AMUSEMENTS.

North Otago Times, Volume CVI, Issue 14025, 17 January 1918, Page 6

AMUSEMENTS.

'•THE BABRIEB. " The Opera House, was well filled last night, when Eex Bench's well known uo\cl, "The Bauier," v,as shown in itb pictmiaeil toim. The jiamo of Res Bc.ah is one wluili is well and favourably known amongst readers of modernliterature, and his books are of the .. _ "strong" sort that make telling pic- ./■s!* hires. , "The : Barrier";':is a story. •.. which has done 'a-'lot to add to \\% author's reputation, and thepicturised. • version will ( go a long. towards ■■ making his reputation'as a picture- ./ producer. The story loses nothing In ;■ its telling on the, screen, and, in tho.,. opinion of many, gams'-a' good deal, the • proper "atmosphere" being more!read- N \« ; ily conveyed by rugged scenes thai by picturesque words. The picture is pra-. sentcd under the direction of E. J. Carroll, and meets all the requirements of the "critic of photographic produc- • tions. Strong men, botV.gpod-and.; | ba : 4 .-". ' are depicted moving hi. tho days:when ~. the revolver played a larger part in set-.A tling differences. than ' did' the law,, Event follows event with bewildering'.:./ rapidity, and the spectator is kept in a state of concentrated interest- and,, excitement during the screening. The-v outstanding character, in the story is ' not the hero, but Paleon Doret, who, be-. \ ' cause of his, noble character, does all .hev, 5 can to bring about the happiness of tlie' ; \ ' girl he loves,;and iu so doing loses her ' for himself. The story tolls of the love by two men, one a gambler ami' 1 rogue, of Merridy, a schoolmistress, who ' 1 comes to teach the children of Dawson 1 City, in Alaska. The gambler, Bennett, wins the girl- by -reason' of'hlfl 'al- . ■ most hypnotic influence, while her, other lover, 'Gaylord, is absent' trying to s , "strike it rich," so that he his heart's desire. Bennett soon shows ' his true colours, and murders his wife '■ because of a note which she had sent ' Bennett accuses Gaylord : ; ' of the-crime, and the latter has to flee«^ | . ~ • !• ■ '•••.■ ,r. - ■aM' taking, with hjTm the)njjv(:> inotherles,.^ vj' child of Bennett and Merridy. Gay-* lord is driven to the deßert, ( and is sue- ... courcd, when at the point of exhaustion, ' by a band of Indians, One .of these he makes his "wife," and the'child Merridy, named Nccia, grows up in the;' belief that she is Gaylord's.daughter and a half-breed. .She grows.fo be a beautiful girl, and wins the" love of a \. young lieutenant, named Biirrill, of the' United States Army. When Mede',. Burrill realises that Necia-is a half-'' v

broGil complications arisej for he' is of..' - aristocratic American stock, who would", look upou a union with colour, as an everlasting disgrace.' The girl realises '. this, ami '.'the bairiei.'.'. inßur- ' mountable, notwithstanding' the eudu'r-' ing love of both, Polcou Doret also, loves Nceia; ami it is through his great self-sacrifice that the lover's 'are ultK inalelv united. Bennett arrives upon thp scene under an assumed-name, and recognises his daughter. : </Tho contest is - renewed be-wceu him and Gaylord, and after the .disclosure of Necia's.. true colour "the barrier" while Paleon sails away in his canoewith a song on his lips and a breaking--heart, the heroine and hero 'find happiness iu eaeh is really a good one,'and those'who did not witness tlie pourtra^al":laat" night, would be well advised"to-aV-io-'to-night.