AMUSEMENTS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 April 1918, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS.

OPERA HOUSE. "Hell to fay Austin" with Wilfred Lucas and Beasio Love in the leading roles, and '"Human Flotsam," the btn episode of "The [Secret Kingdom," will be the attractions by Pollards Pictures at the Opera House to-night. Wilfred Lucas gives a great impersonation of trie strong man whose will is law—a man who ha-s earned the title through the camp's knowledge that that is what would happen if his orders were not. carried out. On Friday and Saturday evenings and at the matinee on Saturday a picturisation of "Larry Evans's" powerful novel, "Then 5, I'll Come Back to You," as produced by the World' Film Company, with Alice Brady in the leading role, will he screened in conjunction with "The Intervention of Tito," the sth chapter of "The Iron >Claw." Alice* Brady is the star of Larry Evans's famous work, "Then I'll Come Back to You" and "Jack Sherrel," the leading man. The story is a great o"e. ' Steve O'Mara is a young engineer who • becomes involved in the plot and counterplot between two great companies. He i 3 rushing a road-construction job through - at express speed, and meets perilous difficulties at every turn. The opposition i-i_ ' terests hire a powerful blackguard to smash, if'" necessary.' the v;ork thH *he yeung engineer is doing. The culmination is a tremendous fight with bare knuckles between his villain and Steve, which is a realistic and impressive struggle to a stern finish. Marvellous scenes of lumber life in America are pictured in "The Great Log Drive Down the River," "The Black Mountains of Carolina/' "A " Gigantic Timber Mill in Full Swing," and a. moun-tain-railway, the curves, of which swing out so that passengers can see clear down a 300 ft precipice. The photographic marvels that occur throughout the story are worth a visit alone. The whole production can be classed as one of the best World Film dramas ever mad?. "The Laughing Mask." the mysterious enemy ■ to: wrongdoers, i 3 once again in eviden'e in "The Intervention of Tito," the fifth chapter of. "The Iron CJn.w." In th's chapter "The" Laughing Mask" rescues Margery from a horrible fate. Who i.s "The Laughing Mask."? TOWN~HALL. Emmy Wehlen . in "Sowers and Reapers," a five-act Metro W on derplay, of a wife who triumphed over intrigue, wilh be shown at the Peerless Pictures* tonight only. The story in brief is as follows :—Annie Leigh is a factory girl, young and pretty. She meets Earle Courtney, whose father is wealthy. He falls in love with her. They are secretly wedded. Courtney's father had chosen a rich girl to be his bride. Learning of his son's secret alliance, he separates him from his factory-girl wife. There is a fire in the factory where Annie works. A girl is burned/to death. Her body is identified as that of Annie. Courtney, believing, his wife to bo dead, is persuaded by his father to, marry the rich girl. Annie, meantime, has gone to the city where he lives. There is a son born to her. Then Fate becomes kind to the girl. She earns fame and* wealth as a motion picture star. Young Courtney loses his fortune. He arid his .wife are thrown at the mercy of Annio. Her revenge consists in produc. ing'a picture play which tells the tragic story of her own ea7-ly life. Courtney sees the picture and recognises in the star his secret bride. His heirless-wife does not love him. She elopes with a young *rtist. Courtney seeks out Annie. He explains everything. •He p'eads with her before their child. And she gives him a woman's answer, based on woman's judgment of true love.' "A DAUGHTER OF THE GODS." The delightful picture story, "A Daughter of the Gods" was accorded its initial screening yesterday evening before a crowded audience at the Town Hall. The unanimous opinion of those who have seen it is that it is the most m.-ignificent photoplay that has yet come this way. ■ "A Daughter of the Gods" tells a pretty fairy story, a delightftil mixing of fantasy and romance with many thrilling episodes

and qraint fancies, but the charming littla story is merely the groundwork of the whole fabric, which simply teems with marvels of motion picture production. Some of the photographic achievements themselves .ire remarkibls, but oyer thes3 there are the many scenes in which dense masses cf humanity are used with remarkable effectiveness, especially so in the great battle scene. But even these scenesare ecl'ps-d in merit by the quaint Land of the Gnomes, one of th emost charming studies seen on the screen. AH _ the memor'"" of the fairy stories that thrilled one's chi'dhood days pale into mere cold «rint beside the living example of a Gnome ity placed beside a beautiful cascade.

Here Annette Kellerman as Anita gives a remarkatue exhibition of diving. In another portion of the story her swimming in a heavy sea amongst great rocks is aj thrilling as it is daring and speaking generally net- presence is one ot the important ingredients of the picture's success. The marine scenes aie rem'arkab.e for their beauty, and for the .grace and artistry with which they are carried out. Owing to the clear waters it is possible to see the swimmers plainly below the surface and this is cleverly utilised for some interest* ing episodes. It is impossible to do jus. tice to every phase'of this beautiful picture without risking the weakness of a superabundance of superlatives. The film has to be seen to be praised. "A Daughter of the Gods" will be shown again on Friday and at the matinee on Saturday afternoon. "VERA BAIN," STAR DANCER. " Vera Bain, the phenomenal child dancer of the world, will give two ex. hibitions at the Opera House on Monday and Tuesdify evenings next. This taknted young artist was engaged. to appear at one of the world's best theatres, "The Palace," London. Unfortunately, the Admiralty issued an order that no' women n.nd children were allowed to travel on boats through the war zon?, so the engagement had to be postponed. An engagement was then entered into with Fuller and Sons for a tour of New Zealand by Msis Vera Bain and Mr James ("Jimmy") Bain, tlie famous comedian and character impersonator and one of the best known performers in the world. Mr Pollard has been fortunate enough to secure these two artists for a short season, and they will appear as before stated on next Monday and Tuesday evenings.