WHAT THE MOVIES ARE DOING

Free Lance, Volume XVI, Issue 871, 16 March 1917, Page 18

WHAT THE MOVIES ARE DOING

Moving Picture Atiractioas. The Empress—"The Hidden Scar " Everybody's—" The Social Vortex " The King's—"The Crown Prince's Double " The Queen's—''Should a Woman Tell ?" Everybody's. r| iHIS papular house has been scoring -~ heavily this week with "The Beg- .- gar of Cawnpore," a picture-story of ' the/Indian Mutiny. It is a film'entire-ly-new and distinctly off the beaten track. It is well worth seeing, ..not-only - for its local colouring and for its educative value, but also for the clever char- - acter study given by H. B. Warner in the role of the Beggar of Oawnpore. The third episode in "Gloria's Romance," featuring. BiUie Burke, affords a peep at the Metropolitan Grand Opera House at New. York, showing ■ fashionable -and- wealthy Americans, wearing their- glad rags, crowding into the big theatre in droves. The last . -serening of..this programme happens this (Friday) evening. , '""'*■ -. • '•' o A Double Attraction. : . The new episode of "Gloria's Romance," to be screened at Everybody's, commencing to-morrow (Saturday) is the" best so far. As claimed by the auth-ors,-the play is like actual life, inasmuch as the action increases in intensity as the story unfolds. "The Honourable Algy" is a bright Triangle tale based on a jewel robbery in which becomes involved a young sprig of nobili- : ty,, who has set. out to America to seek his fortune in the shape of an American ' heiress. Charles Ray makes a perfect young aristocrat. - ' . ' '• . ' ~ *'.:•.■■■■*■" tt~"~- {J *' Gloria's Romance," Chapter IV. The fourth-episode in "Gloria's Romance" (now being screened in serial form at Everybody's) is entitled "The "Social Vortex." The handsome rascal, Dick .Freneau, soon realises that he has made a serious blunder in failing to : recognise Gloria, the heiress to many ■■' millions. His excuse was a credit to his ingenuity, as he explained to her that she had grown so bewilderingly beautiful tbat it was scarcely to be expected that he would know her again. He went back to his box, leaving Gloria in a state of ecstatic excitement. After a long-range flirtation . with opera glasses, Freneau persaudes her to slip away from the box for supper, and . there after, a while she is discovered! by her father and hustled back in disgrace. Faithful little Gloria is in a whirl* of rapt emotion at her re-discovery of the handsome Freneau, and by the exercise of roguish ingenuity she manages, to get his name included in the list of invitations for her coming out party. The scenes at this reception are most luxurious, and Gloria's frank delight at" her' 'popularity is a winsome thing to see. In the conservatory, Gloria and Freneau are interrupted, just as Gloria is. expecting Freneau to make his avowal. •She invites him to a sleigh ride behind . -ber ponies, and Freneau gladly consents, hoping that arid her millions will speedily be in Ms keeping. s s- '* • ■ . . Ths Empress. Feminine Wellington has been besieging the Empress Theatre night'and day this week to see "All Man," featuring Robert Warwick and also starring two fascinating demoiselles of tbe screen in Miss Molly King and Miss Guda Holmes. "All Man" is the kind of picture-play that most folk like. The hero is a manly young fellow, who,-

though cut adrift .by a stern parent, goes out into the world and makes good. A sensational head-on railway, collision adds excitement and realism to the picture. Altogether if- is a film not to be missed. *'..*.. "'*■■. • .* " Tbe Hidden Scar." The new programme at the Empress starting to-morrow (Saturday) is headed by'a fine World drama based on the wider meaning of the word "charity." Ethel Clayton as the "Modern Magdalene" is seen.in a role which suits her emotional charm to perfection. , Hoibrook Blinn, as the scoffing man of the world, who contrives to teach the herd the real horror of the narrowness of his views, is, of course, clever and competent as usual, and the whole cast is good. There are some remarkably good .bits of photographic work. '/- «.':.-. '"*.' ■'■»'■'..«_.'.."■■'■_ King's Theatre. - "The Hidden Valley," a five-act mystery drama, is the leading attraction at the King's Theatre at present. The story unfolded carries the audience into darkest Africa, where the heroine, who had been carried off by a negro tribe, is rescued by an < American, hunter. Mdlle. Vaikrien, a Danish beauty -actress, carries off the honours as the heroine. Amongst the supplementary pictures is a fine "Gaumont Graphic." ~ &.■ . « " .- » Q. "The Crown Prince's Double." A fine new change 'of- piotures appears at the King's this week-end. The special-attraction will be "The Crown Prince's Double." "Crown Prince" has rather an ominous sound, but in this case it means the heir to the throne of the microscopic kingdom of Ostia, a tiny realm with troubles which are immense. Maurice Costello returns, a Vitagraph star supported -by 'Norma Talmadge, and a bright and i handsome pair they are. The appearance of these two tried favourites is sufficient guarantee as to the quality of "The Crown Prince's Double." '■'&■_ " » ' » - ■ — o ■ Stelansson Expedition Pictures. The Queen's Theatre management are to be congratulated; on their enterprise in securing the Stefansson Expedition Pictures, which will be screened at the comfortable and Cubastreet theatre for the last time this Friday evening. All Wellington, should view this film. Not only does it relate the tragic experiences of the Stefansson Expedition and show the rescue of - the survivors on Wrangle Island, but it gives you a wonderful impression of the Arctic regions. Perhaps the most interesting and instructive part of_ all were the views of real life in the Land of the Midnight Sun, revealing the primitive methods and the low caste of civilisation of tbe inhabitants of> the frozen north. The pictures descriptive of Polar bear and walrus and deer hunting were also most interesting. If you haven't already seen this film you should not miss this last chance. » • ' -«• * -e' Arrived on Tuesday last Alec Lorimore,. manager supreme of the Paramount pictures, who proposes to oscillate between Sydney and New Zealand with a determined intention to- see that the Par amounts are pre-eminent and live up to their already enviable reputation. The Lance speared him in town yesterday, and "spiered" hiin anent things in general; He' looks and is a genial Englishman, gone grey at the temples in an endeavour to conceal his youth, yet with a dimple in " each cheek that it is a positive shame

