TO-NIGHT’S PICTURES.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VI, Issue 349, 7 February 1917, Page 6

TO-NIGHT’S PICTURES.

MUNICIPAL THEATRE, HASTINGS. A complete change of programme is announced for this evening headed by a William Fox masterpiece in six parts, entitled ‘‘The Soul of New York.” The picture which was produced by Herbert Brenon the producer of ‘‘The Two Orphans,” features Mdlle Velaska Suratt, known as the American fashion-plate. Her gowns have made millions gasp by their beauty and daring, as well as by their dazzling lavishness of design. In making her screen debut in “The Soul of New York,” Mdlle. Suratt has outdone all her previous efforts in gowns and millinery fashioned by famous modistes, in all she wears 29 changes of costume, some daringly and uniquely simple; others that are calculated to make the feminine portion of her spectators break into astonished exclamation. Briefly the story concerns the life of La Valencia, a typical woman of the New York State, wonderfully beautiful, but old in sin. Her lover becomes a thief that he may shower luxuries upon her. Hi- is sentenced to prison for five years, to emerge cured of his mad infatuation. By accident Valencia sees him, her old passion is revived; it means nothing to her that since his release he has married. She tries to win him back. When her fascinations fail she threatens to expose him. He will not yield, and prepares to carry out her threat when destiny takes a hand, and with climacteric suddenness and power the end comes. Never before have we seen anything that quite equals the novelty and lavish expensiveness of the scenes contained in this film. There are some excellent items in support.

PRINCESS THEATRE, HASTINGS. The final episode of the populai “Stingaree” series of pictures, taken from the stories by E W. Hornung, will be screened at the Princess tonight. True Boardman, in the role oi the daring Australian bushranger, has made himself a firm screen favourite in these series, and he will be eagerly watched for in his next appearance in motion pictures. In to-night’s episode, entitled “The Darkest Hour,” Stinga■ee escapes from prison with the assistance of Howie, who shaves off his picturesque beard to secure a post as keeper. Passing as the valet of Kent, who is engaged to Ethel, he succeeds in getting aboard a boat for England. He learns on the way that he has been cleared of the charge of murder which forced him to become a social outcast, and his happiness is later made complete when Kent, seeing that Ethel always loved Stingaree. gives her up to him. A splendid supporting programme includes two good comedies. “Losing Weight” and “Our Mutual Girl,” the former being especially amusing, and topicals, “Mutt and Jeff” cartoons, and coloured scenics. EVERYBODY’S, HASTINGS. Geraldine Farrar, the great operatic and screen prima donna will appear for the first time to-night in a Laskyl drama entitled “Temptation.” The story’ concerns the trials of a grand opera prima donna in her efforts to reach the foremost position of her profession. Renee Dupree, a young American student of singing, w’ho pursues her studies by reason of a small income earned by singing in big restaurants. One night the impressario of an opera company hears Renee sing and invites her to try for a place in his company. A powerfully woven story j culminates in a white heat climax wherein Renee has the choice of accepting certain conditions the operatic manager lays before her, or the for- j feiture of her sweetheart’s life. Renee j accepts the manager’s conditions, but j he is prevented from carrying out his I evil designs by his former star, who is responsible for the building up of a magnificent situation that pleases in its concentrated energy. The auxiliary subjects supporting this special feature ’ include two fine comedies, “Rome of? the Coal Waggon,” and “Nanny Goat; on the Rampage.” * i

KING’S THEATRE, HASTINGS

To-night’s change of programme at this theatre is headed by a powerful dramatic production entitled “The Captive God,” a story of America about a hundred years ago, when Montezuma, Emperor of the now extinct Aztec nation, ruled the most powerful and intelligent people on the continent. The story is human and compelling, and is founded on an old Aztec religious custom. Every year the handsomest young man in the country was offered as a human sacrifice to their Gods. The year preceding his sacrifice he was surrounded with every luxury, and his every whim gratified. In this drama, Hart plays the victim, and in the final scenes, when the fatal hour draws near —some really magnificent acting of powerful crisis, together with pageants, I in which hundreds of persons partici- , pate, make this one of the notable pro- | ductions of the year. The supporting items include the “Gaumont Graphic,” I “Some Garden Pests” (Path© coloured film) and an amusing comedy by the' Vitagraph Company.