AMUSEMENTS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16403, 24 December 1918, Page 10

AMUSEMENTS.

"HEARTS OP THE "WORLD." On Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock, and

in the evening at 8, and on the following afternoons and evenings, J. C. W r iuiani3ou, Ltd., will present for the first time in Christchurcn the D. VT. Griffith spectacular motion picture, "Hearts of the World," tho production _of which will be assisted by a full operatic orchestra, and by : an expert band -of mechanics, whose duty it will be to punctuate the most important happonings with appropriate eHccts. "Hearts of the World" is claimed to be the most wonderful creation of the screen, outclassing as it does those two previous great efforts of Mr Griffith, "Intolerance" and "The Birth of a Nation." One of the most portentous moments of the story is the episode which Hamilton's mother, a delicate woman, forced into the hardest sort of service by the German occupation, dying in the cellar sho and her three little boys inhabit. After her death the little fellows, sprung from babyhord to manhood in a day by th© fearful elixir of war, dip her gTave in the floor of their one-room habitation, and lay her where they can be sure no Saxon ghoul will disturb her rest. This scene, simply written, realistically acted and directed by the }irmd oi genius, is described as Tolstoy literature. OPERA HOUSE. The very fine and varied programme inaugurated on Saturday by Fuller's Vaudeville Company at the Opera Hous-o was successfully repeated before a large and appreciative audionce last night. The "Cabaret" troupe, in their new items, made the. iirst part of th© programme go with vim, and sparkle. The contributions of Miss Winifred Lumley, Miss G*wen Hasto, Miss Lily VockleT, of Walter Emmerson, Charlie and Em Delavalo, Ward Lear, and Warwick Lumley were warmly received. New 6ongs were given by Leonard Nelson, fresh witticisms and songs by Miss Maud Courtney and -<Ir C., while the violin selections by Romaino were varied and artistically interpreted. Miss Nellie Kollo gave new songs, and Boy Bonham, juvenile acrobat, was good in his new feats. The same programme will be given to-nj'ght. FISK JUBILEE SINGERS. It is now many years since the Fisk Jubilee Singers (a* band of ex-slaves) started out for .tho purpose of earning. money with which to endow and keep open tho Fisk University for the education, culture, and refinement of the negro race, a race that had just beon liberated from slavery. That the singers sticceeded in their self-imposed mission (realising more than JE30,000) "speaks for itself. The eonga they sang had their prigin on the plantations, in the log and the cane and cotton fields. The present combination of Jubilee Singers has picked up the threads of its predecessois, and b trying in every way to uphold and maintain the reputation so long synonym cilia with the name of "Fiek Jubilee Singers" of forme? days. They will give concerts in the. Clioral Hall on Boyin.ij Night, on nest Saturday night, and on Now Year's Night. The 'oox plan is at The Bristol, EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. A holiday programme wcs.ecrecncd :'or tho first time vosterday at Everybody's Theatre. It was headed by "The Knife." the them*, of which ia white slavery It exposes the dangers which face an unsuspecting girl in a great city, and gives Alico Brady fine opportunities for her superb acting. There is "a good supporting programme.

, GRAND THEATRE. Variety waa the keynote of tho prog ram mo offered'at the Grand Theatre yesterday. Emily Stevens reached her high water mark with her acting in "The Slacker," a six-port Metro production. There were two Topical Gazettes, and two extremely humorims comedies—"His Bitter Fate" and "Won by a Fowl." _ Also 'Ditmar's animal study, "Jungle Vaudeville," showing- various email animals in festive mood, and another chapter of "The Great Secret." The same programme will be shown at both sessions to-day and to-night. . CRYSTAL PALACE. A triple star Christmas week programme haa been provided by tho management of Crystal Palace for the pleasure of patrons throughout the current week. William Farnum heads the bill in a Fox masterpiece, entitled "A Soldier's Oath." The picture is one of the best that has come from tho Fox studios. A two-part comedy, entitled 'The Magic Mirror,' featuring Marguerite Clayton, is an unusual and delightful attraction. Then there is a- Paramount Gazette, and last but not least 'an hilarious Mack • Seriiiett comedy, entitled "Two Tough Tenderfeet" —a title which suggests innumerable possibilities, all of which have been- made full use of by tho producer. QUEEN'S THEATRE.

In "The. Country Boy," which headed the now progrimmo witnessed by large end apjprcciativ© audiences at the 'Queen's Theatio yesterday, Marehal Neilan in the name part has a character which displays his-capabili-ties to perfection, Tho story is that of a lad from the "country who goes to a big city to znake his fortune, and return to his native village to marry its belle. Things, do. not go at all swimmingly, but ultimately all comes right. Florence Dagmar plays opposite Neilan as the country girl. The photography is excellent. Supporting films were the third chapter, of the serial, ''The Railroad Raiders," the Mack Sennett. comedy, "That Night," a gazette, and the Burton Holmes travelogue, "Ecuador,' .picturing cotton and cocoa plantations. To-cLav and - this evening the same programme will be screened.

STRAND THEATRE. Excellent attendances were recorded at the Strand Theatre yesterday, when : the well varied programme, headed by Mary, Pickford in "Ainarilly of # Clothesline Alley," was screened. As "Amarilly/ Pickford hsu* a most congenial part, of which sho makes the most. The supporting films include "Mabel's Blunder," "The Alaskan Mouse Hound,", the Australian and American Gazettes, and Burton Holmes travelogue— "Modern Athens.""» ' • LIBERTY' THEATRE. "The Belgian," a war picture of absorbing merit, was the feature of the Liberty Theatre yesterday. It is a. war picture, but jt has a eplendid story, apart from its merely martial interest. The i supporting programme is a strong one.