STRAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 136, 30 August 1927, Page 15

STRAND

“LONE WOLF RETURNS”

Unexcelled in entertainment is the programme at the Strand this week. The pictorial triumph is “The Lone Wolf Returns.”

Bert Byten, perenially popular screen star, has played many big and interesting roles during his career on stage and screen, but of them all his creating of the leading character of Michael Lanyard, alias “The Lone Wolf” in the film versions of these famous Louis

Joseph Vance stories, has been his greatest pleasure and pride. But they say that now Bert is sorrowing—unhappy and mournig because “The Lone Wolf” is dead. And the story is this. Louis Joseph Vance wrote four of these intriguing adventure tales of the underworld with “The Lone Wolf” as the romantic and daring crook hero. Then he wrote the fifth, and what he decided was to Vie the last and called it, “The Lone Wolf Returns.” In this novel he attempted and achieved the difficult task of regenerating “The Lone Wolf” and making him a member of society once again, as well as providing him with a romance and wife of his own. Again Bert Lytell was selected to play the role for the motion picture version, which is showing this week at the Strand Theatre, and he plays it with more gusto and attractiveness than ever before. But when the last scene was shot, the report has it that Bert Lytell actually sat down and wept because “The Lone Wolf” was dead forever. The supporting programme contains the Strand Magazine and a screamingly funny comedy. The Strand Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Eve Bentley, plays excellent and appropriate music throughout the programme.