ENTERTAINMENTS.

Mataura Ensign, 16 January 1914, Page 4

ENTERTAINMENTS.

ROYAL STANDARD PICTURE 3. -Last night's audience, which was of good dimension.;, was evidently delighted with the change of programme offered at the Theatre Koyal ia6t even.ng. Every change brings something new and something welcome, and the new bill of fare maintained the interest through- \ out. Pride of place must be allotted to a star film by the Urban Company, "A Plunge for » Fortune,'' which graphically depicted the strenuous and exciting adventures of an executor to keep a will cut of the unscrupulous hands of the cousin of the heiress. Plot and counterplot, indiscriminate shooting, and all that goes to make up a successful Western story were served up in abundance, and the tale successfully closed witn the dramatic entrance of, the hero, Arizona Bill, ill good time to wrestle for possession of the fortune I from the scoundrel of the piece. The star picture was not without :i rival, i the Patlie Company presenting a par-! ticularly fine drama, "Desert Sand." > The scene was set in Egypt ainid the. limitless sands with a setting for the picturesquely-garbed natives. This company was also responsible for one of, the finest 6cienic views yet seen at Gore, I"A Trip on a Swiss Itiver," view-] ■ ing from the deck of a liver .solamer the, abundance of natural beauty unaided' uy coloring which abounds in the land of the Alps while the quaint architectural beauty of the buildings enhanced ' the scenes. "A Dangerous Foe" was 1 also a capijtal story, unfolding a danger •to which a judge exp.>sed himself in passing a heavy sentence 011 a prisoner, i the premoditated scheme of revenge bej ing successfully thwarted. The liurnorlous section was large and well selected, and included as usual much destruction lot wearing apparel and property. Tliq j unwinding of the "Eclair Journal" pre■eented an interesting budget of topical ! I matters, while the "New Zealand Animated News" pictured current liappen'jings in our own land. The same series ; will be screened to-night and to-morrow | night and at a matinee on Saturday. . Miss Snodgrass contributed the neces--1 eary incidental music. l PRINCESS THEATRE. 1 ' The Stevenson Picture Proprietary 1 can always be relied upon to present an attractive series of films, and last even- ' ing'a entertainment at the Princess Theatre proved no exception to the rule, a programme of high quality being submitted to a good audience. Chief .interest was centred in "Spanish Blood," a spectacular and cleverlyacted drama dealing with the manner in which a poor though beautiful Spahiah peasant girl avenged herself on a notorious troubadour for having cruelly slandered her to her lover. While the troubadour was engaged in a bull fight (which, by the way, was most realistic and full of thrilling incidents) she called to him, thereby attracting his [ attention from the animal, which charg!ed him and inflicted mortal wounds. 1 Her lover subsequently returned to her but at a later period killed her. Two other dramatic films entitled "Master and 1 Man" and "The Portrait" were of engrossing interest from start to finish. The traffic incident in connection with the 1913 Derby, by which the- Suffragette, Miss Davidson, sustained fatal injuries in her attempt to stop the Kina's horse, is still fresh in the minds of the public. A very clear photograph of the happening was recorded in an j excellent number of the "Gaumont Graphic." The race was splendidly illustrated and the obstructing tactics employed by the rider of Cragamoor (the winner of the race), for which both rider and horse were subsequently disqualified, was also part of the picture. A beautiful scenic was also screened, while the domic section comprised a most humorous selection of films, all of which created much merriment. Excellent music was rendered by the orchestra. I The programme will be repeated' this and to-morrow evening and at a matinee |on Saturday.