WHAT THE MOVIES ARE DOING

Free Lance, Volume XVI, Issue 839, 28 July 1916, Page 9

WHAT THE MOVIES ARE DOING

NEXT WEEK'S FEATUR FILMS. —"Bullets and Brown Eyes." Everybody's—"Charity Ann." Shortts' —"The Come Back." Empress—"From Out the Big Snows." - "The Chalice of Courage." THOSE who like a good gripping story free from melodramatic absurdity will find it screened at The King's this week and cannot fail to enjoy it. The title is too vague and might easily put you off. It is a drama -of Western life in which the hero and the villain are identified with the fate and fortune of two types of woman: the rough diamond and the polished .gem. In both instances, after many adverse strokes from that- fickle jade., Dame Fortune, the hero triumphs. The part xs in able hands, and wins your .suffrages right through. He is manly, unselfish, and free from affectation or vulgarity. And the. heroine —a sweet v girlish type —is worthy of him. The suj>porting films are above the average. 1 'Pathe's Gazette" is varied and deeply interesting. The antics of Mutt and Jeff a series of cartoons) are a continuous -scream. • » * * 4t Bullets and Brown Eyes." The picture that heads the bill next week at The King's has had many good "things said, about it. "Bullets and Brown Eyes" is the somewhat poetical title of a story of love and war of the "Prisoner of Zenda type. Two mythical countries in the Balkans are at war, but the prince of the invading army "loves the sister of the ruler of the op.posing kingdom. However, the girl plays liim false, the prince is captured, and is to be shot. Woman-like, the •countess changes her mind and tactics, and aids the prince to escape, which he does after many stirring adventures. -Olga, for her 'part in the escape, is -ordered to take the veil as a nun, but" the prince overcomes all opposition and wins his bride. Realistic war scenes are introduced, the whole picture being produced on a big scale. The supporting items as usual are all first-class. William Desmond, who will be. well remember 2d as the leading actor with . Katherine Grey when the J. C. Williamson firm produced "The Lion and v the Moilse," "The Third Degree," "Bought ;and Paid For," etc., through New Zealand some time ago, has joined the ranks of picture actors, and is said to make a great success as Prince Boris in "Bullets' and Brown Eyes," to be produced at The King's hext week. * • Bessie Barriscale bids fair to become one of the popular idols of the screen. With good looks, a striking personality, . and any amount of vim as well as ability, her work is» always pleasing, and sometimes e.yeD great. She is at her best as "the Countess Olga in "Bullets and) Brown Eyes," which will be screened at the King's next week. Thousands - of men, women, and children have chuckled or roared, as the mood took them, at "The Shopwalker," in which Charlie Chaplin is seen, at his "best. Everybody's .Theatre has been filled to overflowing every day, and all. day, this week, " for. not only is Charlie there, but the almost equally popular Mabel Normand, assisted by the clever Raymond Hitchcock, and the bis producer, Mack Sennett, are also present in a Keystone comedy, "Stoleji Magic"—an Arabian Nights' sort of thing brought up to date. This comedy - is, we think,- about the cleverest of the

Triangle-Keystone's to date. Other good pictures include: "The Tricksters," a one-act drama; "Snow Scenes around. London, and the always popular "Gaumont GraDhic." •» * * » Mr. A. C. Melvin, .well known in vaudeville and concert circles as a singer, arrived from Sydney by the s.s. Jtiverina on Monday. Mr. Melvin has' been appointed manager of Everybody's. Wellington. * - "..■*• " Charity Ann." At Everybody's next week the London Film Company will again hold the screen with one of their excellent dramas, "Charity Ann," a photo-play that succeeds in getting away from' the conventional, and holds up to contrast different sides of the great London life. The story mainly deals with the adventures of Ann Charity, a violinist, who started her career by collecting the pennies for a blind fiddler, who in turn taught her to play "his beloved instrument. A bright star of the- musical world meets the girl, but the artistic temperament had blunted his morals, and Ann has to fight against him and - herself. How the years bring poverty, then success and fame and finally happiness, is cleverly brought out in this fine picture, which should' make many friends for the London company. ♦ * * * Mr. P. S. Latham has resumed the management of the King's Theatre, Wellington. Lately he has been managing Everybody's. «#• * « Empress Theatre. Charlie Chaplin is responsible for a veritable .riot of exuberant mirth at the Empress Theatre, in the first of the Mutual comedies, "The Shopwalker." The audience is _ left limp through laughing as the picture fades out. As a contrast to the star comedy, the Famous Players' stirring military drama, "The Commanding Officer," is presented. This is a play that is full of tenderness and pathetic appeal, arid lays bare the inmost workings of a woman's heart. Torn between the two emotions of love of one man and respect for the other, the heroine cannot decide which is the correct thing to ao. Her father causes her "to marry the man she respects, but she still remembers the man she loves, eventually discovering that she is only one of his amours. The official war films, the "Topical Budget," and other graphic pictures make a strong programme, and no wonder the Empress patrons depart delighted with the bill-of-fare. * * *• ■» "From Out of the Big Snows," a Vitagraph Broadway feature, will be the special' attraction at the Empress Theatre next week. In the cast are James Morrison, Dorothy Kelly, and other Vitagraph favourites. The story is a vigorous one of adventure enacted amidst the wild snow-bound wastes of North-West Canada. Edwin Harris, a young mirier, falls in love with a beautiful dance hall girl, who has a fiercely jealous half-breed lover. The drama shows, how only the intervention of a young doctor prevented the half-breed's fiendish vengeance from being carried out. # • * * Shortt's Theatre Sotiio important improvements, tending to the. comfort of movies' patrons, have been made to Sliortts' Theatre. A circle has been added, capable of accommodating about 300 people. The ceiling has been handsomely ornamented and a big ventilator has been let in. The seats both upstairs and downstairs are of the latest tip-up, leather-covered

