AMUSEMENTS

Taihape Daily Times, 20 February 1918, Page 4

AMUSEMENTS

KING’S THEATRE. The “Italian” an excellent six part dramatic story featuring the wellknown character actor, George Bcbau, is of a most unusual nature, There is nothing of sex, nor of a problematical nature, in the story nevertheless it is of strong human interest being the experiences of an Italian immigrant in New York —his friends and enemies—his happiness and tragedy his vengeance and forgiveness. From the sunny vineyards of his native Italy, a peasant goes to big New York City to make a fortune —or at least enough to bring his beloved to him. George Bcban has a freshness and power that breaks new ground in picture acting, and whether grave or gay, as the cheery hearted Italian in his beloved native land, or as the cruelly treated foreigner among the sharks of New York, he is always convincing. The play is very human and the characterisations are as human as the play. It is a picture that will appeal for its freshness, its charm and its deep pathos. It is supported by a Gazette, comedy, etc..

“iT IS FOR ENGLAND.”

On Thursday evening, for one night only, will be shown the Great Patriotic Picture “It is for England/’ The picture is being shown on behalf of the Navy League, to raise funds for that purpose. The actual photographs of

the army and navy at work are strung on a story of considerable dramatic interest, written by Laurence Cowan and enacted for the film by a company of enthusiastic Red Cross workers, headed by Baroness Helene Gingold, one of the heroine nurses of the

Serbian campaign. The story has been made a seeondarv consideration, how-

ever, and the producers have devoted most of their energies towards making a thoroughly interesting film illustrative of England’s immense war resources. The most striking portion of the picture is that dealing with the navy, which is presented in a. most impressive manner, the glimpses of the prewar mobilisation being particularly striking. The story also allows of the introduction of a number of events in England itself, and a high 5 place amongst these is taken by the view of the work of the House of Commons the scene being photographed during the progress of the debate. Then an attempt is made to reproduce as well as may bo some of the scenes of revolting horror during the German oe-

cupation of Belgium and Northern France, and the grand patriotic business of the march-past of Dominion troops lends interest to pourtrayal of all the incidents concerning the British mobilisation.