TO-DAY'S PICTURE SHOWS

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 563, 29 November 1915, Page 11

TO-DAY'S PICTURE SHOWS

EVERYBODY'S. Anita Stewart, the clever and beautiful Vitagraph actress, is as popular with many people as Mary Pickford herself, and she is reckoned second in America to this famous actress only. With Earle Williams, in rx>-. mantic parts* she has made her name, iind Wherever these two people appear on the screen there are sure to be crowds of patrons to witness the picture. This week they are appearing in a 3000 ft feature entitled "From Headquarters," in which Earle Williams is the villainous hero, and | Anita Stewart the persecuted heroine. The plot, is not at all involved, but is full of human thrills, arid gives ample scope for magnificent acting. Rose Peters is employed as a typiste by an unscrupulous but handsome young man. She believes he will ' marry- her, but when she demands justice, •• he •' brutally repulses her. Made desperate by his refusal 4d keep his word, she snatches a knife from his desk and plunges it into his back. The police take up the case, and try to find the man's assailant. Peters, a detective, and the father of | Rose, is put on the case, and brings home the crime to his daughter. Before he has time to decide on his next action he is ordered by the headquarters to drop the case. He does so ? and, thus relieved of his duties as a representative of the law, he takes on the duties of a father, and interviews Rose's late employer. | With tlie help of a little physical persuasion he extracts a promise from that, young man to marry his daughter, and the rest is soft music and curtain, the story is one calculated to move one's so full is it of dramatic incidents and strange surprises. Admirers of the romantic players, Miss Stewart and Earle Williams, will not loses their i good opinion when they have witnessed "From Headquarters" The Supporting pictures are of the best, and comprise "An African Hiint" {'.cartoons), Gaumont War Graphic (topical), "Father Love" (comedy), and "An hour of Freedom" (drama). "THE HEART OF A CHILD." At His Majesty's Theatre to-night the programme comprises five interesting and striking subjects. The chief attraction is an output of the London Film Co. entitled "The .Heart -of a Child," being a picture of Frank Danby's charming novel | of the same name. The narrative principally concerns the Hfe pf Sally | Snape, who through all her struggles and difficulties., retains "the heart of j a cfiild," and smiles rather than I weeps at misfortune. A keenly inj teresting story shows her attaining 'success and fame on the musical comedy stage, and finally marrying into the peerage. This part of the story follows closely upon the success of a well-known lady member of ttifc peerage who began life in an East End variety theatre. A fine vein of comedy runs through the narrative, in which Miss ; Edna Flugrath is charming and is reminiscent of the popular Mary Pickford in the part of Sally. Another picture is a' powerful dramatic subject entitled "A Woman of Nerve" and a scenic picture of the Cathedral of Rheims includes some fine views of the battle fields in the Champagne district The latest European Gazette, and a cartoon comedy concludes the list. SYDENHAM PICTURES. Sydenham patrons are to be given the opportunity this evening of witnessing that fine English actress Edna Flugarth in Frank Danby's story "The Heart of a Child." The story concerns Sally Snape, a young girl who has sufficient philosophy to look life in the face and laugh. Her gradual evolution, from the slums to the stage and eventually to a place in the aristocracy makes as fine a picture as it does a novel, and Edna Flugrath makes the principal character very interesting. Cartoons, scenic subjects, and a drama, "Woman of Nerve" comprise the remainder of the programme which should certainly prove to; the liking of patrons. | THE GLOBE. The Thanhouser serial is now in the 10th episode at the Globe. This instalment is entitled "Shanghaied," and is full of movement arid thrills. The conspirators believe Florence to be drowned, and they next turn their attention to Norton. His senses dulled by grief, he is easily lured into a trap and there captured arid put aboard an old tramp steamer. He awakens to find himself far out at sea—shanghaied. The plot then returns to Florence, who is still in the care of the fisher folks. At great personal risk she rescues a man from the surf. He proves to be one of the pursuing gang and immediately discloses her whereabouts to the chief. She is taken aboard a magnificent yacht; later there is a fire, and the crew and passengers take to the boats. The survivors are rescued by an old tramp steamer and thus Norton and Florence are brought together again. They make a miraculous escape from ( their enemies, and there the story leaves them. Billy Reeves is seer in an excellent Lubin comedy "Nearly a Prize Fighter." Bill is a gentleman of taste and leisure;. The way he makes his way in the world without paying is very laughable. To raise the needful he and a friend engage themselves with a figlit prompter, hoping to work a well known stunt. They partially succeed, and the denouement is extremely laughable. A Vitagraph drama "An Intercepted Vengeance" and the Australian Gazette conclude the programme. The former is a virile

play of Western America, and the topical views of the Gazette are well up to standard.

GRAND THEATRE.

There are two feature pictures in the programme at the Grand Theatre this week, the last instalment of the "Master Key" serial and an Indian dtania, "the Faith of a Child." Those who have followed the plot of the "Master Key" throughout the weeks it has been running will not be disappointed in the denouement. Wilkerson gets possession of the plans of the treasure mine, but kills himself in one of his fits of madness. Ruth and Dore come into their own, and there is a pretty and satisfactory ending. "The Faith of a Child" is a well-produced Indian drama, which was undertaken for the benefit of Lord Roberts's fund for Indian soldiers. Numbers of Indians on leave from the front take a promi- 1 nent part in the play, which con-| cerns one Hira SingH, his wife, andj little daughter. His wife is insulted j by the landlord, but she is quickly] revenged by her husband. Hira; Singh again crosses the path of the j wealthy landlord, when he stops him!; from beating an old Afghan priest, j His little daughter is taught by her! mother that the prayers of children j are always answered. She puts the j teaching to the supreme test, and;' prays for the recovery of a lost kit-!; ten. The father eventually goes awayl; to the war, and is later reported j; dead. His child still prays for him'! in perfect faith. The landlord rapid- j ly reduces the widow and her child ' to the most abject poverty,- hoping; in time to get her into his power. - From this on, the plot moves swift- ' ly, the villainous landlord is filled,!; the husband a.rid father returns, and tells, the tale of his .escape in the' of his own fireside. A. good comedy and the latest Eclair Journal conclude the programme. ■