THE PICTURE HOUSES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13899, 24 January 1916, Page 5

THE PICTURE HOUSES.

There wais "a huge audience at the Opera House oh Saturday evening, when , the eighth episode of "The Million Dollar"Myjstery'' was screened. Tliis number',. is very thr illp.? and fascinating:, and as usual' niaghificently acted aiid mountecl. ' Unexpected events happen which- are distinctly favorable to the "Black Hundred." ' Braine ie responsible ,foi* a scheme, the victim of 'which is Norton, the smart young newspaper reporter. The remarkably clever way m which the plot is Worked out willsecure thc rapt attention of patrons. "Strength"' is a powerful Vitagraph: di*ama. A prosnector is injured. ;Be isdiscovei'ed aiid broujilit to the cabin of "Big Jim Vaughan," a mail o£ tremendous physical strength. Tlie prospector repays this kindness by trying: to. eldpc' with "Big Jim's*' wife. What Jim does when- he discovers <it niakes a powerful climax. The Pathe Tiazctte and, "Birds at Home" are two highly interesting numbers, -while Syd. Chaplin, of the Keystone Company, is .featured, m a splfendid comedy, "Lovers' Ix>st Control." This brilliant series will- be repeated, this evening, v •-..-- The: photoplay representation of Jack London's stirring story of "The Sea Wolf" attracted a largo audience at His Majesty's on' Saturday 'higMt, notwithstanding the heavy rain that fell. The auVfi 01 "' 8 .vigorous -writings have , a wide circle of 'readers, and a {heat many have read the (thrilling narrative of the cruise of "The Ghost," ii sailing vessel commanded.., by .Wolf .Larsen (the "Sea Vnd.fOn'. board . of which wjld deeds we^e fipiib .that placed litfle value ou.'huinau' life. Xfie picture stoVy, even allp\"rij"ig for necessary " condensation', places the fact 3 before one much iijpi'e vividly thji-p Ja«?k London could liaye done m liis vigo'vois' -style of writing! scene , when a; cob pic of the i^l-treat-ed men turn on tho Wolf 'arid theothlor bully,' the Wolf's wonderful "escape from Vlirownlnjr, tho mutiny and other exciting incidents are brought out ' \\ ; itli telling effect, Aniid there 'is a strange' blending of the humorous' and tragi fc 'where the lazy "cookie" is given a bath at the end of a .tow-liiie and then the appearance and capture of a man-eating shark. There is a pretty romance running through the piece .froni" the time a beautiful woman is taken, aboard with other survivors from a shipwrecked vc.4sell. ' She is protected frdrrt the' Wolf by an. 'airtist who. lia viiifi* been rescued after a marine collision, becomes oiie' of tho 'crew! Tlie "artist and wohian escape m, a. lifeboat, and ro-.mh a desert island! A sjipeial feature of the picture ik the splendid .acting of 'Hobart "Bosworth as (ho "W"flf. and the gripping f"l*ry of tho sea is presented' with • lavish attention to detail. Jack London's masterpiece .(in '.'picture form) will br shown again to-ni-jllt and to-morrow iiigltt. A welcome feature m the new programme being presented by tile World's pictures this evening i.s Chas. Chaplin's latest and -very best comedy "Shanghaied." Charlie wanders down the quay, aaid is accosted by , tho' captain of a ship, the crew of which JWd' deserted. Another crew must bo obtained immediately, aaid Charlie ' is engaged to collect theni; •Armed, with the ship's .carpenter's mallet he starts to find his victims. He soon hau a crew selected ; his -methods are more forcible' than polite, his crowning feat being the shanghain,^' of tlie captain himself. AU"ur6 accounted for but thi* -c'obk, -• and poor Charlie is himself shanghaied. His adveiitui-os at sea are most 'ludicrous, aiid' "laughter comes spontaneously.-' Another specialty to- be sli'o\Vii i id a delightful thieo-reel Indian e&dlusivc subject entitled "The Faith of a Cliild." The story of a child's prayers that, are answered; and the faith m which they'; are •• rendered, together with riifdny tbol'piiijjlily ektiting dramatic incidents, - hiiluding ' an ' 'Indian frontier battle and' tho massacre of a. Ghiirka column, make? a- sti'rfiiig-'phbtbplay . ■ Tho pr6d.ucers state that "man^ of the characters are represented 'by wounded returned 'Indian troops Jo'f Neuve Chappelle and Lcf Bafse.-' A.pbrtioh of the profit^ derived, from .this picture* -ire dbvoted-tb "Tlie Alibi-id ■ Roberts' .rtdian- Soldiers' Fund."