TO-DAY'S PICTURE SHOWS

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 765, 24 July 1916, Page 9

TO-DAY'S PICTURE SHOWS

EVERYBODY'S. The widely-read book, "Bootle's /faby," by John Strange Winter, has been picturised by the London Film .Company, and will be presented as tile star attraction on the programme •at Everybody's all this week. Edna Mugrath, the popular English actress, is featured in the production, and is supported by an all-star cast. iThe play follows the book very closely, and invests it with a wonderful charm. The story tells how Booties, the popular man of the regiment, on returning lo his quarters one day, discovers a strange baby on his bed. After vainly endeavouring to find the 'owner of the child, Booties succumbs to his love for children, and adopts it. He names her Mignon, and she grows up to be the pet of the regiment. Whence she came, who was her father, and how Booties fell in love with Mignon's mother are incidents which go to make "Booties' Baby" a screen play that stirs the heart. The picture is one whicli grips the attention at the commencement and holds it until the last scene. There is also a very good supporting programme. QUEEN'S THEATRE. A live-act World Film Corporation feature is the premier attraction- on the current programme at the Queen's Theatre. This entitled "Body and Soul," and contains a very unusual plot, and takes for its theme the doings of Claire Martin, a girl who suffers from loss of memory. One day she becomes lost in the woods, and seeks shelter and food in a hut occupied by Charles Houghton, a New York sportsman. Houghton falls wildly in love with her. One nigh!, in a fit of jealousy, .after having seen her in a traveller's arms, he takes a knife and marks her in such a way that she will always remember that her love must be for him only. On his return lo New York, he sees in a photographer's show case a picture which closely resembles the girl he met in the woods. He finds out who she is, and goes to see her. Houghton and Claire quarrel, and she stabs him fatally. Then comes another man who eventually succeeds in clearing her from responsibility for (he crime. GRAND THEATRE. The Metro Pictures Corporation is again to the fore this week at the Grand Theatre with "Her Great Price," a five-act production featuring the talented emotional actress Mabel Taliaferro. The picture tells a heart-touching story of Agnes Lambert, a motherless little waif of the slums, who in later years takes up shorl story writing for her living. She is a failure, and at the height of a New Year celebration she decides to end her life. Tom Leighton, a wealthy sculptor, arrives in time to prevent her. He makes her tell him the slory of her life, and she recounts how, after having been cast adrift from a squalid home, she is adopted by a wealthy society woman. She remains in Ibis home until the lady's daughter becomes jealous of her, and she is once more casl out on lo a" heartless world. Leighton is interested in the girl's pathetic slory, and makes her an olfcr which inspires her with a new life. Eventually they they fall in love, and il transpires thai he was engaged lo the girl who was responsible for Agnes's poverty. STARLAND THEATRE. Although Marguerite Clark has been seen in Christchurch in another production, the picture al present showing at Ihe Slarland 'theatre is notable for Ihe fact that il was the production in which she made her first "movie" success. She is a charming young personality/and fits her part very accurately in "Wildflower," the tille of Ihe picture, 'the Famous Players', Company is responsible Tor the production, and Miss Clark is supported by a very strong cast. The plot of the picture is un-

usual, while the open-air settings are excellent. Good photography has always been a special feature of ihe Famous Players Company's productions, and "WildHower" in no way departs from the rule. 11 is a drama which takes for its I heme the depths and shallows of human life, and demonstrates that true love is Ihe only love. Some superb forest scenery is depicted in the picture which is in four reels. The supporting subjects comprise a Victor comedy and the latest "Eclair Journal." HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Rome, Paris, New York, and London have declared "Cabiria" to be the greatest picture play ever produced. It represents the summit of the kinematographer's art. An enthralling story is presented amid scenes of awful wonder and dazzling magnificence. An army of artists was occupied for months in its rehearsal and production. Hannibal's passage of the Alps with the Carthagenian army was pictured on the Alps themselves. Hannibal lost thousands of men. The kinema army had 48 injured in the task of reproducing this mighty achievement. Another incident is the destruction of the Roman fleet by Archimedes. This was a feat alleged to have been accomplished by means of gigantic burning glasses. Whenever, possible Ihe scenes were actually acted and photographed in the very places where they were supposed lo have occurred. The scenario was prepared by Gabrielc d'Annunzio, the famous Italian author/he also supervised and superintended the whole of the kincmatographic. work. To-nighl will see the first screening in. Christchurch at His Majesty's Theatre. SYDENHAM PICTURES. Much that is artistic, beautiful, thrilling, and awe-inspiring, is featured in the wonderful film "Cabiria," to be shown at the Sydenham Pictures to-night. Nobody in the 20th century really believes that Archimedes, 2200 years 1 ago, by means of an arrangement of mirrors, succeeded in setting fire to the Roman fleet off Syracuse. The people of the ancient'world believed it implicitly. So did the people in the mediaeval world, for they believed in miracles. None of them, however,; saw it done.