kind. No carpets, whatever have been laid in the main building, the whole floor being covered with linoleum. This, with the leather-covered seats, will make the theatre one of the mosthygienic in the city. The vestibule and corridor liave been laid in tiles, and the whole building thoroughly renovated and re-decorated. A magnificent 200-guinea grand piano has been installed, and, if possible, better music than ever will be supplied. * * * rr he theatre will' be re-opened to the public on Monday next at 6 p.m., when Metro's big five-reel feature. "The Come Back," will be screened. The charges of admission will be: Downstairs, both day and night sessions, 6d and 3d; dress circle (day sessions) 6d, ■ (night sessions) adn l+ .s 9d. children 6d. There will be no reserv.: sests. ♦ * * William A. Brady lias brought his accustomed energy to the movie business. No sooner was ho placed at the head of the World .Film Corporation than he began to stir things up. He knows that the weak spot in the industry was, the paucity of good, stories, so he started a scenario contest, offering £4000 in prizes for the best stories or ideas for scenarios. The contest was advertised early in June, and when the Maitai left 'Frisco for Wellington the manuscripts were pouring" into the WorJd offices by the cord. Within s'_-\ enty-two hours after the contest was. first advertised 20,000 scenarios, synopses, and suggestions had been received, and within six days the number had swelled to 33,407. * ft * * Anita King, Paramount star, drove-up a steep incline in a racing automobile that formerly belonged to the famous driver, Barney Oldfield, shot out into space, and landed on a cushioned platform 72 feet away,- just to get a thrill into a picture. Wonder if sne's frightened of mice. * ¥■ Sr * "The All-Red Route.," a film trip from Sydney to London, should prove a . travel picture of more than passing in r terest. It touches at different places all along ±he route, including peeps at Honolulu, Suva, British Columbia, the Rockies, Niagara Falls, Liverpool, and London. It has been viewed and specially approved by the Hon. J. A. Hanan, New Zealand's Minister of Education. * * * * Edna May, who was queen, of American musical "oorpedy, is now en route' to screen queendom. She recently emerged from blissful matrimonial retirement to play the lead in Vitagraph's" "Salvation Joan." Her salary of £20,000 for appearance in this single picture is to be given to the Red Cross. * * » » Rex Beach's book, "The .Ne'er-do-Well," has be'en filmed at Panama by Selig. Kathlyn Williams stars as the heroine of the story. The production includes interesting views of the Panama Canal. Some authors are complaining that cinema film manufacturers are stealing, the titles of some of their plays. If they stole some of the plays as well, and lost them, no one would object. ' Famous people in the athletic world are signing contracts to appear under the Selig banner in four and five part features. . The pictures will be known as the Athletic Feature Films Series, and will include such celebrities as Jess Willard, Frank Gotch, Mike Gibbons, Freddie Welch, and other leaders in boxing and wrestling.

Housewives and the public generally of Wellington are reminded of the big Produce Fair in the Town Hall this (Friday) afternoon and evening. The Fair is is aid of the Belgian children. The produce includes meat, .fish", eggs, vegetables, butter, jam. It has been supplied audi delivered by the farmers of Wellington province free of cost. The entire proceeds go to the fund.