AMUSEMENTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIX, Issue XLIX, 3 January 1916, Page 8

AMUSEMENTS

PERMANENT. PI CTUBES.

* Standing Toom only was the state of the case at the Empire Theatre on Sat- - urday night a. quarter of an hour before the 'commencement of the show. The management announce that they will again screen the- great attraction, "Defenders of Our Empire." to -give those who could not gain admission on Nsw Year's night another opportunity -of witnessing this most interesting and instructive picture. The new part of the programme to be presented tonight will ■ be headed by a sensational drama-entitled "The Swindlers," by the well-known Kalem Company. _ featuring Alice Joyce and Guy 'Cooin' es, in a storv full of novel incidents, exposing •the "methods adopted by men who prey -upon the public by promoting bogus companies. In this instance there is the 'story of the exploiting of a radium mine, - andthe consequent ruining ot a widow and her,crippled boy. So much has been said about "Defenders of Our Empire"' . that- further allusion to this film secims somewhat superfluous, but special attention' may be directed to the part showing British airships and aeroplanes, which clearly illustrates thes=< monsters of the-air as they carry out their manoeuvres. Onlookers are enabled to note the marvellous" control which the intre-pid-pilots have over these aerial engines of destruction. This subject is one of. particular interest at this stage of the war, owing to the great'deeds that are being done at the "present time by our living men. • There will be a matinee this afternoon at 2.30. when the children will -have an opportunity of seeing "Defenders of Out Empire." * ' PEOPLE'I PICTURES. J " SCHOOL ■OF MUSI*?. " • :".-.' .'WILD FLOWER." '-. "_ vAlthongh. extra seating accommodation had been provided there was not a va- "- cant seat in the School of Music on Sat- '"" -nrday night, and long before 8 o'clock - standing room was at- a premium, and ' ~ many-' had therefore to be -turned away. - - The disappointed ones -will have an opportunity of seeing "Wildflower" - to-night,-when it will be .screened for the ■ last' time. . Wildflower is an unsophisticated child of "Nature, -who dreams and frolics her lime away on a little . - farm- on the- edge of the -woods. Arnold 1 -Bovd -a wealthy man who meets "Leitty, ". -is-delighted with Tier daintiness and fragile beautv. He thinks of - 'her only as - child, however,. and when Tisited'by his scapegrace brother, -' perald, who is by his own confession 'a '- constant "worshipper at the shrine of -woman," Arnold views with alarm Gerald's attitude toward little ~. Letty.-" Gerald hails Arnold's "nickname - - of.-"Wildflower" as appropriate to Let- ■•~, tv.'"-After - a tempestuous wooing, Letty '•elopes with Gerald. Arnold immediately - ■ '/pursues- the pair, reaching them just v after the wedding ceremony has bean . concluded. " After a struggle with his " brother, Arnold knocks Gerald down and spirits-Letty away.from ..her new-made - ' husband -'{who has concealed a -former i "marriage) despite -her-desperate effort to " ! -escape. Arnold introduces her to the "'- members' of his household ashis wife, " telling Letty this course is necessary to protect'lm* reputation,,'but not fully ex- .'- plaining why.-",' Overborne by Arnojd s ■■ -arguments and..'masterful manner, Letty : "'"reluctantly consents to remain in .tlie "~- Boyd,home, for >aVhile,- as' Arnola s 1 = in, name-only," Jill'such time as '"-'■-'" tierald should""come -to claim her. The ■"" -r "strainre that - Arnold is guarding r ""* from ier : is at-last revealed, and the '-- ' c -= : stern;'- older- brother,' who had at first -- - only sought to"'"save a woman s xeptita- --'.- tion and guard his />wn family honour, .~~-~ "now comes to dream only of love. As -'•-". Letty grows to'know Arnold better she -' finds-'that.the" older brother is not the *- -,- cruel mastca: she had thought him, but -''-' the-finer "man: of the two,* and at last-/'■-'-'the'drooping little'' Wildflower revive* "'.and-hlooria -in *b.e garden ox f :-■ r -; .;"';■."■; : - . fTHE JUNGLE."

