Janet Gaynor, fascinating little ingenue who has appeared with much success in “The Johnstown Flood,” “The Midnight Kiss” and other Fox Films productions, and Richard Walling, handsome young juvenile who won fame in, “The Midnight Kiss” and “Marriage License?” plays opposite Janet.

AN EPIC OF THE NORTH WOODS. Words can only hint vaguely of the thrills which are contained in “Then Came the Woman,” to be presented on Mouday at the local theatre. Never has the screen seen anything more thrilling than the moving panorama of burning forest which is the climax of the picture. Human beings, animals, denzens of the forest run madly before the moving tongues of flame, until the whole forest is a mass of fire, engulfing them all. This fire is an astounding climax for a film which from its very beginning is a‘thing of interest. There is no involved story contained in it. It concerns the regeneration of a young lad through faith and], kindness, out of which developes a beautiful friendship between the boy and his benefactor, owner of a lumber camp. Then, the woman comes into their lives and it is che forest fire which solves the eternal problem, whether the older man, to whom she is in honor bound, or the young man, whom she loves, shall win her. '

The director, David Hartford, who is also the author of the story, has filled Jie picture with human touches which add to its realismt There is nothing more dramatic than some of. the scenes .if the wild animals of the forest cornered by the swiftly-approaching deathdealing flames.