ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 87, 7 January 1919, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

"HEARTS OF THEWORLD,'-' "Intolerance" and "The Birth of ft Nation,"' it is claimed, pale into cominsignificance alongside Mr..D. (V. Griffiths's latest spectacular motion picture, "Hearts of the World," which is to be presented by the J. C. Williamson, Ltd., management, for a short season, beginning on Saturday night' It was thought that in "Intolerance" Mr. Griffifth had set a standard which would he hard to equal. Although tho realistic battle scenes were taken ■ under fire in France tho very surprise of tho latest Griffith production is the fact that it is not, in any sense a war picture. To,the contrary, Mr. Griffith himself describes his work as "a love story of the war." It is further stated that for more, than forty minutes after the story begins, ono sees only a picture of peaceful, happy country life, such as one might havo found/in a small French .village before the war broke out The war that comes after merely is used as a background for the' drama.. Yet while the picture is not propaganda in any sense of tho word, it is said to be a terrific arraignment of the Germans. Tho story, it is stated, arouses the most intense feeling of sympathy for the unfortunate victims of the millstones of war who were crushed between the opposing armies. In producing ;'Hearts of the World" Mr. Griffith has interwoven 6lirring cattle, scenes into a number of the incidents in which, the Gish girls and their -bravo little mother are the principal players. Many of tho most' beautiful scenes were secured by Lillian and Dorothy Gish on the very battlefields where liiit a fow hours before men.!had fought and died. During the screening of "Hearts of the World" a full operatic orchestra will perform music which Was specially written . for tho film. The ho* plan's will be opened at the Bristol on Thursday morning.

THE KING'S THEATRE. The current programme at this popular picture house is undoubtedly one of the .best all-round series yet produced. The feature, "Marionettes," starring that notable screen actresi Clara Kimball Young, is of very high quality, and some of the dresses are superb confections. A particularly fine and lengthy Gazette is included, and tho Keystone comedy, "Skidding Hearts," is-one shriek from! start to finish. The orchestra is quite a feature of the evening's .feriter- . tainment, Chopin's "Polonaise Militaire" !and Ponchielli's "La Gioconda" are two finely rendered items in a very high-class musical repertoire. Seats may be reserved lit the Bristol. EVERYBODY'S THEATRE..: ' A very fine Vilagraph Blue Ribbon drama entitled "Soldiers of Chance" is the star' film screening this week.' at Everybody's Theatre. The hero of the 'story heads a scheme to unseat a tyrannous president and incidentally take.rcI venge for a,-past wrong. The action of i the play is fast and interesting, and the I 'story moves forwnrd to a stirring dramatic climax. Some of the scenes are particularly striking, especially .-those j showing the-tropical backgrounds.- The I principal characters are taken by Evart Overton, Julia Swayne Gordon, andMirinm Fauche. . , ■

■^■EIiPHESS^THEATHEi

! "The Beautiful Mrs. Reynolds" is •a\ i powerful drama, byt'lio World Eilm Cor- ! poration,' l and the feature subject in the fine pragramine being shown at the Empress Theatre. The story is a thrilling :pnge rnken out of American history. Miss June Elvidge tnkea.thc ,Mi'S.Heynolds, arid Carlyle Blackwell appears as Captain Hamilton. Arthur Ashley nitd Myelin Greenley have, important parts. Two excellent topical subjects complete the; programmed The present attractions will run until 'Friday night. . QUEEN'S THEATRE. An enthusiastic reception is always accorded, the- appearance of George Walsh, who is starred in „a most attractive I'ox film, entitled "This is the Life," a play which shows the Surprising agility"' of this "athletic"star. Jewel Carmen is appearing in a stirring story of the Klondike, entitled "The Kingdom of Love," in which many typical scenes of tho rugged north are,pictured. .' . Jl "THE BOATWAITERS." 0 At the present, time there/is quite ,'ii ■remarknble assemblage-; ofr dramatic and .vaudeville talent, in Wellington awaiting transport to Sydney. As there is ,no immediate prospect of any steamer sailing from Sydney, these people have been brough togetlieri'by M.r. Maurice. Ralph, and under the title of "The Boatwaiters" are'to inaugurate--n- season at the-Con-cert Chamber -.'on jSntiirdayT evening next. "The Boatwaiters" will include siich artists as Hughie- Ogilvie. the Scotch comedian,, who was recently brought out ■from the Old Country by Mr. Hugh D. M'lntosh as a stav for-his Tivoli TheaJres in Australia; -Stewart and Moore, •who combine.delicate comedy.and catchy up-to-date songs in a drawing-room entertainment; Mies Nan Taylor,; a. noted siilge'r'of Scbtch'sohgs;'Andfe'w : Pace,' the gifted'coinedian of the Scarlet Troubadours ; Mr. .Frank Wright, the burlesque monologue artist; Miss.Lalla Ward, of the Troubadours: Miss Madge Surtees, the brisiht Australian, ingenue; Mr.. Lionel Walsh; Mr. Wilton Power; Mr. Felix Bland; aiullthe members. of the "Peg o' -My' -Heart" -ConiDany, -who are to appear in a merry little one-act play entitled "Oh.' What an Uncle." These entertainments will'nlso signalise the reappearance in Wellington, of Mr. Borneo Gardiner, siffleur -and -entertainer- at the piano, after his travels. . Mr. Gardiner has appeared in all the West-End London theatres, and has just finished a sea-, son in pantomime at.Driirv Lane. As the talent is uniformly good "The Boatwaiters" should flourish. Box.plan opens at the Bristol on. Thursday;- -'-.- - • TROFESSOR ANDERSON, HYPNOTIST At the Grand Opera House last even-ing-Professor Anderson gave further demonstrations of his'hypnotic powers, by exercisinj; them over a; patient who had four teeth to be extracted. The dental ( operation was performed by-Mr. B. R. Greshani, and the patient was quite unconscious the while. At the conclusion of tlio extractions the hypnotist demonstrated his control of the bleeding. A subject who was nut to sleep on Saturday evening w"as'awakeited_at the commencement •gf " last evening's performance. Throughout the entertainment tho audience was kept highly amused.

The entertainment will be repeated again -this evening, .when persons who may.; desire to have their teeth extracted under hypnotic influence may attend. The programme to-night will include many new turns.