THE PICTURE HOUSES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 14052, 24 July 1916, Page 5

THE PICTURE HOUSES.

-The Opera House was packed m all j parts on Saturday evening, when "Tho Lamb" was. screened. It is a Triangle- 1 Griffiths picture, and it tells m a sen- 1 sat ion al way about the cowardice of a j wealthy New Yorker, who, strive as he j may, when danger is, threatened betrays ' a weakness .m. . character that allows the craven to appear. Proceeding to the west to live down his reputation, bo is threatened hy,- a cruel death) but sticks it out and .fights like a tiger until all danger is oyer.' Thus does he come, into his own again 1 1. "The Lamb" as portrayed; by Douglas? Fairbanks; is admirably handled;; all the, phases >of fear and despair being graphically depicted. Miss Seena Owens, the beautiful and charming actress, admirably supports Mr. Fairbanks. The realism displayed iii the battle seene 1 has never been equalled,, and the various exciting incidents introduced show that this absorbing play carried the- hallriiark df the Griffiths production. This ' (great attraction, together with a splendid programme, will ( be screened tliis. evening. '■The Heart of. a Painted. Woman," which is the chief film m the. lie w programme at the Palace Pictures, . .is proving a great attraction. It lias been y produced by the renowned Metro Company (for whose features the enterprising management of the Palace have secured the exclusive rights .. for . Gisborne), and is mounted on a scale of magnificenct.. splendor, .amid, scenes of superb grandeur.; : Such a .furore greeted Olga Petrovna, the.- leading, artiste, at every screening^ that, managers hay?- 1 keenly competed, to secure 1 this? sensa: tional feature; .for > a return S3as6n, coin 3equently: limiting, the. season to . three . days. Selma,v daughter; of poor.- parents. I leaves her" home m -Pennsylvania to go to New. -York and take , up her career i as a singer. -Unsuccessful, &he abandons ' singing and secures a ppsitioiv.'as model m the studio of a rich artist. Af tsr a> few sittings, :' model ' and- master become - infatuated. ' : Later" • Selma ; 'is abandoned,' and the artist becomes the husband -of ai prominent heiress. Desroerate and discouraged^ 'Selma-- sinks lower and lower, and at an • entertainment she ' meets Young Spendthrift. Enthusiastic over Salma's rare beauty her latest admirer suggests a game of cards, the stakes to be Selma' herself. Disgusted at -thfe affair; "Selma flees, but is' followed by Young Spendthrift, the winner. Spendthrift offers Selma large sums of money, but to no avail, Selma lectures -Spendthrift, and tells him. that if she had his opportunities m life she would have accomplished things, instead pf; being the "sort of woman she was:" 'Spendthrift decides to give her ".- chance,- and presents "her with one , hundred thousand dollars. Later, Wealth, f ather-in-law; of , Selma's former lover, : brings about his ruination. Selma has devoted' her money, anil time to creating a hospital for tlie , care of abandoned children. "Spendthrift, learning that the artist was" responsible for his downfall, as, well as /Selma's, plots revenge, and interesting I developments ensue. ,; The supporting, films are Varied and., of high merit. No. 3 of. the Blue Bird series of staff' films- is the leading ; -feature m . the World's Picture (programme, this evening. This picture, "Jim, Just Jim," is well up to tho high standard- attained by its predecessors "Mrs - Plums Pudding" and ''Scandal" ""'shown-, recently. The .story of -."Jim Just Jim/ is re- • .niarkalble for its sdundness of construction; There is ai straightforwardness m .its telling j and- a splendid sequence m itp incidents that mark it- out {"Jpm the ordinary picture. The plot 5 - gtip6 the attention from the outset, and leads by "easy -stages to- a succession of dramatic situations working cup to a, great climax m the final scenes,- which are. surprising yet a j perfectly fitting termination "fo-a- rpalistio - and 'vividly 'Iportrayed jdrama. from.' life. '.-' 'Jean _ Taylor as the heroine. Rose, ,nnd' Hairy Carey as Jim •fully realise the value- of; highly restrained acting at the most intense mo,'ments, and their employment, of just the anpropriats and noc'essar\V gesture m older to convey the desired emotion, wakes' the success of a photoplay which over-acting' would make appear fareial. The star ' features is well supported by a 1 carcfully...Belected»~progi«imme.