PICTURE SHOWS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1487, 9 July 1912, Page 6

PICTURE SHOWS.

PULLEES' PICTURES.

A full house' greeted the swooning cf the first Picture of a further new series shown at the Siating Kiuk last evening by Messrs. John duller and Sons. J n all nine excellent photo'stories were (old and each one appeared to exactly suit the 'taste of ,i considerable section of the audionce lolcen from end to end it was a we n' arranged blending of pathbs, humour and scenery, and left little to he desired' A picture which verges on tho tragic, and subsequently almost develops a humorous side, is "A Tale of tho Circus." A little boy, tho son of an acrobat, and the partner of tho father in a high trapeze act, tails trom the trapeze- during a performance, and is seriously injured. 'I'Tio child is shown on the sick bed/ with a doctor in attendance, and the only hr.po of re-coyei-v is to rouse him from a delirium. All efforts fail until a snow elephant, between which animal and tho boy there is a very strong attachment, breaks'away from its chains and visits the sick rrom. Tho accustomed touch of tho elephant's trunk rmisw tho boy, who rallies immediately. Tho convalescent stages of tho lad, and his then association with the elephant, aro amusing to a degree. "Tho Bandit's Mask" is a story of complications arising out of a horsoinan passing the scene of a "hold-up," and picking up tho mask worn by the robber. Suspicion rests on tho innocent man, who is pursued by friends of _ lh© robbed man and captured, , but, owing to the good offices of a Spanish girl, he is sheltered until the real robber is caught, and all ejids amidst music, laughter, and love. "Historical Warwickshire, or a I rip through ' Shakespeare Land," is a scries of beautiful scenic pictures, and "Tho Signal Code" is a combination of treachery, love, and loyalty. Other screenings are: —"Alkali Bests Broncho Bill," "Lieutenant Rose and Hidden Treasure," "Tweedledum—Highlaud Pirate," "An Arizona Escape," and "The Great Diamond ifobbery.

THE KING'S THEATRE. The thorny path along which eomo young lives are forced to travel is depicted in detail in a picture, "Fate's Buffeting.?," which is one of the now series screened at tho King's Theatre last evening, before a large audience. The lad, who forms tho central point around which the story revolves, runs away from home, and before long commits a felony,' for which act ho is subsequently convicted and sentenced. After paying the penalty he is enrolled iu a French African Disciplinary Corps, but ho deserts in course of time, and is forced to fight. lono battle. After many days' wandering, he seeks assistance at a, waysrde house, but is driven away, and on returning to the woods he is overtaken by further trouble in the shape of an attack by wild animals. At this stage of tho story tho daughter of _ the man who had just refused to assist the wanderer appears on the scene, and affords protection, and through her agency her father is persuaded to lend a helping hand to the boy. The end is rather stereotyped, albeit immensely popular.. Tho reclaimed' boy develops into a worthy citizen, eaves. tho life of the girl who had befriended him, and naturally falls in lovo with, and.marries her. An essentially modern screening is one entitled "Hydroplanes and Motor Boats," which is a record of the competition at Monaco between Rcnaux, the French hydroplanist,- and motor boats. The 'pianist is depicted flying abovo his competitors, outdistancing them one by one, and eventually defeating the Ursula, owned by the 'Duke of Westminster. Another particularly good picture is "Tho Lizard and tho Mouse," illustrative of tho dormouse and its habits. Incidentally, the niouse is shown fighting with and killing one of tho .snake species and subsequently devouring it at leisure. -Other iilmis'of interest are "A Gipsy's Honour," "The Totos," "Waterfalls iu Gemptland," "A a ale of a Circus," and tho Pathe Gazette Ihe programme will be repeated this evening.

THE NEW THEATRE. A crowded attendance was at every session of MacMahon and' Doimellv's continuous pictures Qt_ tho New theatre, Manners Street, yesTer'day," when tho 'feature" dramagraph, "The Midnight Wedding,' was introduced. The picture is distinctive for the interesting nature of the plot, its interpretation, and tho staging and dresses. The story opens with the Unsuccessful wooing of Suzanne, tho beautiful daughter of n wealthy proprietor of an dectric lighting works, whoso manager, Morel, is passionately in love with Suzanne. The father considers Morel a very for Suzanne, but sho aspirc3 to marriage with a titled man. Morel is with difficulty restrained from resigning his position with SuzamVs father. Morel nursos his lovo until it is turned to hate, when ho is invited to attend Suzanne's wedding, wliicli is to talco placo tit.lnidnight in tlit> Hotel NeuiHy. Morel secretly places dynamite inside tfie electric clock in the hotel, in such a murincr as to cause an explosion when the hands shew the hour of midnight. In a farewell note to his mother, Morel explains his intention to dio with Suzanne. His mother hurries to tho hotel, and, when only three minutes to midnight,- she finds Morel. Her entreaties to save a calamity causes Morel to relent, and he dashes to the electric light station, to cut off tho current. This prevents a disastrous explosion, and the brilliant assembly of guests suffer no harm. The wedding ceremony then proceeds. "Tho Midnight Wedding" will bo repeated at mil sessions to-day and to-night, and thero will bo adequate supporting subjects.

THE ADELPHI. ' Fortunately tho employment of child' labour is not a feature here a3 it is in some of the old countrks, or even in America, where thero is a leagiie to check it. But, to what an extent it has flourished tho philanthropic workers anion/; tho poor in the large cities of tho old lands nre only too well aware. To bring it homo, tho kinematograph has been called into service effectively in a picture entitled "Children who Labour/' which is being shown, nightly at the Adelphi Theatre. It opens with a Max Reinhnrdt effect—a crowd of bedraggled j children with outstretched arms appeal- , ing to America in the emblematic figure of "Undo Sam" whilst, against a cloud-1 bc?m.iri:hed background, looms Hie black buildings and smoke-stacks of a great ! fnctory. The league has appealed to the I pwner of tho factor.v; to give up .child , ! labour, but appealed in vain—though his wife is sympathetic to the delegation. Tho sho and her little girl go for a trip. I At a wayside station the child drops her handkerchief, and runs out of the carriage to reclaim it. Boforo she can get bnck tho train, whisks off, leaving her crying on the -track. Sho is succoured by some mill folks, who arc living in abject, noverty, owing to the ukase against ndtilt lnbour, and the prevalence of cheaper child labour. They have a girl who works at tho factory, but as the pinch of poverty becomes more acute the other girl whom they have found is forced to go to work also. Meanwhile,*'

the factory owner has moved Hie authorities to _ search everywhere for his lost child without success. In the cotuiso of business lie becomes the proprietor of the very mill in which his own child is employed , . One day, through sheer weakness, the child falls- down, and is hurt. As she is boinp removed on n stretcher, sho is borne, past her mother, who is seated in a luxurious motor-ear. Moved' by compassion, sho calls on the little , one, ami is overjoyed to find her to bo her own child. 'Then the millowner think* hard, and deeide.s that child labour is a -mistake. Other pood pictures on tho new. programme are "Alkali l>esU Broncho Bill," "Winler in tho . Upper Kngjidino" (a fine scenic), "Boys of tho I!evolution," "Marriage Anion..; Tartars." "Tho . Mosquito" (an interesting scientific picture), and "Thy Banker's Daughter.". Tho orchestra, under Mr. C. Stouffhton, contributes acceptable selections.