THE PICTURE HOUSES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14800, 2 January 1919, Page 3

THE PICTURE HOUSES.

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. A flrst-class programme was presented at His Majesty's last night, when the theatre was packed to the doors, hundreds being turned away. A Jewel production, "Siren's of the Sea," was the feature film, with the Australian actress Louise Lovely m the lead, supported by Carmel Myers and Jack Mulhall. It is a charming picture. The swimming and diving scenes, especially the seascape ef-i fects, are marvellous and, beautiful. The heroine (Louise Lovely) is cast up as a baby on an island where live the Stanhopes, who are very rich, Hadji, the witch, and sundry fishermen. Louise is the result of one of the latter's catches. She grows to be a beautiful girl. Tbe Stanhopes have a host of girls staying with them, including Carmel Myers, and they are seen bathing. David the lover to be, comes sailing m his yacht. He sights the island, sees the modern sirens, jumps overboard, and catches Louise. Carmel eats her heart out. Carmel finds an ally m David's intimate friend Boyce, and he pursues her to a high, cliff, whence she jumps. She is recorded as missing. Davi<j sculls out to sea, and the spectators are shown a dream of the early Grecian days, when sirens held their sway over mankind. On awaking, David sees the body of Louises and the story ends. "Sirens of the Sea" is one of the best of the many good films seen at Hi? Majesty's. It will be screened again this evening. Seats may be reserved at the London Music shop. i THE PALACE. I An immediate success was obtained at the Palace last night by "The Purple Lily," the newest medium for displaying the beauty and talent of Miss Kitty Gordon, Muriel Ostriche, and other favorites of the screen. In this drama, Kitty Gordon is Marie Burquet, , a backwoods woman, wife of Farnsworth. When young Caldwell is sent to the north to make plans of a new railway line, Bradley (the head of a rival company) induces Marie to follow the party and steal ;Caldwell's plans. She does so, and hands the plans over to Farnsworth, ' who receives a substantial cheque, but refuses Mariet a share of the spoil and she, meeting Caldwell again (who through the loss of the plans has. taken to drink, a fight ensues between him and Farnswoxth. Many complications then ensue till the tangled* sk«in Is unwoven. The programme includes a Topical Budget( which gives a view of the Zeebrugge breakwater), the final episode of the "Mystery of the Double Cross," with a climax : as startling as unexpected, and a Pathe film picturing the rarer species of the monkey tribe. The same programme will be shown this evening. EVERYBODY'S. The picture play, "His Own People," which was screened at Everybody's Theatre as the New Yea* attraction has touching yet noble features. It is to be produced again to-night and to-morrow. The story, is set m Ireland, and the actors and actresses portray faithfully many Irish characteristics. First, the audience are introduced "to a blacksmith and his colleen. The blacksmith, a man of books and natural graces Is deeply m love with the colleen, but 'the course of true love fails to ,run smooth. This man of learning becomes acquainted with a lady to whose library he Is invited. Jealousy impels the colleen to follow him one day, and on that day the blacksmith undertakes to hand over to the people the gentleman of the establishment m consequence of a crime committed against humanity. There arises a situation both pathetic and dramatic The girl has followed her lover, and when he goes to throw the man to. the crowd «he finds his victim and his colleen m the one room. From this point the emotional acting carries the drama to a very high plane. The programme includes "Over Niagara Falls," a particularly bright secenic study, the popular Gaumont Gazette, and a wonderfully clever and original two-reel Keystone comedy, entitled "Thirst," .the latter a great laughter-creater. OPERA HOUSE— "THE DEEMSTER." One of the most popular novels m the English language is Hall Caine's "The Deemster," an adaptation of which, m the form of a pretentious seven-reel picture, was shown for the first time at the Opera House last night. There was a big attendance last night to witness the fine production. Hall Came, the author is famed for his remarkable depiction oi Manx customs, and "The Deemster " with its dramatic thrills and poignant touches surrounding the lives and loves of the people on the Isle of Man, lends Itself expressively to a picture adaptation. The tragic love story of the Bishop's son, Dan Mylrea, and the Deemster's daughter Mona, is unfolded with a realism that visualises every incident with telling force, one of the tensest scenes being at the trial of Dan for the murder of tho Deemster's son when the Bishop, to save him from the Deomster's sentence >of death, declares that he shall be cut off from his peoplenone to speak to him, none to minister to liitn, and none to bury him m death. Dan's banishment under the curse, the outbreak of plague on the island, Dan's disguise as the monk, his cure of the people, his noble sacrifice, and his reunion with Mona, were presented with powerful fidelity and touching accuracy and: simply gripped the spectators with the pathos, of it all. The author's son Mr. Derwent Hall Came, portrays the character of Dan with deep and passionate feeling, that surcharges every action with excitement. The photography is superb, and the beautiful romance of the place is never lost even when striking tne dominant notes of sorrow and anguish. The picture will be screened again to-night, and on Friday and Saturday nights. On Saturday a matinee will be given, at which children will be admitted at half rates.