" WHERE ARE MY CHILDREN?"

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14449, 8 November 1917, Page 7

" WHERE ARE MY CHILDREN?"

A REMARKABLE PICTURE,

The Opera Houso was packed last night by people eager,*to see.a. pictqre of which a- great deajtf has < been heard> and which has had ■ tf wonderful .'run wherever shown: (Persons under 18- i .yea,rs of age were not admitted. The-.enor-mous loss of human life caused; by 1 -. << he , war gives special point and significance to the film "Where are my Children?*", which sends forth a message direot' ii>. jis appeaJ. ' It deals m a candid irian;ier with the problem of race suicide and" coil: ; tribute ng factors thereto. It is really, a,, propagandist picture* m which the sub-, ject is handled with a boldness,-, frapk- . ness, arid courage that cause on©:, to yton^, .der what form-, each succeeding \ phase. of the story will take. A high nipral plane is adopted/ however, 'and. the .treat- ' merit of the fopic is done with: befittuig, delicacy, arid 1 , while there is no; reason . to fear that it would' be- h&riiiful there. ( are m > the film 1 .-potent ■possibjUitieS' for great ;gopd; A ■: pernicious- evil, is expos,- . cd,' arid ai powerful indictment presented. . The .ATithor does nbc\ deal 1 with- 'his^subY; ject ili ;i -^he -abstract/ but • sets'. foroi-». specific example- of what; is in%jhe.;mind,.l' The leading character is 'Richard , Waited # an attox'jiey ; he •is pasgionadiely "fwd'^fc. children, and grieves that7^&J.wife v 'h|w^ none, and even when he t goes'. hdm&\-arj|d? finds' :.her fpndlirig a' little lap:- ."dbg;- thy . ste^olibf v baby he has a; feeling •■of true^ 'tericleriiess towards her, his'- mmd 'being', free 'from any cloud ; of 'suspicion. , - Th« -^alfcm's . .household.! isV'v^te*: bywa bea 7 ntHul^ahd'^ vivacious .'Vbung girl'^A'witfi iallsftSLivictini to^the wiles or hisr.wifeV yoriger;' brother;', v Whetif Ctiei"oiirieyit4ttliB >. happens the brother . swkß?'aavice.V^r6ih his sS^ler,;. and Ji^furmshed't with; the' lad/., dress -of Dr. Malfit,' d dishonor -\ to .tii* pro;f essioh 1 , ; whose-: ! services? stiff herself ■ had erilis'ted - oii several /occasions; But; the,' obliging doctor : blunders* m .thisAiiif--. ■stance* ; and*tlje - girl ; d\es< ••• .Walton, ■ whciC is furious, prosecutes I)r./Ma^fit, ; whp'^is ; isentenced to f 15 years', y penal seryilpdjjjjr ibut' as >;he i^ being •- dragged • f rqm ' .the yGoqi^i" he shquts . to the .attorney/, 'IBi^ iri' jqdginent ruD.qh. others yoW fshould^l'pok to your own- household,;'' ! p.er usal ■'. pijih& ] doctor \ books; makes huT . meaning ;<iniy too, clear v/ .fc* " : therei- _he^ •^finds the name pf 'his o%vn ; wif(a^d,roaJd^ ; of pier spci.etyr acquaintances. ♦^AVglbam;' .settles on r the\,:cfnce bright -iioihe^:' .Tfeip jwifjßj Jepenfantj longs, ; and.; priiysj fdir motherhood, but is now •denied/ the jbi^Ss-.. ing; that; : 'w ( ouljl hay©; iheant;. so. ' much; ;And sc; they grow. pld'-»aiqne and cltila^ ; les4. The.^nnal scenes, , which .are ,' infjnrV v itely toiichinj? and effective, - show \ ;t36|^ old, couple .sittings iogethei* Hy^ .a, .qu^,*: fireside, : .the . old. . man ; dreaming . of ih;e \ chiidren ;thati .mi^ht .have .b^en,.,Vß.nu*',' "ever arid anon raising his eyes^ to- : t|ie iboi?red head of the. old woman. 6pp(Jgi(e.; jri'\whose ears has rung .{heS.acjoiisui^f iquestion^ all down' the . yeftrli .- ? ~iWhefe.' arej :ioy; vdhildrehtJ^/- Apwfe- ;f com vsSe' : f mam v thenie of the story, v -ther^ Cis.v,d,t;.\ 'least pne incidental lesson pf -grea^yalu^^ which^ is incorporated" |n thej plqt :ini^i ? perfectly.: natural manner. , 3^iß-;to^ ( Gjhe(iV upon the , neglect ■ of many; parents >to. tn4iV "lighten their ; children to; 4 .the danger i'ojEv fthe pitfalls; to :be met . Svith\ along thej ' path's of their lives!, with the 'result'; tb^t'r. * clistorted -knowledge 'often" comeV;-;^ipi' •the^ Jn;iurid flashes that -dull -jthjß mpicaL.. [Vision and givV -^lie-young . folks,-^^wriJiiW ; appreciation of. vAljies'^ tliat^t ■ ta^e3 r}:«p^: : to rectify . , Withptt t , detailing • at^jfrsrig^ ithei inahner-ihjwhicK the pjcture^toforiiesv , 'its Wesson oii -this aspect,. it wili'^.:-«nifti r: V ;cient',to say tKat V mother' ,Vyer.?i f tfi^ )deathbea of her* child^ bitterly l^enjis . iihe fact ;tnat ft she had- prewrved-'f ilence^. ;on importap.fc question!,' . The j>icture : : is , bniq .' which .gi'ip.s the, -spectator^^s j^- " iprofceeds. As .-Richard . Waltprt, Ithej. af-^ toriiey^. Slir. Tyrone P.owW acts with-.a/jv mirable restraint arid 'dignity, ajiid.< 'his 'demeanor , : is; m full; accord withrthej 'requirements of .the part, Some of the* pictorial effects produced ) are rstriking, the 1 scenes being- -strongly remiriiscent of " Dbre's ' illustratiDns '• f of Dante's Inf ernov ...."Wheie" "a.r : 6 my ChiU dreri?" A^'''sho^ii:^'th)B^-a;f^nwn';;.aftA'-. wil^b6; exhibited' 6ft Saiuy ; d^y atterftiodn" . at 2;'o,^.cl6ck "a'tid every evening up ; to : .'aild"' . includitig ,Sattirday; ' A| blg-.'sifccess ik asi sured. '" ' ■''•'■' '■'■,''' '" %■' ':; : :' r :*\-"\ :,. . .:-?,->^ r^iy.K.-n- ■■ ' ->L^><tf $i y -si"--