AMUSEMENTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVI, Issue 16235, 3 April 1917, Page 9

AMUSEMENTS.

( GEAND V . x "THE BLACK BUTTERFLY."- ~ Tho seating accommodation was fully taxed at the Grand Cinema last .night when the new programme was shown. The star picture was a Metro production entitled "The Black Buttorlly," featuring the famous Russian actress Mme Olga Petrova. This aotress is now recognised as cue of the greatest of emotional star artists, and it has been said that in "The Black Butterfly" she has reached the triumph of her career. But after swsing her performance last evening one wonders whether this statement is fully/ justified, for, although, no ;loubt, her work is. excellent, sho has been seen to better advantage in some of tbe previous Metro productions. Nevertheless, taking the film on tbe whole it' is a fine'production, and in it many striking scenic effects are staged. An interesting story with a powerful love theme runs right through the whole production. A feature of T.Le film is that Mme Petrova takes ty-o roles, one as a mother, and the tther as .the daughter. At one part cf the production both mother and daughter are tD be seen in conversation Jnd th.s is a unique achievement in photography. The supporting films were ail good, the Metro Travelogue being an unisualiy excellent production. liesides ©iher items it showed the various stages which an egg undergoes while a chicken is beuig hatched. The "Eclair Journal," was another interesting subject, depicting various incidents, chief among which being sin iuspectiou of cavalry before proceeding to the front, and the loading of motor ionies with ammunition for the batteries. A Metro-Drew comedy cc mji eted the programme, Mr ■ and Mrs j?rew being quite in keeping with their previous performances. Mrs tfurdley's orchestra provided a most enjoyable musical programme. They I'layed "Cs Valeria Rusticana," by «pecial request, for the big_ production, and the ,piece suited*" admirably.

FULLERS' PICTURES.

"THE MASQUERADERS."

In tliese days of competition _ when ' the many producing companies are 1 compet.ag witn ono another to je.ease the best pictures some very fine films arei turned out, among which are those of the Famous Players, and "lie Masqueraders," the leading picture showa at tihe Theatre Royal last night was an • excellent example. The charming motion picture favourite, Hazel Dawn, played the part of the herooie and she i was at her best. The many scenes in | which she appeared showed her happy and content, till the last dark days of her marriage. She is rather ambitious and although she is in love with an astronomer, who is not exactly wealthy, she preFers to spend her days with a peer of the realm w4»om she does . not love.. The latter is not a good man, and lakes advantage *of Dulcie's weakness.- A clever character in the story is the blackmailer of Sir Brice. He has by some means discovered a past of milord's that will not bear the light of day. One night Sir Brice strikes the blackmailer with a loaded cane and leaves, him to die. The blackmailer recovers, and shoots h,* s assailant. After that all is brightness for Dulcie and ner lover. "A Trip Through Sweden-," was a very pretty scenic, and "Cheese Making," ' and an excellent Gazette were well received by the large aaidie ce who were kept in an uproar by—ha antics of the characters in a clever comedy entitled "A Water Cure." J A special Vaudeville eigagement is 1 r announced for this evening, when Miss Dora Oberman, the charming young soprano who proved so popular here a short time ago, will re-appear for a brief season. Miss Oberman has just concluded a phenomenal season of e:even weeks in Dunedin, and soi great was her popularity iri the Southern city that she was the recipient of no less than ninepresentations from the audience.- '•• ',-'

THE LYpECTM.

"THE SCARLET OATR."

Well-timed is fhe si-reening of ;the sensational Russian drama now showing at the Lyceum, dealing as it does, with a country at present in tL.e throws of revolution. >Sb far 'as the cables tell us, however, nothing quite eo sensational is happening in Russia as the happenings in "The Scarlet Oath," the drama referred to. For stirring, adventurous deeds it would be difficult to excei, and the incidental scenery, eepec.ahy some of the snow scenes, is superb. Curiously enough the gowning too, is on ag elegant scale," tbougn this i* rght hardly be expected in a drama dealing with the r.ghtmg of wrongs by ihe shedding px blood. Gail Kane piays a dual part in the picture, that of Olga Pavloff, and her twin sister iSma. In both/her aefc.ng is characterised by that strength and i'oroefulj'ess which is always a loature of her work, and it must be said that ahe makes a complece (success-or her work, vheiiher as a womanly woman, or one who, when the occasion ueinauds, can, iise tue kuife to s*ay, as she does when she kiLs Savarott, the oh.ef of police, who iias tortured her father to deatli. 'ihe scenes' change rapiuiy from W<trsaw to Sofia, on'to .Salonika and "across to New York, 'and all the time they are fuil of intensely exciting situations, the climax being reached ,m_New -I'ork where the plucky and resourceful-. Olga is 'shot by an agent of the Russian police. To complete the programme ;a capital edition of the Gaumb.it Graphic was shown, this containing many interesting war items. Then there was a beautiful scenic of 300 feet; •■ entitled "l<'ishing in the Sea," and the fun of the evening was provided without stint in a Vitagraph comedy of 1000 feet, in which Mr and Mrs Sydney Drew took the leading parts, ar'ded by little Bobby I Connolly,- alias Sunny Jim.