THE EMPIRE.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 November 1916, Page 6

THE EMPIRE.

'A CHILD OF THE PARIS STREETS' A MAGNIFICENT PORTRAYAL. Tim star film at the Empire, "A Child of the Paris Streets,'' attracted a large audience last night, The drama, which is a Triangle production, is a /powerful and picturesque story of the Paris underworld, abounding with realistic glimpses of the life of the criminal gang known as the Apaches and the famous Latin quarter. The story centres around the daughter of a judge, who is kidrlapped by the queen of the Apaches, Madame Dufrayne. whose son he had sent to the galleys. Julie is brought up to the profession of thieving, but is an unwillingly accomplice of the' criminals and contrives to escape. She seeks the protection of a young American artist in the Latin quarter.' Venturing forth one day she is recognised, 'tracked to the studio, and captured by the gang, but contrives to warn her friend of her whereabouts. An exciting hunt ensues, and Julie is rescued, after being threat er.ed with deatli by strangulation; and restored to her long-lost father. The play gives good scope for'the' talents of Mae Marsh, who plays the part of Julie with realistic strength. Robert Harron as the artist and 'fully Marshall as an Apache fill their roles admirably. The picture is an artistic'production by I). W. Griffiths, and is supported by some well selected films. TO-MORROW, "SEALED LIPS." This picture from the studio of the World Film Corporation Is a powerful adaptation of the well-known book "The Silence of Bean Maitland." It tells the story of two men, one a minister who disgraces the cloth, the other a plain man who demonstrates, all the grandeur of character martyrs are mnde of. Of course, there is a woman in the case, and she is not altogether good, but, poor thing, she pays the price, as erring women ahvavs do. *~ THE APOTHEOSIS OF MOVING PICTURES. "THE BIRTH OP A NATION." • ' *, ■ • Great interest is being taken in the forthcoming presentation of that worldfamed motion picture, "The Birth of a Nation," which will be presented by the J. C. Williamson management ' for a limited season commencing on Thursday next, at the Empire Theatre. All the professional critics saw the openingperformance and their reviews were extremely enthusiastic. . Without a dissenting voice the picture was proclaimed the sensation of the season. We quote the following by the Rev. Thomas B Gregory in the New York American:— "'ln the great photo spectacle, ''The Birth of a Nation," which had its initial presentation at the Liberty Theatre, Mr. D. W. Griffith comes pretty near working a miracle. And yet this is just wh&t Mr. Griffith has done, and doncjrfitk a completeness and perfection tlun is astounding. As a picture, play, "The Birth of a Nation" is, by all odds, the greatest thing that has ever come to New York, and in this masterpiece of motion picture production we may see something of the possibilities of the art aS an educator to the human race, through the most royal of the senses, the eye. Mr. Griffith and his forces were eight months making the picture. They travelled over the sections in which the story is located, and reproduced the scenes vrith rigid fidelity. I am prepared to say that not one of the more than five thousand picures that go to make up the drama is in any essential way an exaggeration. They are one and all 'fiiithful to historic fact, so that looking upon them, you may feel that you are beholding that which actually happened. -Regarding the educational value of the great photoplay no one who sees it can be the least bit sceptical." The box plan for both nights of the New Plymouth, screening are open at Collier's. Reserved, seats are 3s.