Reel Life

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 66, 15 September 1917, Page 10

Reel Life

M;THE DIVORCE GAME."

Cleverly adapted from the French drama, "The Divorce Game" will make a. on its screening at Everybody's,, commencing to-day. • It is one of; the finest productions ever put out by",the World Film Studios! and can be-said to be flawless. Alice Brady as the piquant ...American girl, married to the lovable but altogether irresponsible French Count, is seen in the finest role of;.her career.' 'The story has a genuinely* original plot. The young couple, loving each other devotedly, become desperately pressed for money, and find that by-being divorced there is a chance of ■ turning;into cash "the money of their marriage settlements. Florence, however, as soon,as her husband leaves the house 1 as*a:.result of his pretended infidelity, goes' veiled to see him as often •as»she can, and is, of course, discovered. Endless 1 complications ensue, and by and bye; the divorce, which was at first j eritered upon in jest, looks like becoming an event in,'deadly earnest. The cast deserves special mention, Mario Lavarre asYjFi-fi being very alluring, and looking quite able to cause all the deadly mischief that she,does as the one-time object of', the young husband's affections. Kate Lester as Mrs. Stafford is also splendid. The settings are gorgeous in the extreme^ and the dressing is in the height ofi: fashion.

"iTHE DARK ROAD."

,This is . the m6st powerful play, ever put out by. Triangle, and.it leaves "The Wolf Woman " far behind as the portrayal of the modern siren to whom the worship of men is the breath of life. Ddrothy Dalton ".plays as the enchantress •who believes herself to be the reincarnation of Cleopatra, and her costumes are ■weirdly wonderful. In her bizarre worship, she adorns her London apartments with all; sorts of Oriental ornaments, aiid the massive furnishings, fantastic in-, torior decorations, and- the barbaric splendour of the ■whole effect has never been equalled • upon the screen. The story deals with modern times, and there ate"; flashes :pf the influence exerted upon lives by the"great..war.. The woman in this play, after wrecking two lives, meets her master in ,the shape of a suave Spanish"nobleman, who is a resolute German spy, to whom she, discloses aecrets learned from her officer.husband, anil thus brings toppling down the whole edifice of her husband's honour, her own, arid ovon puts her country in peril. Tho final scene is terrific.

DOROTHY DALTON

"There-are some who object to the screen /portrayal of evil even if it does bring punishment, but no one could by any stretch of imagination say that "The Dark Road" contains any encouragement to -imitate the type of woman there pictured. Her punishment is so terjific," so swift and relentless; and the terror of the"'wanton so vivid mi its appeaj'to the imagination, that it seems that for'once -vice has.met with its real meed of justice.

REINCARNATION

'\This strange belief is a vital part of the creed of the siren heroine of "The

Dark Road." A breath-taking moment occurs in the final scene of this powerful play when the dagger flung by the half-crazed husband pierces the painted figure of Cleopatra hanging in the infamous wife's apartments. As the dagger pierces the breast of the Egyptian queen her modern prototype: falls dead.

" BABETTE."

Babette lives , with her father, the gaoler. Raveau, a clever criminal, meets the pretty daughter, and her innocence reforms Him. He resolves never to do wrong again. At, the wedding, Guinard, a detective, appears, and Raveau, fearing capture, takes his wife and .disappears. In \Mbntmartre Raveau and Babette are happy. He paints, but earns ■little money, and soon poverty takes its abode with the lovers. A baby is born, and Raveau, driven, to desperation, steals bank-notes from the post office. He is arrested, and, to conceal the truth from his trusting wife, he tells her that he has a. rich appointment that will take him away for a long while. With this lie he saves his little wife a deep sorrow. A turn of fate comes to his aid, and he is able to return.;

RIGHT OFF THE REEL. "The Dark Road" is a skyrocket drama—a startling story of to-day—of men and women who stumble and fall in the old way, to which the wisdom of centuries offers no solution—a vibrant echo of the song of passion, the song that for ages has wrought havoc with the ambi- | tions of man. ■'■ Hall Caino's novel, "The Manxman," has been pictuvised by the London Film' Company, ,and will make 'its appearance in Wellington next Saturday, Henry Ainley, who will be remembered in "The Prisoner of Zenda," takes one of the leading roles. ' „'_■-. ■William Desmond will be seen again shortly in "The Paws of. the Bear," a new Triangle play. The,rumour that Madame Petrova, -who is leaving Paramount, was joining Triangle seems to be without foundation, as it is announced that she is to form her own corporation to produce her own

pictures. Geraldine Farrar is leaving Paramount to join up with the strong new producing company Goldwyn. The latter bids fair to be a prominent factor in the film world, their stars including [Mac Marsh, Jane Cowl, Madge Kennedy, and the well-known Maaino Elliot.

" BABETTE." This, in the words of the seldom enthusiastic American critic, is "made of the stuff that endures." It is an original and strong story where, all unknowing, ipurity and innocence make a revolution in a mane life and habits. Peggy Hyland is the heroine, and the portrayal given by her is the supreme performance of her career. The plot is full of surprises, and can be classed as genuinely "different." The villain in it is a detective, but the dignity of the law is in no way affected, and . there are''some quaint and unusual touphes of a vivid humour. The hero is a clever artist who has found it easy to he a clever criminal,

Meeting and marrying the heroine makes a new man of him until, sorely tempted by his bride's sore need, he succumbs again. The rest of the tale is engrossing and thoroughly satisfying. The interior lighting of the scenes marks a fresh innovation in clever photography, and altogether the whole. production makes a unique flutter in the world of motion picture critics. . ; ■

THE LATIN QUARTER.

The wayward, reckless life of the artists of the French studios has bfeen the theme of many a story, and the Crown .Theatre will, be screening a particularly fine example in " Babette," the Vitagraph feature which stars pretty Peggy Hyland. " The Bitter Truth," the 18th episode of "Gloria's Romance," will be shown at the beginning of the week.

LEVIN PROGRESS,

This prosperous centre boasts a really up-to-date movie show, where the pictures are of city standard, and are put on in excellent taste. The genial proprietor of Farland's Pictures welcomes any suggestion from, the public that will go to help the enjoyment of his audiences. The coming week will bring to Levin the two who are now probably the highest screen exponents of strong emotion, Alice Brady in "Tangled Kates" and Pauline Frederick in "Zaza."

"THE IRON CLAW."

CHAPTER X. "THE LIVING DEATH."

D^avid Manley, Enoch Golden's secretary, pretends that he has been killed by the minute poisoned arrows with which, in the previous episode, he was' wounded by a lieutenant of Jules 'Legar, "The Iron] Claw." Legar, foe of Golden and all that is his, goes to the Golden mausoleum to solve the mystery. Manley and the,police trap him, but he blows up the mausoleum. He and Manley, badly bruised, make their separate escape. Legar encounters Margery, Goldenfs daughter, in her stalled auto., but "The Laughing Mask," terror of evildoers, saves, her life. "The Mask" pursues Legar, and they meet on the upper girders of a nearby steel plant. "The Laughing Mask" falls and Legar escapes. .

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. FAN, Newtown— Virginia Pearson is said to be forming her own company. Antonio Moreno, ia now with Pathe. That's only scandal about the lady star. AMY, Petone— - Clara/Kimball Young's next 13 "The. Price She Paid." The greatest American picture critic, Wid Gunning, calls it her best yet. G.B.— . ■■;••_ The owners of the film are sending you the stories. Mac Murray is /now with Bluebird. 1 J.— 'I

Perhaps a grass widow is called that because she doesn't let the grass grow under her feet. Dorothy Kelly is the star of " The Secret Kingdom," a Vitagraph serial.