.■>-"""* TTptoh' .Sinclair's powerful and danng ---V. ? to tbsy,-"The 'Jungle." will form' the -obief attraction* at the School, of Music to-morrow (Tuesday), when it. will be --presented in picture form. The story • ~ v - many, 'but for the benefit • of'these Wb-D.have not read-the book it- - • self we 'give, a synopsis:—Happy in a - "- *' TBlao-s- of Lithuania lives Antanasr with his'wife,"-his step-daughter Ona. and . - - * two younger children Kotrina" and Stan- ' * -islovss.-Jurgis Rndkus. a native of a " ."near -village, is betrothed to the bean a- ' fill,- Ona.T Jbknbas- Szodyillas - -writes - '- from: America in glowine terms to An- _' -- tanas. The latter ' decides to migrate. I ,- - i Jurgis-goes with them, as does a "■ Berczyuska,- a- cousin cf Ona's. The - , paftv meet Jokubas in Chicago. and Sna , him"'the .proprietor of a humble delicatessen shop. . Joknbas secures employ- ,- - roent-' for the newcomers - through -the influence, of.one of his patrons, Connoi 1 . ' Marija 'is " employed as - a maid in the '" fcouseholdof John Durham, the - JKing '- . - of . Packingtown. With this , successful * * progression, there comes-.the marriage of / -Ona-and Jurgis/ Marija, who secretly ■Z\ ' loves Jurgis. weeps in solitude. Jckubas. *" -,with an eye for commission, urnvise'.y " advocates the purchase -of a. little cot- . 'tage, arid Jurgis, filled with enthusiasm • . -and desire for Ona's happinos. gathers ' - £he~ family savings tcaether snJ mates - the initial pavment. leaving no provision for the inevitable hardships which •are to come. Then suddenly in this new - fonnd world of happiness creeps a dark- = '•- ' enino- cloud of despondency for the unsuspecting Jurgis'and his folk- Durham, the.packing-house magnate, angered by the*-extravagance of-his wife and ' son ■* " Freddy, orders & general wage reduction \ > of 20 "per osnt in his plant. Jurgis, as ' leader of the workers, pleads for a com- ' promise at 10 per cent, and the refusal - - of .Durham brings on a chaotic condition of. strike. Poverty and starvation ensue. " anct. old Antanas, weakened by the lon- -~- ' "finement,of bis horrible work in the --"stock yard?, is taken in the™ grip of death. ' Unable to meet the mortgage - payment, the family is evicted. A " ■ strange sickness overtakes Kotnna. and she too, poisoned by the c«l-smelhncr - -product' of Durham's factory, dies in her'another's arms. Freddy Durham, - the wild young son of Durham, violates the trust of Marija. and as she demands money from 'him for her starving fami- -■- Iv, is overheard by Mrs Durham, and J " peremptorily ordered from, the house. Cowering with phame, she finds her wav -- to the attic which houses her family and - - 'there' meets Jursis, who secures an admission' of her guilt. She is ordered "' from" this home too. by Jurgis, and - ficnmcJess and friendless she turns to \- i the" streets. She meets with a chance ' acquaintance who points an easier wav ' J * to her/ and with the sole desire of aid- - '- ■ me her starving kinsfolk, Marija's road '-. - to idiscrace is besnn. , Connor, the fore- '' man: believing .that at last Ona, who he - ' Has- lone' coveted, is within his power, ---' 'calls at her home and. attempts to force ~^*ii&-attentions. In despair and with r '- th&'tlioHght of securing food fcr her ■'" !■" "utarving Baby - she reluctantly accepts '-" Ji»'"overtures. - Jurgis awakens from a -"- 'drunken "".slumber to find Ona absent. " : ~'-'She* returns with food purchased with ***- ."the-money-' obtained. from Connor. But '" - ''it ii*ioo'la£e. the baby has already died. " • Jh- he*--emotion she denounces Connor. ', Blind w<ih.- anger and madness Jnrgis - ; tears -fxanC'fb* Toom in search of Con- . : nor to seekl M* vengeance. He finds '- V- him-.at tbe& sioekyards. and a terrific ;-,-** fight ensues in which Connor is'thrown 7~-<~l among the stampeding cattle. Aew& of ■f-rO-tiU deed- is 'soon spread, and Jurgis jehorde, la time to bid good-bye , ■;'p%£%~j=z-* -~ ■ '' . "' ' '. ~ - „ .'- - ■

to Onaas she lays dying, Is arrested by the police. His plea for justice* is unheeded and. he is sentenced to prison. When freed Jurgis can find no trace of his family, lie becomes a socialist and a "brighter path opens its way, Jurgis becominrr a teacher of the doctrines which have been taught him. On a brighter road, his past* sadness almost outlived, while preaching his doctrines to his fellow workmen, Jurgis's attention is drawn toward the curious action of a young girl who seeks to throw herself into the river. He is in time to prevent the act, and discovers her to be the long-lost Marija. Learning of t":e whcieabouts of Elzbieta and Stanislova, Jurgis soon unites the family, and lending Marija to .the brighter land of his teachings, the "Co-operative Commonwealth," the love which 3larija has always borne finds a way to Jurgis's heart".