The Reel World

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 143, 16 June 1917, Page 16

The Reel World

ENID BENNETT. This actress, in -The Little Brother," begirte to come into her own. '.lhe play calls for a great variety of roles. She is— A slum girl — A newspaper -hoy" in delicious trousers and with a smudged lace — A smart "hoy : ' student' , at a mixed school — A pretty and tantalising girl undergraduate— A gorgeously turned-out young woman of fashion. The love story is full of thrills, and the closing sceni* are full of liery intensity. The beautiful girl from Australia gives a perfoimani-e wiiii.li is nothing less than wonderful.

" ROMEO AND JULIET " BURLESQUED. • As a contrast to the remarkably fine Fox production of the Shakespearean play at the Lyric last week, the Grand are showing from to-day a splendid burlesque by the Keystone Company. Lovers of the immortal poet will, naturally, be rather shocked at such an attempt to look on tiit funny side of the tragic play, but, nevertheless, this comedy provide? much clever and clean amusements for those picture patrons who visit the theatre in search of a "cheeringup" tonic.

AT THE FOX STUDIOS. "A Wife's Sacrifice"' is being acted and filmed. Count de Briquet, whose fury is de picted by no le*> an artist than the great Mantel!, finds hi.- wife in the arms of a stranger—a etrnngc lover, he unjustly thinks. Tiie conntes,. innocent but in a position where honour will nit allow her lips to speak the truth, takes the blame unflinrninjciv. The power of the plot is struck borne a- only William Fox master direction can bring it. The furious count is about to slay the supposed lover of his wife. His pistol is raised —when a voice in heard to say. "It's four. Let's take tea " And the count and the countess and the supposed lover and ail the rest tip tea placidly at the conventional English hour. It is the idea of J (xorilon Edwards, who directed the new drama film. Edwards liker- his tea, and he will not work without it. His company cannot work without him. Then— Back into their places. The count's pistol is aimed anew. And down tumbles tne supposed lover, dead.

THE STOCKING " BANK." There i.s one little episode in " The Little Brother." the second Triangle starring vehicle of limd Bennett, that is likely to pique bhe curiosity, it is said, of the tired business man, and gives an entirely new twist to an old bit ot •' action." At one interesting point in this story Mies Bennett, who portrays the role of a fourteen-year-old girl of the tenement district, "is supposed to produce her pocket-book, containing a few pennies, at a moment's notice. The excited spectator, it is sa.id. watches every movement of the little figure on the screen. Where will the money come from? Men g.isp i3tt expectancy —'women know! *" 'As the slim, girlis-h figure hesitates for « moment and then stoops, the camera modestly "irises out" until only her head and shoulders are visible. When the 'slender purse has been withdrawn from Ithe " first national bank " the leas ol 'the camera is widened again and the scene goes on. CHAPLIN'S NEW SALARY. If Charlie should succeed in securing his new contract at the rate cabled from New York the other day, it will mean that the new Chaplin comedies will cost ahout twelve pounds ten shillings a foot (therefore a second) to produce! " THE CUB." Jlartha Hedman, of the World Company, is the star in "The Cub" at the Globe this week. The story concerns the doings of a cub reporter, and introduces 3 £rood <K'iil of liuTQOur from £t newspaper office. There will be othef pictures in support.

"HER VOW FUIJ'IIXED." CHAPTER XTY. "GLORIA'S ROMANCE." Gloria Stafford receives a call from a committee of. women, who are arranging a benefit to raise funds for establishing a field hospital for the American troops stationed on the Mexican border, and willingly offers to arrange a children's festival and pageant on the lawn of the Stafford country home, together with an amateur theatrical entertainment to be given indoors. Her father, brother, Dr. Kuyce, Judge Freeman and the other friends of the Staffords agree to assist in the affair. After the committee has departed the Staffords are amazed to have Grrteon Tra*k. hi« daughter, and Je.l. her lover, suddenly appear. Gi<leo:i explains that he feels certain he is dying from the wounds he received when" he ( was captured aboard hts barge, and that ere dying he wants to confess himselt the murderer of Freneau. Gloria sits down to listen to Ins r.fcory, and Freeman summons Stafford's private secretary to take down the confession. Trask explains how he was left alone with his only daughter following the death of his wife, and relates bow happy they were together until Freneati appeared, met Nell, made love to her. and then deserted her. Upon learning how his daucrlfter j had been wronged, Trask vowed to kill itbe guilty man, and confesses that lie followed him to New York, came fiice to face with him at the base of the Soldiers' aJkl Sailors' Monument, and deliberately uhnked him to death. Fie assures Gloria that neither tier brother, Dr. Royce, or Judge Freeman hail anything to do with the crime, and that the guilt is his alone. A great, load is thus lifted from Glorias ■heart, and Freeman, knowing tliat Trask has not long to live, urge, .Jed and Nell to take him to sorr.o quiet spot, and see that his last moments are peaceful ones. Gloria, though grieving over Trask. i-an-not but rejoice that her suspicions of her , brother were unfounded.

