PRINCESS AND TIVOLI

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 317, 30 March 1928, Page 14

PRINCESS AND TIVOLI

“THE LAST FRONTIER” Probably the most romantic figure of early American colonisation was “Buffalo Bill” Cody, whose daring exploits against the Red Indians thrilled the nation in the late “eighties.” He lives again in a splendid motion picture, “The Last Frontier,” now being shown at the Princess and Tivoli Theatres. Portrayal of the part could have been entrusted to no better man than Jack Hoxie. “The Last Frontier” is a story of early days in Kansas, and the struggles of the builders of the Mis-souri-Pacific railway to construct their line despite the warring Sioux Indians. William Boyd, playing as Tom Kirby, a Government scout, is in love with Beth Halliday, a beautiful girl of the South, a role filled with rare charm by Marguerite De La Motte. Impoverished by the Civil War, Colonel Halliday with his wife and daughter are travelling west by wagon train to recover his fortunes. The little band is attacked by hostile Indians, and Beth’s parents slain. Wild Bill and a Government escort ride for help and bringf back Buffalo Bill and Tom Kirby, who was to have married Beth. But the broken-hearted girl blames her lover for the death of her father and mother, rejects him and is taken into the hoiffeehold of Lige Morris, an Indian trader. Morris tells Beth that Kirby is suspected of being in league with Pawnee Killer and his Indian slayers. Buffalo Bill discovers an impending Indian outbreak, but the soldiers are forbidden by Washington to take re-

pressive measures. The Sioux massacre many whites and Pawnee Killer plans to stampede a herd of 3,000 buffaloes through the town. From this point the story moves swiftly from one dramatic scene to another each more gripping than the other, until the denouement sees the exposure and death of the traitorous Morris and the rout of the Indians. The excellence of the photography, the strength of the plot and dramatic power infused into the leading characterisations stamp the picture one of the most brilliant spectacles of its class presented to Auckland theatregoers. There is a total absence of anything approaching crude and impossible sensationalism. It is essentially dramatic, yet there are flashes of delightful humour and tender romance deftly interlarded among the acts of sacrifice, daring and insidious treachery, so that “The Last Frontier” be acclaimed as a carefully balanced tale which even the most discerning will find flawless. Added strength is given to the programme by the inclusion of a farcecomedy, “The Irresistible Lover.” Norman Kerry has the part indicated by the title, and starred with him is Lois Moran. Kerry, a wealthy young bachelor, has innumerable love affairs until he meets the right girl. But on discovering his real identity through the scandal pages of a “yellow” paper she promptly renounces him. The supporting cast includes such well-known players as Myrtle Stedman, Gertrude Astor and Lee Moran. A satisfactory programme concludes with topical gazette items.