THE OPERA HOUSE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVIII, Issue 1045, 17 March 1910, Page 16

THE OPERA HOUSE.

FULLER’S WORLD-WIDE PICTURES The high standard of excellence attained by the pictures shown nightly at the Opera House by Messrs. Fuller is being kept up by the enterprising management. and this week sees an entirely new programme of pictorial gems. Tin- fine dramatic film “Was justice Served" is received with great enthusiasm by the audience, this powerful story of fate’s cruel trick and finally the release of the innocent prison'.*? appealing strongly to all those who witness this splendid picture. A convict after leaving gaol determines to lead a good life and returns to his wife and child, who with his mother-in-law have greatly missed him in the desolate home. One day, however, meeting two prominent citizens in a lonely village, one of whom he bumps into he enquires of them the residence of a certain person and is told vhere the said person lives. Shortly "■tier he has left the two citizens, one of them unccr.scfous 1 y drops his purse

Hiied with notes, which, in the course of events, is picked up by a by-stander after the pair have moved away. On finding that his purse is gone he believes he has been robbed and immediately suspects the ex-convict. In the meantime the finder of the purse has taken the notes out of the purse transferred them to his pocket and thrown the empty purse away. By the hand of fate it happens that the ex-convict discovers the purse and is in the act of examining it when the police arrive upon the scene and place him under arrest. Then follows a great trial scene of a very original character. It so happens that the man who has really emptied the purse of its contents is amongst those on the jury. The purse being produced in court he immediately recognises it, and the unhapnv condition of the prisoner’s wife and child arouse the manly side of his character. On the jury retiring he is the only one of. them that disagree with the verdict of “Guiltv.” and all attempts to make him fall in with the verdict utterly fail. He is at last forced to tell his fellow jurymen that he committed the

act that the prisoner is charged of and replaces the stolen notes. The ’jurymen admire him for the stand he has taken and before filing out to give the verdict of “Not G'uilty” pledge themselves to say nothing of what they have learned in the inner chamber. The verdict comes as a surprise to many, but the prisoner’s acquittal is received with tears of joy by his wife and child. “The French Cork Industry,” and “Breeding Poultry” are two highly educative films and are watched with the greatest interest. An amusing film is that entitled “The Kingdom of Lilliput,” in which the characters are enacted by quaint midgets. A picturesque film is shown of “Around Bettws Y. Coed” the scenery being of rare beauty. An exceedingly fine picture is shown entitled “Fiorella, the Bandit’s Daughter,’’ being a pathetic story of love and passion. A sensational film is that of “In the Window Recess,” the ending being of a very exciting character. One of the most enjoyable films presented is that of “Bear Hunting in the Arctic,” the shooting and dragging aboard ship of a grand specimen of polar bear being decidedly interesting. “The Devil Womin” is a picture of great dramatic interest, depicting the power a villainess has over a man whose father’s fortune she wishes him to obtain by foul methods Of the humorous pictures “Mrs. Clarke’s Birthday,” and “Calinos’ Fire Extinguishers” are firstrate laughter producers and keep the audience in the merriest of moods. Mr. E. J. Burke’s orchestra renders the usual enjoyable accompaniment during the entertainment.