PICTURE ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Star, Issue 16223, 19 September 1916, Page 4

PICTURE ENTERTAINMENTS

‘THE BIRTH OF A NATION.’

One of the most .stupendous picture productions ever made is acknowledged' to be ‘ The Birth of a. Nation,’ which will be presented in His Majesty's Theatre to-morrow evening. It is founded on the story of ‘ The Clansman,’ which is ns nearly the literal truth as a nova] can record, and probably much more reliable than the “ history ’’ of three-fourths of the nations of the civilised world. 1 The Birth of a Nation ’ begins and ends in the early sixties of, the last century, and all the events, save the love fictions, are -well within_ the memory of men now living. The Civil War in America furnishes the many moving battle scenes with which the first part of tliis extraordinary picture show is punctuated. These scones lead up to the defeat of the South, the surrender of Lee, and the omnacipation of ..the negroes, followed with alarming rapidity by the assassination of President Lincoln by the actor Wilkes Booth. The second portion of_* The Birth of a Nation ’ is no less thrilling and. exciting, for it deals with the funning amok of the emancipated negroes of the South and the drastic steps taken by the formation of the Ku Klux Klan, which took tho law into its own hands and dealt out justice and _ punishment, illegally, no 'dottfct. but justifiably, suppressing tlie mad license of the intoxicated negroes, and eventually bringing about ‘ The Birth of a. Nation’ in the restoration of sane legislation,, and the real union of the Northern and Southern States of America.

A specially selected operatic orchestra under the conductor-drip of Mr Horace Keels, will play the incidental music of die production, which is one of the outstanding features in the picture. The plans for the entire season are now open at Tlie Bristol. The only matinee during tlie season will be given on Saturday next, when-children will bo admitted at halfprice.

OCTAGON AND KINO EDWARD. The romantic story ‘ Seven Sisters ’ was unfolded on the screen at the KinoEdward and Octagon Theatres last night and inet with undoubted appreciation. It is a- simple story, but a daintv one, and rA? ~U ar guerito .Clark, the' charming iittle film actress, is ideally suited to the part of Mici, the young lady of ancient Hungary whom the ancient custom of her country debars from getting married before her elder sisters. To"get over tlie difficulty Mici sots about (he task of securing husbands for her three senior sisters. and tlie process creates many humorous situations. The action takes place in one of the most beautiful parts of tlie country of one of our present enemies, Hungary, and the scenerv 'is very An interesting film showing the Red Cross at work at the front is one of the supports; another is a study of fresh-water fish common to English waters: and a third is a Pathe Gazette showing the kind of work British Women have taken upon themselves since the war began, and other topics of interest. The programme will he repeated at both theatres to-night, tho performance at the Octagon beginning at 8 o’clock and that at the King" Edward at 6.30.

The thrilling Russian drama ‘ The Kiss of Hate.’ featuring the celebrated actress Ethel Barrymore, is having a run of success at the Empire -v Hie big play ‘The Curse of a Nation’ is drawing big houses at the Grand. At Everybody’s the exciting drama ‘ Hie Puppet Crown ’ is the chief film in a good programme. The story of the life of a gambler, entitled ‘Hie Sins of the Mothers’ heads the hill at the Queen’s.