THE THEATRES.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 617, 1 February 1916, Page 9

THE THEATRES.

HIS MAJESTY'S. The shir picture ;it Mis Majesty's is a departure from the films which portray (lashing deeds ami hairbreadth escapes and thrills and adventures. It is a simple story of simple, true-hearted folk, a real heart interest story, written round Albert Chevalier's famous story "My Old Dutch." The film carries the wmic name, and follows the fortunes of Joe Spudd, a London coster, and his girl Sal, from the lime when he wins her, ii, the flower of her youth and .charm, from another suitor, iii.til they !'ace tin. "new dawn" together, after 40 years of life's ups :>nd downs. The story is beautifully 10ld —first the hilarity of the eosItr's picnic, and Joe's primitive winning of Sul, then the "walking out" stage, the wedding, the honeymoon, and later on domesticated joy. Sadness comes with the death of Ihc born, but later on another b-ihy arrives, an I when ho is five >■■ irs • •Id Sal rcceievs a legacy of €SOOO. Joe and Sal both agree that Ihe money shall he spent to make "a gentleman" of the boy, who is sen! j way to be educated with a puvalc tutor, and later on goes to college, '/tie tragedy of the meeting, and Ihe realisation of the gulf between the h<>y and his parents, his subsequent dissipation of the remainder of the legacy, the ill luck that pursues Joe and Sal, and finally the reformats rr of the son, and the haopy end iii. follow in ordc;ed sequence. The acting of the two main characters is wonderfully good, Sal (Mis; Florciice Turner) particularly si. During (he progress of Ihe song MiBarnes sang the song around which the slory is written. Supporting films included a bright comic, "The Widow's Breezy Suil" and the latest Pathe Gazette, which gives the latest war news, together with a display of Paris fashions. EVERYBODY'S. "The Valley of the Losl Hope" which is the principal picture shown at Everybody's Theatre this week is one of the most exciting films shown in Christclunvh for some time, being packed from beginning to end with sensational incidents. The story is a highly dramatic one, Ihe scene being a mining camp in the wilds of America. A parly of dishonest financiers work up a "rush" lo a valley which has never had a speck of gold, and sell hundreds of shares to speculators. In a few days what was a descried mountain side becomes a populous (own. The scenes showing Ihe arrival of the miners and Ihe building of the lown are very realistic. When mining commences in earnest, and the prospectors begin lo suspect that they have been duped, Ihe swindlers depart by a special train, and just manage to make their escape in lime. During Ihe chase of the dishonest speculators a robber who has been kicked mil of Ihe lown discovers the miners store of dynamite, and sets a fuse lo il. The discovery of the burning fuse causes an immediate evacuation of Ihe lown, in which il is noticeable Hint a number of men seize Ihe only horses in the neighbourhood and hil mil for the horizon while Ihe women and children scramble along as besl I hey can on foot. Suddenly Ihe dynamite explodes and Ihe whole hillside is thrown over the lown, completely wrecking il. This is also a wonderful piece of kinemalography, as is the dcslruclion of Ihe Irjiin in which Ihe "crooks" are escaping. It meets another train head on, and the resulting damage would delight the hearl of Ihe mosl destructive Dun. Altogether "'lhe Valley of 1-ost Mope" is a picture well worth -seeing. "Green Apples," an excellent comedy; "Hunting a Husband," a drama of Ihe Far West, and a topical gazelle complete Ihe programme. GRAND THEATRE. The chief attraction ;d the Grand Theatre is a splendid drama entitled *'A Divided Family," which features

