THE PICTURE HOUSES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14284, 28 April 1917, Page 5

THE PICTURE HOUSES.

Another great audience witnessed the screening at the Palace Pictures last evening, patrons being well satisfied with (lit* excellent programme provided. "The Wasted Years," a fine five-part drama, oebpied' one-half of the programme, and caught. , the patiop^. from the jtai-t. • Telling a wonderful .story' of love, with an unconventional ending, this picture'creates sniiles'and tears. The many pat-ht'tic incidents are presented m a telling manner,: whilst smiles are forth coining m a number of, scenes. "The Mysteries of of Myi-a" provides a sehsatiqnal episode, \Vhllst "John Bull's Sketch Book" and a gbod Topical 13udget, complete a first-class programme. On ivlonday next, J'letro's great feature, "The Light of Happiness," with' Viola VDaha". the exquisite stage star, as, "Tangletop," will be .presented, -if. thtere are . any hearts m Gisborne that \yerc not won by; this cHaTniing' actress when she appeared recently iii "The Flower of No Alan's Land," "Miss Dana will surely .win chem in' this . picture. . The director of ■j his -film seems 'toy have a positive • genius io'r bring. oiit her most cM&r'acterlistic iK&eS and. expressions. A powerful story; jf ah -rlpi*iba-lihg. nature, -with .mounting 'typical of- the Metro "The Light jf Happiness" is, assuredly a splendid picture. Sir. and Mrs. Sydney Drew will re-appear m 'System, is i2\ferything v '," which will be found to be one.of the oejst of these famous artists* comedies, M} interesting Travelogue, also from .vletrd, and the latest Journal, '..with add:d attraction, - the eight eipiisode of 'Greed," completes a superb series.

A . complete change of programme will jc screened at tlie Opera House this jvening, comprising subjects of rare iexjellence. The flrst . feature is a Fambus flayers' drama, VThe liaughtei'' bf Mac-Ji'og-or." a'. stoiT of . Scotland and \merica told m a splendid manner. .The nory shows us Jean TMacGregor. . being ent* froni. her. Scottish home to hei' uhcle n Florida, where' ''she, is too 11 .loved by ill m the canip. Thieves arc making Jrce with' the logs, arid Jean manages o discover their depredations and' secure Jioir capture, which makes her a heroine .11 ; the caino. She has -many escapades, md a succession of thrilling incidents 'mil m reconciliation with her lover, from .vhoin she has been parted by calumny, md a complete .understanding between Jean and. her f a ther, ' who, oh the death >f his wife, appreciates Jean at her true .vorth. The .second' attraction, "Through .he Wail," varies considerably from the iist. it is a thrilling and" sensational ietcctive drama 'crowded with intense md dramatic .episodes. Seats should be reserved at Millar's: 7

That prince- of comedians, Charlie Chaplin, is featured'--, , m ■ • "The' ' Pawnbroker," the latest comedy, "success, to jc screened at the- popular WdrloVs Picuires 'to-night. As ..'-Th© Pawnbroker." Jhaplin is credited with ■ making' a New Zealand record - at the Strand Theatre, V.uckland, and it is* said that the part' illows him scope for much nbvel-. funnaking not previously seen m his work. There is an exceptionally strong piw _.ramhie''in support of the Mutual ChapJ'n cbmedj'i "Mrfe. Bane's Dahgbr," ah ibsorblng drama, by, " the well-known V'itagraph Company, occupies; oiie ' hair jf the; progranimc, ahd the'bttlance of this splendid bill comprises* thb latest vvazette. anil some charming views of frinidadi- i

Nothing so unique' or artistic has been ittempie-* in* the picture pi'oiHict'on as The. Divinity of Motherhood." 'to • be ,hovvn at His Majesty's Theatre, May 3V i, and- 5. The theme N 4s so darins* that iad it not been handled with the jgreat.•Kt delicacy the Itlm would) doubtless .iot have escaped crlticism.v but the film Uea is so wbiideilully carried out that, :he picture can only J-je. described aiis jcautlful. Also it poilits ,a nipral— tlie terrible results df race suicide. To the jcritral figure falls some incredibly 'dlffijult acting, and it was for this reason tliat Miss. -Marguerita- Fischer, one of the opst known.' stars Aw:, the plclut'c. flrmaii'ient, was selected' for the rdle. Her efforts reach the apex of dramatic art. "v wcll-'fcnowii . d-rahiatic . iCVittc 'of twient'y\vo years' standing m New Zealand, ivi-'ltes spontaneously of this picture: "In ill my experience of the - world of piclury—and it dates from Its iiiltlatiph— l liavc never seen. . a . pictiij'e which imiresscd me" sb'mucli. I admit tfjiat I. apprdached it with some scepticism, foi*- the subject, it seemed to. me, ivtsis brie of such | leltcacy that it.yGOuld not be treated iwitli any. degree- of coiiYiriclngn.e3s -m a licture. Like the "gentleman m the Bible, ' went to scoff, ; and remained, to pray, if not literallyT: to siich. an ' extent, that rhe* plctttrbybrqiiglit a. lump i 7 irito - I m.y throat bh more; than one occasion during ; its presentation.. -As a sociological study it stands supreme, and it' is worth :nore than all the pulpit sermons m the ivdrld 'as an illustration of the grave bcial problem of race-suicide which is Taping us now more' than ever. It is not necessary '• to labor, the theme, but I say : confidently that every man and every woman who. can, see it should do so. Its immense power is only equalled by i.hp delicacy of its treatment and the infinite .pathos m an age when we are losing our bOys, and are faced with the luestion Of replacing them. " 'ivr-.. :A<cX\x. i'V I *-)' .