; AXSWERS TU CORKESSPOSTDENTS. MOVIE INQUIRER (.Mount Eden).— Doug's address is now c/o Paramount Pictures Corporatioa, 41et Street, New York. H. B. Warner was in " The Beggar of Cawnpore," not Singapore. Another feature of his was " The Raiders," shown at the Lyric twelve months ago. ETOM (Ponsonby)—See above for Dougla.s Fairbanks' present address. Yes, you tlo write rather a good " list." INQUISITIVES (Whangarei). — No, Charlie Chaplin i 3 neither deaf nor dumb—it was only a rumour. Jlarv Fickford has quit« a number of brothers and sisters. One W well know—lack fickford. Owen Moore is Mary Pkkfoni's husband. Dr. John Stewart is Mde. Petrova's husband. R.S.V.P. (Auckland). — Xo, Beverly Bayne and Brahman are not married ! We don't know their ages. It takes j about 100 seconds to show 100 feet ot

FRENCH MARRIAGE LAWS. In France a man cannot marry under Lhc a<:e of twenty-three without hie mientei' consent. By insane of this Kitty Gordon as the wicked heroine of The Haunting Shadow" exacte a terrible revenge. Finding that her son's wife, a young English girl, is going to So a mother, the fiend in woman chape tiircateno to "refuse her consent to the marriage which lias taken place, so that the child when it arrives will be nameless ami illegitimate. The outwitting of the woman who planned such an evil .scheme is hrillinnt and complete.

THE HAUNTING SHADOW. This great World Film drama presents Kitty Gordon in a change of roles At tirst she is a girlish Corsican damsel, full of fiery paseioiiti and youthful grace. Then she marries, deserting her lover for a middle-aged wealthy admirer. Her degeneration sets in from this moment, and she becomes one of the most heartlees and recklessly selfish women ever depicted on the screen. The last scenes chow her suffering the awful punishment of fear of the past when a brother of her deserted lover comes to seek his revenge in true Corsican fashion. Her extremity of terror is appalling. The photography of the drama is most beautiful, alternating from the wild scenes of Corsica to the sumptuous interiors of Parisian, English and Italian capitals.

This popular Vitagraph player is the hero of •Apartment -29," the excellent mystery story written round the strange happenings in the room thus named. The plot is full of "hurry-up," and the tangle into which the hero gets until the last reel is perfectly hopeless He is » dramatic critic who, on a paper assignment, tindg at the door a woman who has lust staggered out and dropped dead. Picking her up, he dashes into the room to find the husband also shot down, and lying stark and cold. Then he realise! his predicament, and appeals to a neighbour for shelter Kronj here, hie troubles begin. The surprise at the end is complete, and one of the richest in all film drama.

WHAT TO SEE—WHERE TO SEE IT. EVERYBODY'S—CharIie Chaplin Iβ "Behind the Screen" and Kittj Gordon in "The Haunting Shadow. LYKlC—Genevicve Hamper in "A Wife't Sacrifice"' i Vv\). STRAND—Knid Bennott in "The Little BrutliiT" and lUllio liurkc in "The Vow Fulfilled." GLOBE—Martha Hedman in "The Cub" and ••The Last of the Ingrama." GRAND—Earli' Williams in "Apartment 29" and "Komeo and Juliet" (burlesque I. ■WEST END—"The Price She Paid" (Saturday 1 and "Behind the Screen (Wednesday). PALACE—'-DuUie's Adventure" (Saturday) and -The Last of the Ingram* ITuesdaji.