AMUSEMENTS.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 374, 4 March 1937, Page 8

AMUSEMENTS.

Plaza Theatre.

“The Magnificent Brute.”

A tremendous man, big as all outdoors, attracts the admiring glances of most women’. That is the case with .Big Steve Andrews, who is a fool for blondes in assorted sizes and wflolesale lots. Big Steve, “The Magnificent. Brute,” is a maker of steel, accustomed to the roar and glow and showering sparks of the flaming molten metal. But not accustomed to the wiles, of women. Victor McLaglen portrays the character of Steve, starring in Universal’s "The Magnificent Brute,” which opens at the Plaza Theatre to-night. The story is taken from Owen Francis* “Big,” which ran in “Liberty.”

Big Steve Andrews comes to Aurora to take charge of a steel furnace. He boards with Blossom Finney/ a blonde widow. Steve's helper is Hal Howard. Steve discovers that his old enemy, giant Bill Morgan, has charge o' the next furnace. When the towering Morgan bullies Howard, Steve sends Morgan to the hospital. Later Morgan is dancing with Della Lane, a blonde. Steve, a fool for blandes, barges in and takes her away. Returning from bringing her home, Steve is marked by telltale lipstick. Blossom, seeing it, shows she likes him enough to be jealous.

Howard Is killed in a mill accident. A carnival comes to town and Steve goes through the crowd collecting money for Mrs. Howard. The carnival owner offers 100 dollars to anyone who can beat the Grappling Wildcat at wrestling. Steve gives the collection, money to Della for safe keeping while he prepares to wrestle for the prize. Morgan, plotting revenge on Steve, tells Della to bet the collection. He offers to place the bet for her and then switches, putting the money on the Wildcat, who wins. Morgan pockets the winnings and tells Della he is sory she lost. The whole town Is flaming mad at Steve, believing he stole the collection. He explains the matter to Blossom. Later, when Della and Morgan are packing to leave town and get married, Della learns he double-crossed her. Blossom overhears their argument and sends Pete to tell Steve to hurry home. After learning details from Blossom, Steve hurries to Della’s apartment. There, in a terrific fight, he beats Morgan, drags him down to the crowd, and compels him to give Mrs, Howard the money due her.

King’s Theatre.

“The Three Godfathers.”

Featuring Chester Morris and Lewis Stone, with a great supporting cast, the King’s to-day and Friday should supply the drama-loving public with a fresh thrill. The story of four bandits fleeing from the long arm of the law after a thoroughly satisfying bank hold-up, with all the thrills of a chase by the sheriff’s posse and the tortures of thirst, comes to an unusual climax when the desperadoes find, beside a dry water-hole, a covered waggon containing a sick woman and a baby! She makes them promise to take the baby to his father, who has gone to the little town of New Jerusalem (where the bank was robbed) for help. During the right the horses of the three men wander away and drink from a poisoned water hole, and they must try to make it on foot. Doc carries the baby the first day, but infection has set in in his shoulder and he knows that he is going to die. The next day Gus starts to carry the baby, and they press desperately on across the scorching desert. At last Gus knows that he can go no farther, and that night he leaves Bob and the baby and heads off towards where they left Doc.

When Bob awakens he finds that he is alone with the baby; he picks it up and scrambles on. Five miles from New Jerusalem, he is about to give up when he sees a poisoned waterhole. He knows that the poison will not kill him for an hour, so he drinks his fill and once more starts on his way. He reaches New Jerusalem at the hour when Christmas services are taking place. He stumbles into the church, places the baby in his sweetheart’s lap, and then falls dead on the aisle,, his mission accomplished. To provide the necessary baby for the picture, four complete Infants—two sets of chubby twins—were “used” and worked in relays. The story Is adapted from Peter B. Kyne’s epic of the Western Desert.

“Freeze, Freeze, Thou Bitter Sky.” —Shakespeare. The best place on a frosty night is inside, but if you’ve got to go out, fortify yourself against chill with Baxter’s Lung Preserver beforehand. “Baxter’s” gives splendid relief from coughs, colds, sore throats. A dose of “Baxter’s” will save many an unpleasant cold. For most bronchial ailments, "Baxter’s” is best. 1/6, 2/6, 4/6, all chemists and stores.

In the early days, when a chap wanted baccy to go to a general store for it. There were no tobacconists and no “cut-up.” The pioneers had to be content with black plug or black twist, and if they wanted “cut-up,” they had to cut it for themselves. Most storekeepers kept a sharp knife on their counters for the convenience of smokers, and sometimes it was chained to the counter to prevent any absent-minded beggar from pinching it. Yes! we’ve progressed quite a lot since days of yore. General stores are confined to the backblocks now, while tobacconists are as plentiful everywhere as three-penny-bits in collection plates on Sun-day—-and they all sell "toasted”—the tobacco par excellence. Sweet, fragrant, cool and comforting, also (being toasted) harmless as it can be, it may be said to have revolutionised the public taste and set a standard its rivals have failed to attain. The genuine toasted brands are: Cut Plug No. 10 (Bullshead), Cavendish, Navy Cut No. 3 (Bulldog), Riverhead Gold, and £614.