MODERN CROOKS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1057, 22 August 1930, Page 15

MODERN CROOKS

“DOUBLE CROSS-ROADS” AT THE MAJESTIC STORY OF UNDERWWILD “Safe crackers,” crooks with .achine guns, high-powered automobiles, and all the modern paraphernalia of the scientific robbers ,f America, are shown in action in Double Cross-Roads,” which opened the new picture week at :he Majestic Theatre last evening, i FTER serving a “stretch,” David Harley leaves the State prison and is tempted by his former associates to do another job. He rejects the offer and goes instead to the quiet country village of Lebanon, where he stays with an old lady and her granddaughter to whom he holds a letter of introduction from a friend in gaol Needless to say, the young girl is the girl of his dreams and David definitely decides to break away from the past But pressure is again brought upon him from the world of crooks and to his horror and amazement he finds that his sweetheart is also connected with the gang of crooks and has been acting as a decoy. He decides to resume his old life. It is not until the robbery is over that David and the girl realise the strength of* their love and decide to live clean ajid honest lives. How they manage to outwit the gang and another band of robbers is a packet of surprises. The climax of the picture comes in a thrilling chase between two bands of crooks culminating in a desperate battle with machine-guns a.nd a terrible motor crash. Robert Ames and Lila Lee play the leading roles and hrfndle their parts admirably. “All Steamed Up,” a comedy in which the well-known Clark and McCullough supply a riot of fun, is one of the most screaming comedies ever put across in the talkies. How the two rapscallions get tangled up in an unforeseen love affair which leads to complications is side-splitting. Their further adventures in the Turkish bath establishment when they get into the women’s room are original and laugh-ter-provoking. In addition a Fox Australian news film is shown, depicting the well-knowr “Smithy” arriving at New York and later, at Oakland. California. At both places he speaks through the microphone with his typical cheery drawl In a Universal film reel, Graham MeNamee tells the world about current events. A film wherein popular songs are sung by Miss Dorothy Whitmore is an added attraction, and a Pathe Audio Review comprises a series of sketches dealing with varied subjects, the most interesting of which was a church for the deaf, the service being given in sign language.