“THE GORILLA”

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 270, 4 February 1928, Page 10

“THE GORILLA”

PRINCESS, TIVOLI AND EVERYBODY’S “The Gorilla,” the mysterious, hilarious, and thrilling mystery play, /inch rucked Broadway for a year, has reached the screen at last, with ail the requisites that made the stage play such a tremendous success. Last night again, at the Princess, Tivoli, and Everybody’s Theatres, the crowds shrieked, gasped, and laughed, not only at the antics of “The Gorilla” himself, but with Charlie Murray and r red Kelsey, as the two dumb sleuths. Mulligan and Garrity. "The Gorilla.” is one of the most eerie and spooky pictures ever to reach the screen. The able direction of Alfred Santeli in handling a closely-knit story, and the splendid camera work, take the place of pistol shots and changing lights that were a feature of the stage version. It has been proved that the silent screen can produce as many thrills, with the aid of clever photography, as the legitimate stage. For those who saw the original piay a

fresh thrill awaits, for the ending oi the screen version has been c langed. The pictorial shots and action ad take place in and around a Long Island nome. There are a few oucsiue or exterior scenes, which enhance the weirdness of the darkened rooms and shadow's that appear from nowhere.

The cast has been chosen with care, and all give excellent performances. Charlie Murray and Fred Kelsey represent a new screen team, and are the featured players. Jetta Gould is seen in her latest star picture, “White Gold,” on the same programme. It is a simple story of simple folk on a sheep ranch, but it as been filmed in an original manner that lifts it far above the ordinary Western photo-play in theme and treatment. Kenneth Thomson, a talented Metropolitan player, is leading man, while George Bancroft, or e of the best-known heavies of the screen, is also featured.