I " ". I i those well-known actors, Edna Mayo land Bryant Washburn. The slory 1 I tells of the misfortune cast on a family by the unjust suspicions of a wife. As a result husband and wife; ,' separate, Ihe former taking their son, and Ihe latter the daughter. As Ihe years pass on Ihe husband denies ' Ibis son the company of women, and; , as a result he becomes entangled j . jwith an adventuress and gets into) J debt. Meanwhile, the daughter, in'j . spile of her mother's efforts to pre- j ".vent her meeting young men, be- '. Iconics engaged lo a lawyer. The lather decides to punish his son by i c | banishing him to Panama, but Ihej j mother persuades the lawyer lo in- ,; 'tcrccdc for him, with Ihe result that I the family reconciliation lakes I s ! place. "A French' Victory in the I ■ ! Champagne District" is a picture " j taken on the actual field of battle,; ,', and shows a French bombardment j and attack, resulting in the occupa-J '. jtion of a German position. "The j "Tale of a Tire" and "The Evolution ? of Kaiser Bill" arc films which arc ' I always received with heart.; laugh- 1 'iter while the "Warwick Chronicle"! ''portrays many events of topical inMterest. I ! ! I GLOBE THEATRE. Another instalment of the "Million ;|Dollar Mystery," entitled "The UnIderground River," is being shown at 'ilhe Globe Theatre. The chief action! 1 j lakes place in a subterranean cavern,! | where a girl enters lo retrieve a lost j i (toper. Finding herself trapped on "jher return, she fearlessly plunges! 'into an underground river. She j -jmanages to escape, but is recaptured, 5 land there is a thrilling battle in the] • (river. 'lhe instalment ends in such: -ja way as lo make all who see it; 'eager for the nexl chapters of the l(slory. A pathetic domestic story isi {told in the Edison drama, "When 'Conscience Sleeps." A broker bel iconics infatuated with an actress, hand, as a result, neglects his wife. 'Through an accident he discovers! what might be the consequences of ;his neglect, and he makes up his (mind that never again will his wife ,'have cause for complaint. Fl is a very pleasing slory, prettily worked ''out. Other films are "Moots, Not *}'Arf," and "Housekeeping Under I 'I Cover-" (comedies), and the "Gail-1 ' monl Graphic," which contains! ''some splendid war scenes. SYDENHAM PICTURES. ' The cosier drama, "My Old j Dutch," is the principal attraction al j Ihe Sydenham Theatre, where it was! ' i received with enthusiasm lasl even-j Mug. The story is thai of two old I [costers, Joe and Sal, who devote an unexpected windfall to the educa>.lion of their son, whom they detcrt.minc lo make a gentleman. 'The! 'young man goes wrong, and his par-! -enls are reduced lo such want that i -jthey have lo go to the workhouse. ' Then Ihe son is smitten by con-j -science and eventually returns lo I London and makes them comfortable for the rest of Iheir days. Other i pictures on the programme are "The i j Widow's Breezy Suil," and Ihe ; "I'alhc Gazelle." i! ROYAL COMIC OPERA COMPANY! "Gipsy Love," described as a dashi ing, glittering, melody-laden comic - opera, will be Ihe initial attraction j i of the .1. C. Williamson Royal Comic • Opera Company, commencing on II Monday next al Ihe Theatre Royal. -■" Gipsy Love" has three picturesque .'sellings, and is endowed with much .beautiful music by Franz Lehar! . (composer of "The Merry Widow"). 1 , J'The critic of Ihe Sydney "Daily! Telegraph" wriles as follows: "All [ the music of 'Gipsy Love' attains distinction. 'The score is inusieianly I j and Ihe methods adopted are masterj ly. 'The opera is filled with gems of , I melody which ripple, How, surge, land roar. 'The plol is vastly inter. |esling and humanly possible, and il lis sel forth by m company possessing ■ Munich more than the usual musical comedy ability. An added attraction I 1 1 will be found in the first appear- ; 'lances of Miss Elhel Cadman and Mr I !Derek Hudson, also Ihe reappear- » lance of Miss Florence Young. Dur- I ing the eighl nights' season will also ] I Ihe presented a revival of "Our Missis liGibbs," and '"The Quaker Girl." A ' , special performance of Ihe delight- i