MAORILAND PICTURES.

Shannon News, 17 August 1928, Page 3

MAORILAND PICTURES.

LON CHANiiv; AS "MR. WU."

Thrills of a new kind; mystery of the mysterious Orient, with codes and philosophies that almost pass Occidental belief; these, garnishing a romance delicate as the lotus flower, mark Lon Chaney's new triumph oh the screen. As "Mr Wu," he is displayed in a hew angle to his old arts. As is usually the case in his outstanding plays, Chauey uses intricate make-up for an intricate character; but this time he goes beyond his usual portrayal. He invades another race for his character, as the silent, subtle and sinister Chinese mandarin, versed in the knowledge of ages; almost uncanny in his insight into human character and his enormous power, pursing his relentless programme of revenge against a family who wronged him. The east is a notable one. Louise Dresser plays the English mother, battling the mysterious Orient for the life of her son; Renee Adoree the Chinese daughter, whose wrong precipitates the dramatic situation. Ralph Forbes, the English son, Claude King as Mtihy the old Scottish governor, Anna May Wong, Gertrude Olmsted, Holmes Herbert and Mrs Wong Wing, and ftther well-known players appear in a great cast in the production.

<'THE SAVAGE." "The Savage," a 'First National picture featuring Ben Lyon and May McAvoy will be screened on Monday night. In this picture is everything one can possibly want in a motion picture. There ,-are thrills, love story, laughs by the score, beautiful women, perfectly marvelous settings, and Ben Lyon gives one of the . best performances of his screen career. May McAvoy is admirably cast and gives a splendid characterization, and the other players could not have been" more wisely chosen. Sam Hardy, as the managing editor of a'-scientific magazine, is immense. Charlotte Walker, as a wife who believes the wife should be the better ninety-five per cent., could not be excelled.

Most of the story is laid in the South Seas, and- there are some unusually fine jungle scenes in which Ben Lyon dashes about garbed in only a goat skin. He even rides on the back of a pre-historic brontosaurus. To tellvthe plot always spoils' a "story, so we will onlv say that Ben is sent to the South Sea's to play the part of a white savage and be" discovered by a party of scientists so that they may be exposed and made a laughing stock of.