TO-NIGHT’S PICTURES.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VI, Issue 265, 25 October 1916, Page 6

TO-NIGHT’S PICTURES.

Empire Theatre, Napier.—The double star list at the Empire Theatre, Napier, this evening, has at its head a powerful Vitagraph, and the most recent, and it is said the most laughable "of al. Triangle-Keystone fun farces. The chief drama “By the Governor’s Orders,” will be shown in that wonderfully clear photography, so idenified with Vitagraph productions. A millionaire's daughter elopes and marries, against her father’s wishes, a poor man. The father closes his purse, and the young couple are in dire straits when a child is born. The girl’s father and her husband quarrel violently, and the shock causes the death of the girl. Enraged, her husband attempts her father’s life and is sent to prison. Then is a most exciting escape from prison, ! and a thrilling man hunt. The hero is i run to earth but in the end received the Governor’s pardon. The dramatic affair will l>e strongly balanced by “My Va.et,” a most laughable three-reel star farce, in which all sorts of wild complications occur. Mabel Normand, Raymond Hitchcock, Mack Sennett, Fred Mace, and a veritable host of Keystone favourites are in the cast, so that the fun should be fast and furious. Other subjects to be screened are: “British Prisoners arriving in Switzerland,” “Andalusian Dances,” a very captivaiing production. “Ashville, Carolina,” an entertaining and instructive series, and the very latest “Topical Budget.” A programme like the above is sure oi success.

King’s Theatre, Hastings.—The change of programme at this theatre to-night is headed by a five-reel drama entitled “The Waif,” and starring Natty Roubert, the wonderful boy actor. The picture is a gripping drama of the New York slums, showing life from the viewpoint of a friendless kiddie of nine, whose home is an empty barrel, whose food is what he can get. The plot is full of thrills and infinite pathos, and is calculated to ho"cl an audience from beginning to end. The star feature is well supported by several other excellent subjects, including an interesting number of the popular Pathe Gazette.

Princess Theatre, Hastings.—“ Five Nights,” will be shown at this theatre for the first time to-night. This widely censored and censured but universally read novel by Victoria Cross has now been adapted to the motion picture screen and has been approved by the British Board of Censors. The picture portrays a fascinating love idyll and five wonderful adventures in the life 1 and career of Trevor Lonsdale, a successful artist. The part of “Viola” a] wealthy cousin of Lonsdale who unites her life to his is taken by Miss Eve Balfour, an Australian girl who has made a big reputation in the picture world. The settings and mountings and. in fact the whole production of “Fivel Nights” as a film can only be described as ranking with the highest class of photo-dramatic art. This theatre will show on Monday and Tuesday “Cabiria,” the world’s greatest fi.m. Municipal Theatre. Hastings'.—The star item on the bill at the Municipal Theatre this evening is a Famous Players drama 6000 feet in length, featuring that dainty and fascinating screen artiste Miss Marguerite Clark. The jjtorv is /ull of incident, carries a pretty love theme, and embodies some capital circus scenes. Sti.l waters run deep, and it is in the heart of a woman that these particular waters run deep, and with dainty Marguerite Clark as the woman there is an added charm to the production. Included in the programme is a 3000 ft. industrial film shewing the wonderful working of the huge Canadian Ford Motor Car Factory. ”

Everybody’s. Hastings. — “Bove’s Crucible” concerns itself with the good and evil influences which must play a part in every woman’s life: be she good or bad. Myra Dymsley, a beautiful young artist, becomes enmeshed in the nets of a sensuous intrigue laid for her by Robert Lawton, a young New York libertine posting as an artist. Forgetting Stephen Wright, whom she left behind in the small New England town of her birth, and who truly loves her, Myra gives herself to Lawton, carried away by h'is fascination. She discovers too late" that she has been his toy. Cast aside and crushed and broken, she pays the price. By a strange turn of circumstance, it is Frances, the sister of her seducer, who rescues her from the fate to which her desperation has caused her to turn. Conspirators against Myra strive to wrench her from the protection of Frances Lawton. They almost succeed in their purpose when Stephen Wright proves to be the “God out of the machine.” The scene in which Stephen rescues Myra arid Frances is but the culmination of a series of terrible climaxes which mark “Love’s Crucible” from th? first scene to the last. In point of powerful drama, realistic staging, excellent acting and superb photography, “Love’s Crucible” has never been exec led as a photodrama dealing with modern conditions.