to waste upon a mere man, and with merriment lurking in his eyes and in the corners of his mouth. He knows his business'from A, to . Z. He declares that the Paramounts have come to stay, and that, having already "made good" in Australasia, they intend to "make better." Among the artists who have „been quietly preempted for . exclusive productions by. this enterprising firm are Olga Petrova. Douglas Fairbanks, and; Roscoe " Arbuckle, popularly . known as "Fatfcy r Arbuckle." I-h addition, they have secured the exclusive services of Mary Pickford, that charmer of the "movies" who has won the title of "the world's sweetheart," a distinction that Cleopatra herself might have envied. /.'*.'■■ *■'• ' *' ' .". ■«-':"' "I'm out for v business, of course," said Mr. Lprimore. "That's what I've been sent here for. But I have always been- a firm believer in the old adage that 'to make good you must have the goods.' We have them, and we're making them wholesale now in America, Australia, and New Zealand will get them regularly and quickly as fast as they are turned ancient releases, but tlie best .top-notch stuff, hot from the camera."... . '■',- a ..«■' •» " «' Quite away from "shop," Mr. Lorimore talks keenly of the future of the picture business. Everybody, he said,' must realise that it is the one jorm of amusement, educational and attractive, that is within the reach of the who cannot afford to pay the prices charged for entertainments that necessitate the carrying of large staffs, elaborate scenery, and highly-paid mummers. "You can carry a film round in your pocket," he added, "and can sleep c'omfortahly, knowing that it won't go out on strike or quarrel, with the orchestra, but you can't put a comic opera company in a suit case.- It is the cost of production, combined with the perfection of results, that make "pictures xh* ideal amusements of the people." Mr. Lorrimore has other treasues in his Pandora's box, or his bottom drawer, or whatever you choose to cali it, which he is not at the moment pie-

pared to divulge, but they'll be se*n and heard of. In the meantime, they are being jealously guarded by his locum ; tenens, Mr. Boyeej and he's some v hot stuff, too. •'-'" "• -''.;*. \ Mr: Loriniore was'guest of honour v. and host all rolled into one at an appetising spread at the Grand Hotel :6n Wednesday evening. : There-was arepresentative gathering present, -and the three and a-half hours of good-fellow-ship passed away all too-quickly. o - »■ ■ a ■ ■ »' Perhaps never before had. a woman been called upon tp face a problem l oi". such vital importance "to herself as presented itself to Marie Baudin. Faced with the tragic.responsibility choosing between her daughter's happiness and,the life of an innocent man, there: comes into play the world-old primi T tive instinct of a mother to protect her child. Her first-wild impulse is to sacrifice all for her own. 'Later comes a reaction. Can she stand by and permit the blood of an innocent .man to be "■ shed? It is a big Question. Miss'Nan-.. sen, in-"Should a Mother Tell," has one ■ solution for it. Tpii may,- or may not agree with it, but you" certainly; want to sec it. This fine Fox film will be screened/ at the Queen's Theatre in. Cuba-street, commencing to-morrow (Saturday). v ■ . . Palmerston Pictures. The Palace.--" The Pillory." / On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday next; the leading feature will be "The Pillory,'' a Thanhouser drama, with Florence La Badie as the heroine. It is the story of a girl who flies from a harsh stepmother to the city-, where she gets into bad company, and is haled to court on a false charge. '~■ The judge's wife finds that the girl is her own daughter and adopts her. Then tribulation from the hatchet-faced stepmother, but happiness at last. The supporting films will be the "Pathe Gazette, s ?^/Spanish scenic, and a Vim. comedy, '.'A Pair of Skins."; S The Kosy.—"Esmeralda." The new programme to be. presented on Monday next ought to fetch everybody. What-do you say to ''Esmeralda" (a Famous Players drahik) with Mary Pickford, "the- world's sweetheart," in the title role? The play is by Mrs. Francis Hodgson Burnett, the authoress of "Little Lord Fauntleroy," and is a simple and human story with the impress of naturalness and genuine sympathy in every scene. The wedding scene in .which the brave little-woman faces a loveless marriage for the sake of her mother's social ambition, is almost heartbreaking, but the long *arm of coincidence brings the lover at a dramatic moment and all ends happily. The supporting films will include the "Gaumont Graphic," Wounded Somine Heroes, a Dutch scenic, and a comedy, "Tired Business .Man."